tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5913229899720792807.post4031239791861719052..comments2023-10-06T15:32:58.414+01:00Comments on Academic, Hopeful: Turning to Some Self-HelpAcademic, Hopefulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17474557296107830403noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5913229899720792807.post-26578888019184347342009-09-16T23:51:44.915+01:002009-09-16T23:51:44.915+01:00Thanks for the book recommendations. The thought t...Thanks for the book recommendations. The thought that haunts me in those darker moments is 'who is actually going to care about this? Why does it even matter?' Pure existentialist angst, I know. I try to just ignore that voice when it pops up. <br /><br />"Don't worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually." - yes, but sometimes it needs to hurry the hell up! (speaking from personal experience today, with a deadline looming.)Bavardesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10737120234578385755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5913229899720792807.post-36700920751113551152009-08-28T13:27:07.734+01:002009-08-28T13:27:07.734+01:00Ooh, thanks for this...#5 and #6 on your list of t...Ooh, thanks for this...#5 and #6 on your list of tips are especially striking, and I think I could do with taking them both to heart. <br /><br />The idea that "the best way to get approval is not to need it" reminds me of something a great little talk that Xander showed me the other night, about motivation:<br /><br />http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html<br /><br />Basically the guy points out that people who are engaged in creative activites actually perform better when there's no traditional incentive--monetary or otherwise. In other words, the activity has to be enough on its own. So if you're writing something for the sake of writing it--not for the sake of earning a bonus or gaining approval--you'll be more succesful at it, and you'll think about it in a more creative way. <br /><br />Worth thinking about, anyway!<br /><br />xxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5913229899720792807.post-82867721627774327702009-08-27T19:21:48.463+01:002009-08-27T19:21:48.463+01:00I have read the Dunleavy, which was a good thing t...I have read the Dunleavy, which was a good thing to do before I got started much at all. It did help me think about structure. I've got the "15 Minutes" book, and you've inspired me to take a look at it. I'm at a place right now where I'm thinking these things:<br /><br />I have GOT to work on this thing more often, and I know NOTHING, and HOW will I keep all of my sources organized?, and How will I remember what I've read, and the most recent one--Oh my God, my sources are all going to going out of date by the time I finish . . . <br /><br />So I'm not much help. But I am carefully following your path to get ideas! I think about Dory in "Finding Nemo"--Just keep swimming, just keep swimming . . .Good Enough Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16531793545583712309noreply@blogger.com