15 Minute Writer

Creative Writing – What Can A Tugboat Teach You About Thinking Big?

January 18th, 2012 Posted in Keys to Success in Writing, Thinking Big, Writing Encouragement, Writing to Influence

Do you have big dreams? Would you like to do something big with your writing, with your life? Do you feel like you are an ordinary person, one little person in the world and maybe a little shy about what you can seriously accomplish?

I understand those fears because I’ve had them myself. Perhaps some of the insights below will help you take some more steps to put those fears behind you.

Child prodigy, Arfa had these thoughts about the power you have in your mind to overcome the tendency to be shy. “If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind. If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident you act confident. Therefore never let shyness conquer your mind.”

Arfa Karim Randhawa was the computer programming prodigy. She became the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at 9 years old. Unfortunately Arfa only lived until she was sixteen but she had a big dream and in her short life, impacted the world in a significant way.

Another source encouragement came in an unexpected way when I visited my sister last summer in San Diego. We enjoyed an expansive view of the San Diego harbor from her high rise condo. We’d watch the large ships coming in and out of the harbor.

One of the sights that captivated me was the little tug boats pulling a big ship–and I mean a huge ship, a ship many times its size. Once the ship was in the harbor, it could no longer use its own power but had to depend on one or two tugboats to pull it in. It’s almost amusing to see these tiny little boats pulling the great ship.

Tugboats were created to tow big ships. That is their job. It doesn’t matter that they are small, they were fashioned to do this chore and they do it well.

Sometimes I identify with those tugboats. The dreams I have and the ship I want to pull in seems huge to me.  Maybe you can relate. You may sometimes feel small in comparison to the big dream you have.

Perhaps God designed you to fulfill some big plans. Maybe through your writing He wants you to impact others in some significant way just as the tug boats were designed to pull the hefty boats. It’s not in your best interest or in the best interest of the world for you to shy away from the gifts, talents and abilities, God has placed in you. Maybe you won’t be a prodigy but you have your own significant assignment and role to play to make the world a better place with your writing.

Develop your writing skills, talents and abilities. Maybe you already know how to write but are you refining your skills and adding to your abilities? I’d like to invite you not to settle at the level you are in your writing skill. Always be looking for ways to add to your knowledge in how to write well and to grow in your creative writing skills. Implement new writing tips and ideas regularly.

If you have not yet learned to write, then begin now to learn how to write and the techniques of creative writing. One way is to take writing courses. The writing course, “How to Write for Fun and Profit” is designed to support you as you learn how to write or  move your writing skills to the next level. I would love to support you on your writing journey but whether you take a course from me or not, learn how to write and continue to improve your skills.

A proverb  which inspires me to continue to develop my writing skills says, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings, he will not serve before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29 (NIV 1984)

Your ever increasing ability will enable you to move big ships into the harbor–huge ships loaded with good things for yourself and for others.

Don’t be shy no matter how little you feel. Grow in your skills and have fun with it!

Go write now!

How about you? How can you overcome your shyness? What can you do to bring your big ship in?