Experience

“I don’t know what to write.”

“I don’t know what to write.”

*Writes a sentence

“… Don’t love that.”

“I really just have no idea what to write”

The above is usually the script my brain follows every morning, Monday - Friday, starting at about 6:45a. It’s a familiar one, so I don’t have any trouble at all remembering my role; however, I’ve gotten pretty tired of that role lately.

I forgot what it was like to write consistently. The battle that it is to wake up and stare at a blank page every morning, while it waits for you to fill it with something pleasing, thoughtful or meaningful. I forgot what it was like to try to find the thoughts and the words to communicate those thoughts, all the while doing it with a passion.

Then this morning, I remembered a secret piece to it all that i’ve forgotten - experience. The driver of what shapes me, what shapes us and the world around us.

It’s the stories, the sense and the way the cosmos moves around us that make for good writing, good sharing and good living. It’s helping one another tell our stories by asking questions, listening, remembering and reflecting. Experience is what makes good writing, and it’s what gets us all out of bed in the morning.

Live it. Remember it. Tell it.

-Cliff

Cliff’s Note: Looking for passion? Look to experience.

The Grueling Pursuit of Passion

This morning, I was reflecting on one of the best feelings a person can have. The feeling when you’re doing what you know you’re supposed to be doing.

Growing up, I always loved seeing my friends get a long, especially when I happened to be the one to introduce those friends to one another. I always got a lot of joy watching a mate from one friend group enter into the circle of another friend group, only to have the two friend groups mesh together and create a massive, new friend group. I wouldn’t have called it this one I was 12, but it was a passion, and when you’re a teenager and you start to grow up, you begin to wonder how you can translate your passions into jobs and your jobs into careers, but my passion, obviously, was pretty unique.

What was I going to do with this weird passion I had of convening people and watching them form friendships out of those introductions? I certainly wasn’t going to pursue a career in match-making, but surely there had to be something out there ‘where my greatest joy met the world’s greatest need,’ as the great Frederick Buechner said. After all, I highly doubted the world needed another match-maker (although Bumble and Tender turned out to be pretty successful), but surely, the world needed something that fit what I loved to do.

And it did, and it still does. It just always looks a little different for each season of life, as the world changes and as I change. But really, there’s no feeling quite like the first time life hits the nail on the head for you and you get a phone call that says, “Yes, we’ve got a job that fits exactly what you’re describing.”

Whatever that may be for you as you pursue finding that passion and purpose, I pray that you sit in that, ‘Aha!’ feeling of finding that illusive happiness. And it may be a lifelong pursuit, but don’t stop. It’s worth every second.

-Cliff

Cliff’s Note: The pursuit of finding your passion is never a wasted journey, no matter its length.

Why I Write

For a long time, I've really enjoyed writing. It was my favorite subject in school because I was never any good at math or science, and it opened the door to creativity for me. I always enjoyed taking boring research papers and trying to turn them into something my teacher would actually enjoy reading. Writing allowed me, a quiet introvert, to express my thoughts and emotions in a way that didn't draw a lot of attention to myself, and it became a platform and stage I could be myself on. Writing is like the introvert's Madison Square Garden; it's a stage you can perform and be yourself on without anyone watching you.

I love the creativity of writing, too. I enjoy listening to stories and the ancient art of storytelling, and I love how writing can appeal so greatly to one's emotions. Why else would 75 percent of social media now consist of sharing articles full of inspiring stories and thoughts on life and how to live it? Writing puts letters together to form words and words together to form sentences and thoughts that match emotions and experiences. Writing is life-giving to me, and it's something I'm passionate about and love sharing with others. Hence, this blog.

As of late, however, it's become too easy for me to exchange my passion for success when sharing my writing with others. I've fallen into the trap of experiencing a taste of successful writing and trying to pursue that, rather than pursing the passion for writing. I've become more worried about what will get the most "shares," rather than focusing on being inspired by what I see, experience and feel. I've slowly drifted into the dangerous waters of pleasing others, rather than pursing passion. I started Cliff Notes in August so I could begin to write on a more 'professional' level and begin to take my passion for writing more seriously. Cliff Notes started to follow a dream, not to get shares.

