#161 9 Year Identity Crisis?! - Tom Critchlow on being stuck, indecisiveness, going to wander, taking every 7th week off, strategically dropping the ball, hiring an editor, and fear of finishing his book
Aug 23, 2023
auto_awesome
Tom Critchlow, indie career challenges and book author, discusses topics such as indecisiveness, taking breaks, strategically dropping the ball, hiring an editor, and the fear of finishing his book in a conversation with Paul Millerd.
Finding like-minded individuals on unconventional paths can provide valuable support, inspiration, and learning opportunities to navigate and excel in unconventional endeavors.
Maintaining a balanced focus when pursuing multiple ventures requires new strategies, such as strategic avoidance and intentional working cadences, to overcome paralysis and make progress.
Deep dives
The Importance of Finding Community in Unconventional Paths
One key point discussed in the podcast is the significance of finding others on similar unconventional paths. The host emphasizes that connecting with like-minded individuals is crucial for enabling people to create and follow unconventional paths successfully. The community provides support, inspiration, and the opportunity to learn from each other's experiences. By joining the community, members gain access to valuable resources, such as a paid newsletter, courses, and even a free book. The overall message is that finding others on similar paths can greatly enhance one's ability to navigate and excel in unconventional endeavors.
Navigating the Challenges of Balancing Multiple Ventures
Another main idea explored in the podcast is the difficulty of maintaining a balanced focus when pursuing multiple ventures. The guest, Tom Critchlow, shares his own experience of being split between his consulting work and a course he created. He highlights the different tempos and challenges associated with each endeavor. While consulting provides stimulating and client-directed work, the course creation and book writing require self-direction and decision-making. Tom expresses a sense of feeling stuck and indecisive, unsure of how to prioritize his time and energy effectively. This struggle is common for entrepreneurs and requires finding new strategies, such as strategic avoidance and setting intentional working cadences, to overcome the paralysis and make progress.
The Emotional Weight of Completing a Book
The podcast delves into the emotional journey of writing a book and the potential anxiety or resistance that arises when it nears completion. Tom shares his personal experience and the fear of losing the joy and intellectual stimulation that writing the book has brought him. He discusses the hidden fear of shedding an old identity and a sense of mourning for the completion of this significant creative project. The guest and host explore strategies for pushing through this stuckness, which include deliberately experiencing periods of doing nothing and reconnecting with personal interests from the past. They also discuss the potential positive outcomes and the serendipitous opportunities that can arise from having the book out in the world.
Overcoming Writer's Block and Creating Incentives
The podcast conversation offers practical strategies for overcoming writer's block and creating motivation to complete a writing project. Ideas such as taking walks to stimulate creativity, venturing into environments that spark inspiration, and deliberately changing rhythms are shared. The guest, inspired by the host's experience, considers the value of creating artificial deadlines and incentives to drive progress. They discuss the merits of hiring an editor for collaboration and accountability. The conversation ultimately highlights the importance of embracing the unknown, reclaiming the joy of writing, and embracing the potential unlocked by completing a book and moving into new creative territories.
Tom and Paul talk through Tom's challenges at this inflection point in his indie career, a book he's planning on shipping and how to think through indie consultant identity crises