Dreams Start With Patience #43

Reading time: 5 minutes

As a creative and as a human being.

There will be ups and downs.

There will be wins and losses.

But as with all things in life, it's a balance "Don't shoot me I know that's a basic platitude"

You don't realize what season you're in until hindsight arrives.

Some context about my own "paralysis"

Since the Autumn of 2023

I've known exactly what I need to do.

I've been afraid of jumping into the unknown.

A big move, a new offer, pivoting away from being known as a "photographer"

Why? Because my identity was tied to the concepts.

Our ego clings to our sense of self.

It's why we genuinely don't like to be criticized - the ego gets bruised.

But on the other side criticism and productive feedback is the light at the end of the tunnel.

If only I realized this sooner - I would've gotten out of my paralysis quicker.

Fight or flight... but also freeze.

I typically don't take flight when in times of stress.

This winter has been brutal on my mental health (when I haven't stuck to my routine and my passions.)

Our time is precious but we are constantly reacting to the world around us.

Our time gets taken away from deep valuable work and routines when emergencies arrive or the amygdala isn't regulated properly.

Traveling, emotional confusion, poor diet, and lack of movement are what contribute to the sense of overstimulation and paralysis.

Walk away from the chaos.

Enter a bid of solitude.

There you will find the answers.

Set a timer for 90 minutes.

Begin to write, begin to design, begin anything worthy of deep intense focus.

Paralysis is a monster that feeds on your inability to think clearly.

You triumph over it when you define your reason for being.

Curiosity and clarity become your new normal (for a while at least until the cycle occurs again)

Get on board with feeling uncomfortable at first - nothing matters more than this.

The pain in our mind is not equivalent to the reality of the pain we experience.

The act of doing something with imperfect expectations is how quality work is achieved.

The new year for me:

Difficult:

• A free info product launch (flopped)

• Saying goodbye to my little brother.

• Lost sleep over things I couldn’t control

Insightful:

• Insane output for 3 weeks of the month only to fizzle out by week 4.

• Signed 2 clients with my new offer.

• Forged 1 new friendship.

2 certainties when it comes to paralysis.

You're either:

A) Never ready

B) Always ready.

They're essentially the same.

Paralysis can be beaten - even if the world is busting your door over, walking inside, and vacuuming your time and will away from you.

An act of creation (this can be anything) will free you.

The flow state (optimal focus) will guide you.

You just have to lean into it like I have.

Patience is the core of your values.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't act with urgency though.

Long-game (lots of creation) + urgency and deadlines to force lever pulls and risks + actively seeking clarity on your next few steps = a blueprint for prolonged success.

Take control of your ego, and don't let others and the media hijack your amygdala.

You deserve rest.

Your potential life deserves work.

Learn to do both as efficiently as possible.

Don't mix the two of them or else you will never get either desired result.

How I overcome paralysis:

When you are backed against a wall.

Uncertain, incapable of moving, and tired.

The days have been long and harsh - you're making progress but for what?

You've probably heard the advice: "Zoom out"

I want you to change that advice during these moments.

Zoom in, and do so quickly.

Paralysis comes from a misunderstanding of one's REAL problems.

And we go back to our default mode of thinking, destroying the progress we have made in our consciousness.

What is consciousness?

I don't know - the closest representation we have is software.

With that - what software are you running?

What does your software default to when shit hits the fan and you can't move?

Your limiting beliefs are the cause of paralysis and the more aware you can become of these destructive structures in your mind the sooner you can get back to walking in alignment with your path of fulfillment.

First principles thinking: Mode -> problem-solving.

How do you solve a problem?

No, I'm not talking about bullshit strategies.

How do you TRULY solve a problem?

By going straight to the source.

You grab the roots and rip them straight out.

It's okay to be in a state of paralysis, it's not okay to stay there though.

It happens to all of us from time to time.

Another important thing to note:

You might not be able to get yourself out of this creative dilemma.

This is where the beauty of relationships shines down on you.

People, yes your introverted self will have to ask for help.

If you don't have:

-A mentor

-A mentee

-Peers

You're missing out.

Mentors take all shapes and forms.

Mentees are typically people a few steps behind you.

And your peers are those you respect and can give you meaningful relationships.

Your mentor is going to be the only person giving you clarity on your blind spots.

Sometimes it's even the people you're teaching and helping.

By helping others you can get a clear vision.

The more you help, the more you iterate.

The more you iterate, the more you gain clarity.

The more you gain clarity, the more you ascend in your ability to take action.

The more you ascend, the more you can reciprocate back to the universe.

This starts the cycle anew and your ability to pull yourself out of paralysis is newly refined.

Better, smarter, and happier.

The choice is yours.

Don't live your life on autopilot.

Dive as deep into yourself as you can and level up your awareness.

Thanks for reading!
Another way I can help you when you are ready.
Learn how to optimize creativity and productivity directly from me

The Patience Paradigm (curiosity → passion course)
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-Zachariah