Workable #30: Mindful Work Allows for Experimentation

In a recent interview with The Atlantic, author Megha Majumdar said the following:

I would go to a coffee shop before work and write for an hour, and I would also write on the weekends. It took me about four years to write the book. It felt very slow, but it was a really exciting project to have, because it was so private and I never really talked about it—it was a project I cared so much about, but no one else cared if I finished or abandoned it, and that felt very freeing.
Megha Majumdar on What Debut Authors Need to Know
Plus: her transition from editing to writing full-time, the kinds of books she longs to see more of, and the joy of a solitary writing project.

What stands out to me here is the joy she finds in the writing process. As we find the joy and excitement in the process, as we focus on the process rather than some later goal, we create opportunities to explore the work. Here’s how this works:

Focus — and even joy! — in the process opens us up to the possibility for Experimentation.

The work is never perfect and it’s never completely ready, so why not take opportunities to enjoy what we’re doing and try something new? Majumdar wrote A Burning (a highly recommended read!) over the course of four years. You might as well try some stuff along the way!

Working mindfully can lead us do something different; therefore, enjoy the process!


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