Writing a book requires unflagging focus and the willingness to push forward despite any obstacles. My pup Hoover evidences those qualities every time we get in the car. Although he has never been the alpha, he claimed the passenger seat as soon as he was large enough to scramble over from the back seat. Twelve years later, his sense of ownership of that spot hasn’t weakened.
It doesn’t matter whether someone is sitting there or not—or whether my passenger actually wants to cradle a dog. Hoover accepts the occasional rejection for a nano second, then starts inching his way back to the position he has claimed as his own. Before the people along for the ride are even aware of what’s happened, Hoover is back in their laps. When they inevitably give in and stop trying to shove him toward the back of the car, Hoover sinks down like an over-sized beanie baby and goes to sleep. Mission accomplished.
Going blind hasn’t changed this undaunted behavior. Neither has the addition of two larger furry dogs, who both think they need to help me navigate any route, or competition from look-alike half-brother Dashiell, the self-anointed leader of the pack. Hoover somehow finds a way to gently push past or under the combined 100-plus pound obstacles, ignoring warning growls from his doppleganger.
In short, Hoover is the personification (or dogification to be more accurate) of focus and persistence. He would have made one heck of a prolific writer.
So take a lesson from my dog. Next time you’re tempted to let a conflict interfere with your writing schedule or to skip writing the 500 words you’ve promised to crank out, just remember Hoover. When you simply push forward without letting anything get in your way—day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year—you achieve your goal. So here’s to writing focus and persistence.
Hoover puts a much friendlier image in my mind of perseverance–better than duct taping my self to my chair. Thank you!