 A few days ago, I wrote a post on why dreams are worth 30 minutes a day. I wrote this, not only as a motivation for others to follow their dreams, but also as a motivation for myself. Those who follow my social media, may or may not have realized I've been writing and posting a lot more over the past couple of weeks. I've written a lot more as of late because I'm trying to pursue that 30-minute/day goal and follow my dream. I want to be a writer, and to write for a living requires writing every day. Being a writer would be a dream come true.

With that, I've set a goal to post 100 blogs in 100 days. In order to make this happen, I'm asking for a lot of help. I'm asking for help from friends to write guest posts and I'm asking for accountability to keep writing. You see, I don't just want to write in order to "post 100 blogs" or clog up everyone's newsfeed, and I don't want just my voice heard. I want to write and share writing relevantly, and I want to write quality content that inspires, reflects and challenges myself and others. The last thing the internet needs is more "content" that just takes up space. Writing is a gift and passion God has given me. I want to steward that gift well, and I want Him to be glorified through that gift.

So here's to 85 more days of writing, and cheers to you if you've been reading and following Cliff Notes. I truly mean it when I say that every time you read a post or give some feedback, you're helping make my dream come true, and I can't thank everyone enough for that. It's like my own, personal Make-A-Wish foundation. It will be interesting to see how this season of writing evolves, but you can be sure to expect to hear from some other inspiring writers, as well throughout the process. I couldn't be more stoked. 

Let's make a deal. If you keep chasing your dreams, I'll keep chasing mine.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Writing is like the introvert's Madison Square Garden; it's a stage you can perform and be yourself on without anyone watching you.

Why Your Dreams Are Worth 30 Minutes a Day

Has anyone ever told you that you can't do something? Not in a way that says, "Don't touch that," but in a way that says, "That's impossible." Maybe they said you weren't smart enough, weren't rich enough or weren't good enough. Maybe they said it's not logical, it's too big of a risk or the odds are too great. Whatever anyone has said, forget about it, at least for this instance. Forget what they said and remember what your heart said when you had the idea. Remember your dream.

Now that you've thought of that dream, ponder on it for a moment, and try to remember why you thought it was possible. Don't concentrate on the reasons why it might be impossible, but concentrate on the reasons why you believe it is possible.

You see, dreams don't just come out of nowhere. They form over time, and they form out of experience. Maybe it was a sport you grew up playing or a business idea you had that could change the world. A dream is founded in something, and that something is usually passion. We all have a passion for something, and it's because of that passion that we all have hopes, dreams and wishes.

As a recent college graduate, it seems like most of these dreams take shape around college-age individuals. It's a time people begin to be more exposed to the world and more aware of the opportunities out there to change it, so "dream jobs" develop. Many times, it's after college that those dream jobs seem to slowly turn into just dreams. Steady 8 - 5 jobs are found, and routines develop. Families are made and life goes on, but then what about that "dream job?" Does it just die and go away, or does it turn into a haunting nightmare because it was never pursued? I don't want to find out.

Dreams need to be pursued, and they need to be enjoyed. They need to be met with goals and practical ways of achieving them, and as difficult as that sounds, maybe it's not that difficult. If your dream is really your dream, it will be backed with passion, and that passion will be fueled by joy. If you have a dream and want to do it, there will be joy pursuing it.

Here's my challenge to you: Spend 15 - 30 minutes a day doing something in pursuit of your dreams. It doesn't have to be anything that costs money or radically alters your schedule; it just has to be something that puts you on track to see dreams come true. Maybe it's something as simple as sending emails to organizations or companies you want to work for, or maybe it's as tedious as learning an entirely new skill. Whatever it is, try it. Dreams don't have to stay dreams. They can come true, and that in itself is why pursing them is worth it.

After all, if you've spent your whole life dreaming something, isn't it worth 30 minutes pursuing?

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Don't let your dream become a nightmare because you never took the time to pursue it.