Engaging with Difficult Projects: Finding Meaning and Fun

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Engaging with difficult projects makes me happy and alive, even if I feel completely incompetent. I keep showing up and trying, because that's just who I am. It's not about grinding through the work, but finding inspiration in walks, gardening, and other activities. It may be slow, but I trust that progress is happening. The best ideas come when I'm not actively writing. Regardless of the challenges, I want to be engaged and make the project meaningful. Fun may not always be the goal, but being engaged is what matters to me.

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We've all been there - mired in a project, job or pursuit and wondering "when will this get easier?" The doubts start to creep in: "Am I cut out for this level of effort? Is this pain just part of the process, or a sign it's not right for me? Why does this feel so hard?"

When was the last time you embarked on a new project, pursuit or passion only to hit a wall of doubts and difficulties along the way? Did you start to wonder if it was supposed to be this challenging? Or, trying to assess whether the difficulty you’re feeling is because it’s right and you just need to find a way through it and grow, or it's wrong and it's time to pack it in and move on?

That’s where we’re heading in today's episode of Sparked, unpacking the challenges we all face when creating something new from nothing. Along the way, adversity, doubt and discomfort are sure to arise. But how do you know when to push through versus pivot away? Is the hard work indicative that you're on the wrong path, or simply part of any generative process?

In today’s episode we’re in conversation with:

SPARKED HOT TAKE WITH: Cynthia Morris | Website

Cynthia is the founder of the Original Impulse creative studio and atelier and coaching program for writers, she’s also an author, workshop facilitator, trusted advisor and coach.

AND HOSTED BY: Jonathan Fields

Jonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He’s also the creator of an unusual tool that’s helped more than 650,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED.

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