February 8, 2012

Back to Business

I recently read The Anthologist by Nicholson Baker. The narrator, Paul Chowder, is a poet struggling to write the past due introduction to an anthology of poetry. The following passage leaped out at me:
…as I mowed, I thought, The interesting thing is that you can start mowing anywhere. The lawn will get done no matter where you start mowing. And that seemed like an important discovery.

Because so often I think when I’m writing a poem that I need to start in some specific spot. Where I begin becomes so important that I never begin. 
A little further on:
You can start anywhere. That’s the thing about starting. If you start, you’re in motion. If you don’t start, you’re nowhere. If you stop, you’re nowhere.
This is so true. Not just about writing or other creative projects. Starting a business can be overwhelming. There's so much to do that it's difficult to focus on any one task, especially since every aspect of your business is intertwined. The important thing is to begin. There's no rights or wrongs. Start anywhere. Your efforts will create their own momentum to carry you through all that needs doing. I know I've said this before, (Getting Started, Today's Progress, Thoughts on Business Plans) but it's important and bears repeating.

Baker, Nicholson. The Anthologist. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009.

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