By Rosanne Bane Thanks to all of you who have commented so far on the Outline-and-Order vs. Draft-and-Discover debate (either here or in emails to me). I’m still gathering info, so if you’re thinking about commenting and haven’t gotten around to it yet, please do. If you read Larry’s comment to my last post, you … More Outline-and-Order vs. Draft-and-Discover: Learning to Fly
By Rosanne Bane What’s your writing style: rational or intuitive? Do you prepare an outline before you start drafting? Or do you discover what the structure will be as you draft? Outline-and-Order writers prefer to know where they’re going; they check the map before they start the engine. Actually, they draw the map, then double-check … More The Great Debate: Outline-and-Order vs. Draft-and-Discover
By Rosanne Bane Lieutenant Commander Michael Riley made the right decision when he followed his intuition that there was something wrong with the radar blip headed for the USS Missouri. It was an Iraqi missile, not an American fighter plane, and destroying it saved the Missouri. Even in hindsight, Riley and other analysts couldn’t see … More How Far Should You Trust Your Intuition?
By Rosanne Bane Your emotional brain knows things your rational, logical cortex doesn’t. But can you trust your intuition, the things you “just know?” Should you? Here’s true story of a British naval officer who had to make that decision in a few tense moments during Desert Storm. Lieutenant Commander Michael Riley of the HMS … More How Far Do You Trust Your Intuition?
I couldn’t see what was there, because I was so busy looking for something that wasn’t there and wasn’t going to be there. I assumed there would be another box. My assumptions and expectations made it impossible for me to see reality.
Talk about needing to think outside the box! … More Learning Not to See Part 2: Assumptions Trump Reality
The desire to avert our eyes, to not see, is at the heart of all resistance. I’ve resisted writing all week…because any writing requires that I not avert my eyes… and right now I’m trying to not see. … More Are You Willing to See?
By Rosanne Bane My friend Melissa and I were laughing about how silly our rebellious natures can be – especially when we get “oppositionally defiant” with ourselves. (Oppositional defiance is a significant disorder for children and adolescents, but when you’re our age and you’re only defying yourself, it’s pretty silly.) “I hate it when I … More Stop Stopping Yourself
Newton’s First Law of Motion states that a body at rest tends to stay at rest. The Writer’s Corollary is that a person not writing tends to continue not writing. Add any expectation to this initial inertia – that the writing be good, that you complete something significant today, that you write a predetermined number of … More Initial Inertia
I can’t tell you exactly how you’ll discern your Self from your self and how you’ll finesse the balance between your ego-self and your True Self . But one guideline I find helpful is to always honor the promises you make to yourself and others. When you honor a commitment you make, you strengthen your awareness of … More Don’t Take Yourself Seriously Part 3: Keep Your Promises
While you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously, you must take your Self seriously. I’m talking about the distinction between your (lower case s) self and your (capital S) Self, aka your True Self or Spirit. (If you’re curious, I discuss Carl Jung’s distinction between the larger Self and the ego-self and … More Don’t Take Yourself Seriously Part 2: Ego, Maslow and All That
Bane of Your Resistance 