A Week of Challenges and Anticipation
Sometimes, the best-laid plans get thrown off course by reality. This past week was one of those times. Between work obligations, unexpected physical setbacks, and the ever-present pull of major projects on the horizon, my personal writing took a back seat. While it’s easy to feel frustrated about the lack of progress, I also recognize that part of accountability is acknowledging setbacks, understanding what led to them, and figuring out how to move forward.
MegaCon Prep and the Work Drain
One of the biggest challenges I faced this week was work-related: prepping for MegaCon. As with any major event, the buildup requires an immense amount of energy and planning. Between product descriptions, marketing strategies, website updates, and ensuring all elements were in place for a smooth execution, my workload skyrocketed. It wasn’t just about getting things done—it was about getting them done right and on time.
When I push myself hard at work, my personal projects tend to take a hit. This past week, I had fully intended to make progress on my writing goals, particularly System of Redemption, Enemy Within, and my upcoming blog post about how there are no bad story ideas, only bad execution. But by the time I finished my work responsibilities, I had nothing left in the tank. My creative energy was zapped, and instead of spending time writing, I found myself shifting focus toward work-related items that, while important, weren’t necessarily what I wanted to be working on after hours.
It’s a frustrating cycle—one I’ve been in before and will likely be in again. The key takeaway for me is that balancing professional obligations with personal projects requires intentionality. If I don’t carve out time for my creative work, it will always get pushed aside by the more urgent tasks. This week was a clear reminder that I need to get better at protecting that time, even when things at work ramp up.
Fitness Hurdle: A Setback in Boxing
The other major hurdle I ran into was a physical one. I’ve been making consistent progress with my fitness goals, especially with my morning cardio and weight training, but this week, things took a painful turn. During one of my boxing workouts, I threw out my back. It was sudden, and the impact was immediate—I knew right away that I had pushed too hard, and my body wasn’t happy about it.
What followed was three days of forced rest. I’m the type of person who struggles with downtime, especially when it’s unplanned. Sitting still and letting my body heal was frustrating, particularly because I had been feeling strong in my workouts and enjoying the progress I was making. But there was no pushing through this—any attempt to keep training would have risked making things worse.
This setback reminded me that while pushing limits is important, so is listening to my body. Injuries happen, but they don’t have to be derailments. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to re-evaluate my approach, ensure I’m warming up properly, and maybe even work in more mobility-focused exercises to prevent future injuries. While I’m feeling much better now, I know I need to ease back into things rather than jumping right back into high-intensity workouts.
Looking Ahead: Big Announcements Coming Soon
Despite the setbacks, there’s a lot to be excited about. I have some major announcements coming down the pipeline—things I’ve been working toward for a while and can’t wait to share. Unfortunately, I can’t discuss them just yet, but I hope to be able to soon.
It’s always an interesting position to be in, knowing that something big is on the horizon but not being able to talk about it openly yet. On one hand, I want to keep everyone updated and a tiny collection of people in on what’s happening behind the scenes. On the other, there’s a time and place for unveiling things, and patience is key. What I can say is that these announcements will have a significant impact on both my writing and my professional journey, and I’m looking forward to when I can finally share the details.
Lessons from the Week
This week wasn’t the most productive in terms of writing, but it wasn’t a loss. It highlighted some important lessons:
- Work-Life Balance Needs Constant Adjustment – MegaCon prep reminded me that I have to be more intentional about carving out writing time, even during high-demand weeks. If I don’t protect that time, work will consume all of my energy.
- Recovery Is Part of the Process – My back injury was frustrating, but it also forced me to slow down and respect my body’s limits. Moving forward, I need to be more mindful of injury prevention and not push too hard too fast.
- Anticipation is Motivation – Even though I couldn’t accomplish as much as I wanted this week, knowing that big things are coming keeps me motivated. Sometimes, the best way to get through a tough stretch is to focus on what’s ahead.
Next week, I plan to refocus and regain momentum. My writing goals are still there, waiting for me to pick them back up, and I’m eager to get back into my fitness routine—this time, with a more mindful approach.
Here’s to a new week, renewed focus, and the excitement of what’s to come.
