As we all know, writing is a very competitive field and sometimes the pressure can be too much to handle. Thoughts of not succeeding, competing with other authors, writer’s block and many more are all things that can really dampen the spirit of a writer.

To get out of that slump, sometimes all you need is a little inspiration and sometimes that inspiration can come from the oddest of places.

Today, I was fortunate enough to see Matt Lauer speak at my university. He spoke about breaking into broadcast journalism (another tough business) and how he failed literally dozens of times before finally succeeding. However, instead of being negative about his failure, he channeled that energy into learning everything he possibly could from the situation to improve for the next time.
As a writer, this is something I need to remind myself of constantly. My work is not going to be perfect the first time. I’m going to fail. Probably many times. When I finally finish my first novel, it probably won’t be very good, but it will be a start. I’ll learn from it.

When Matt finally landed the job that has made him the famous face he is today, he was thankful for all those mistakes and failures. Those mistakes eventually led him to success.

For some reason, hearing this today really struck a chord in me. It was a much needed reminder.

Thanks Matt Lauer!

What random things have inspired you lately whether it be in writing, reading or any other area of your life?