NaNoWriMo: End of the Long Road
I have reached the end of the month of November. Back at the beginning of the month I had announced that I was going to be participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) as ScreechingWeasel. For that reason, I have no written nor attended my blog over the month, leaving it woefully neglected in the pursuit of those elusive 50,000 words, which is the core of the NaNo challange. Needless to say, I have reached the end of a long road and I have finally got those words and I can now proudly return to my blog with this achievement under my belt.
Early on the challenge I posted pieces of my work. But then I stopped doing it. I needed to focus more on the work itself and not my blog, so I decided that it would take away from my ability to write in order to reach my deadline.
Doing this, reminded me of something I learned while I took Tae Kwon-do in high school. At the start of each class, we would recite the oath of the art, and in that oath, in the first one, we would recite the five tenets of Tae Kwon-do.
Courtesy – even when you dedicate your time, you need to realise that you need to listen to those around you, and be courteous, so that they will be respectful of your need to write in peace. This creates friendships and a support network.
Integrity, it’s the ability to admit to yourself that this isn’t going to be an easy task but you can do it if you just try. To be honest with yourself and others.
Self-control. This is the ability to ignore the other factors when the weight of the task weighs down on you, driving one to procrastinate and find others venues of escape. It’s the ability to ignore temptation and plug away until you reach your goal.
Perseverance. The ability to keep at it even when things get tough and never giving up. Failure is only an inevitability when one decides that they are ready to give up. Even if you don’t succeed, not giving up is the way to victory. Not surrendering when things get tough takes a lot out of you. The initial burst to get started tapers off once the realisation of reality sets in and one realises that there is a monumental task ahead of them.
Indomitable Spirit. It is the courage, but, you don’t need it unless you struggle against an oppressive regime in your literary pursuit to express yourself.
And now, I come to the end of another long road on the ever-winding path of life. I have proven to myself that I have it in me to just write. I know now that if I need to I can do it. Seeing results is a truly driving force; it can be a truly driving force when you can see the finish line. Just when things start to look grim, as that deadline approaches, when you can get a glimpse of the finish line, you can reach into yourself and find that little power keg. That power keg can provide you with the last burst; that final exhilarating rush of adrenaline driving you to push yourself to the limit and make it out, triumphant, even if drenched in a thick coat of sweat.
Stumble It!
