Do you want to be great?

I do. I recently read The Dip by Seth Godin. It’s a small book
that has some fresh ideas about when to quit and when to keep going.
I recommend it.

One idea in the book is that to become outstanding you need to go
through a squeeze point. If a field doesn’t have a difficult
stretch, there is no way to separate the great from the good. If
the task is easy, it will be crowded at the top.

I’d like to take this a step farther. Imagine you want to become
great. (You do, don’t you?) Imagine you know that it’s going to be
hard. (Great news!) What will carry you through the rough spots?

Willpower? Sheer stubbornness? The support of family, friends, or
a coach? Positive habits?

All of these help. Any of these might be enough. Better still —
and making all of these easier — is love.

If you have a passion for academics, you’ll find it much easier and
more fun to put in the extra hours and write that thesis for the
degree with honors. If you love weightlifting, you will persevere
through the plateau when no progress is visible. If you love your
partner, you’ll stay through the hard times and become the greatest
partner you could ever be.

Without love, why would you want to stay through the hard parts?

Now, I happen to love reading. I’m not sure reading has a Dip in
Seth Godin’s sense. Maybe The Dip in reading is Faulkner or The
Faerie Queen. Maybe it’s learning to read analytically or beginning
to write. Maybe it’s continuing to find time to read as life
becomes ever more busy.

In any case, my love of reading has served me well. I’ve had many
hours of pleasure from reading, and now have many books to share
with you. I’ve absorbed much about writing and continue to learn.
I’m going to keep it up.

What do you want to be great at? Does it have a Dip? What do you
love?

If you don’t know, call me and I’ll help you find out. If you do
know, call me, and I’ll help you get more of what you love. Call
505-640-0979 and talk to me about what I can do for you.

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Book Recommendation

Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny

Fred’s uncle left him a generous allowance for as long as he was in
college. So Fred has been changing majors and avoiding a degree for
thirteen years. When his university gives him a doctorate to get
rid of him, he’s out of income. And then a priceless alien artifact
disappears, and everyone thinks Fred has it. This is a great story,
with rich prose and clever structure — just a bit challenging to
read. Are you up to it? It is also no longer in print. I found
ample used copies available online.

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Anna Paradox is a life coach who speaks science fiction. Her
clients invest in themselves to achieve their dreams. If you’d
like to join them, call me at 505-640-0979. Or email me at
anna@annaparadox.com

Creating Space is her twice-monthly newsletter with tips, insights,
and a book recommendation for science fiction fans and space
activists. You can subscribe at www.annaparadox.com/newsletter,
and read back issues there, too.

Wings of Infinity, 2100 Thomas Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88001, USA