Ready, Set…Pause?

Do you dream of publication? Do you yearn to see your name on the cover of a book? Do you long to have your words touch others?

Maybe you’ve already reached the milestone of publication and now you’re pressing toward new dreams: a multitude of followers, rave reviews, bestseller lists. Not because you’re chasing success, but because you long to impact readers with a message that’s moved you. Changed you.

Whether you’re at the starting block or already racing toward your goals, you’re likely focused on the finish line.

But what if the race is a marathon and you were expecting a sprint?

You’ve run and run and now your legs feel leaden and your lungs ache. It seems the end is nowhere in sight. Did you miss a marker? Are you off course?

Do you push forward?

Or do you quit?

Maybe, you simply pause…

Last week, after nearly thirty years of writing, publishing, and impact, while staring at yet another blank Word document, a long to-do list whirring in my mind, discouragement called my name. And I answered. For an hour or so, discouragement and a few of his unsavory friends—frustration, fear, and fatigue—worked hard to pull me off course.

Fortunately, I’ve run this race long enough to recognize when it’s time to slow my pace, or even pause.

So, what does it look like to pause on the course? Do you step off and enjoy a long weekend at a spa? If that’s an option for you, do it!

But for many of us, a pause may prove more mundane. After I walked away from my computer last week, my pause included organizing a shelf in my closet and unloading the dishwasher. The tasks gave me a sense of having finished something. A completed project, whatever it is, offers an emotional boost. More importantly, the tasks gave my mind space to roam, to remember, and ultimately to reboot.

Here are a few tips for when it’s your turn to pause on the course:

Let Your Mind Meander

Choose an activity that requires little focus, something rote. Let your mind wander. It’s often during those times when our best ideas present themselves, or the solution to a problem comes to us. How many times has a brilliant thought shown up while you were in the shower?

Pay Attention to Your Thoughts

While giving your mind space to wander is valuable, you must also pay attention to your thoughts and tune out those that accuse or condemn. They’re not helpful. Ever. Instead, listen for thoughts that inform the project you’ve walked away from, thoughts that offer new insight, and thoughts that encourage you.

Recall Your Reasons

In order to get back in the race, it’s helpful to rehearse, on occasion, your reason for entering in the first place. Recall your compelling why and let it motivate you. If you’ve created a mission statement, recite it. If you can’t recall or come up with a sound purpose to support the project you’ve walked away from, maybe it’s time to reevaluate.

If after you’ve taken some time away from your work you find you’re still stuck or struggling, call in your cheering section. We all need others who will cheer us on, those who know why we began running in the first place, those who will come alongside us and help us, if necessary, cross the finish line to “The End.”