By the time I got three-quarters of the way through The Kowloon Jukebox, I’d learned so much about the characters and the setting and the story that I realized I’d have to re-write the whole thing. There was some solid writing in that first version, but I was willing to sacrifice those gems to take the story to the next level.

Getting so near the end of the novel and realizing I wasn’t satisfied with it could’ve been a motivation-killer. Fortunately, I really love writing novels, so re-writing isn’t a burden. It’s simply an opportunity to improve – the story and my writing skills.

Sometimes, it takes a lot of exploration to discover what it is that you’re really trying to express in a story or a painting or even your life. Once upon a time, I was a teacher. Then, I re-wrote my life story and became a copywriter. Then, I re-wrote it again and became a novelist. Once, I’d convinced myself that I’d spend the rest of my life languishing alone in a small town. Now, I’m planning to sail the world with my husband and son and a virtual Noah’s ark of animals.

Do overs are a fundamental human right IMHO. If you’re not satisfied with what you’ve achieved so far, you have the right to start fresh with a greater supply of wisdom. So do it already!

 

 

Your Mission

What about you? Is there something in your life that you’d like to improve? What’s stopping you? Do overs aren’t just good for morale. They’re a great way to earn IRL XP. Today, figure out what area of your life might benefit from a do over. What would that look like? How can you motivate yourself to do it again but better?

If you’re so inclined, tell me about your do over!