(How very) Trying

It's exhausting trying, the highs, the lows, the setbacks, even winning, it's all very, well, trying. But we wouldn't have it any other way.

It’s me! Hello. I was Rethink Work but now I’m (How very) Trying!

It might’ve been quiet on the receiving end of this newsletter but there has been a lot of hammering, knocking down walls, reimagining space, hanging up pictures going on in the mind of ‘Rethink Work’.

For the last few months I’ve been wanting to write again. Proper writing, or at least my proper way of writing - that is writing whatever I want that springs to mind just because.

I have been writing a few ideas for books, in fact I have pitched 4 book ideas in the last 2 years, and written 100,000 words as part of exploring those ideas. But so far none of them have stuck yet. But we continue…

And that brings me here.

Because I had realisation a few weeks back. It’s a really simple realisation. But it’s a very important one, maybe so simple it get constantly overlooked.

It’s the fixation of success being the achievement of goals, outcomes, getting to the end that is making me feel like, well, like I’m not achieving success. And maybe never will. Because when you get to the ‘end’ you find out there is no end! It’s onto the next thing.

So this writing will be an exploration of how we can enjoy the ‘trying’ part of the process. And maybe giving a more positive vibe to the notion of ‘trying’. I mean, when you think about it, it gets a bad rep.

Look at the title ‘how very trying’ - this has only ever been muttered by tired people at people who are wearing them out (rightly, or wrongly).

To be very trying - well that’s not a good thing is it. This is about testing someone’s patience, pushing the boundaries, becoming tiresome.

But what if we can make ‘TRYING’ a good thing. Let’s join together and instead of ‘at least you tried’ being a thing of condolence is there a chance that ‘at least you tried’ is a moment to celebrate?

Well maybe. Or maybe not. We’ll see.

What this will definitely be about is the real story of what happens when you try. Whatever it is. You set a goal, an ambition, a dream - and you try to make it happen.

What is almost guaranteed is that you will feel like you’ve failed before you’ve even started, you will fail because you don’t start, you will have success but be too busy thinking of the next thing to celebrate, you will see everyone else who is definitely winning, you will know you are the biggest loser. It’s all very, well, trying!

But despite all of this you are actually winning because you are trying. And we must applaud all triers out there, however trying they are!

Thank you for being here.

I look forward to trying with you.

Eleanor