Toil the soil in front of you

Hey, it’s Luke from Unwritten Tomes.

This week’s topic – focus on what’s in front of you instead of concerning yourself with things that aren’t real.

I’ve also got an announcement at the end. I’m working on something new, and would love your opinion.

Thud.

A rake hit the ground, but instead of pulling it back up, the farmer stopped for a moment.

He was preparing the soil to plant the seeds for the new season.

But he suddenly remembered… People were talking about a group of bandits appearing in the area.

He should probably secure his shed, or they might steal all of his crops.

His tools cluttered to the ground. He could finish working the field later.

The next day, as he left his house, drops of rain hit the top of his head.

He looked up and saw dark clouds on the horizon.

What if there’s a flood?

He picked up a shovel and started working on a barrier, to make sure his crops could grow safely.

Might as well make a sacrifice to the Harvest God, he decided a week later.

And while he worked on one thing after another. The rake was left buried in the dirt and the seeds unsown.

In the end… The bandits never came, the so-called flood was barely a drizzle, and the blessings he prayed for – fell upon barren soil.

***

Toil the soil directly in front of you instead of concerning yourself with things that aren’t real

Sometimes it’s difficult to forget the what if’s. Especially if you like being careful, planning everything, or if you’re just an overthinker in general.

But the hypothetical challenges don’t matter, when there’s an actual challenge right in front of you.

In reality, it’s the most devious type of procrastination. One that creates an illusion of being productive, while the original task is left in the dirt.

So don’t concern yourself with hypotheticals, when you haven’t yet completed the things that need to be done.

I always wanted Unwritten Tomes to become a series of books that brings together inspiring stories and great artwork.

I’m looking to form a partnership with an artist to create a small book of illustrated stories.

We would drop it as an e-book first, and with enough interest – make it into an ongoing collection of printed tomes, each one in collaboration with a different illustrator.

But first – what do you think about this idea?

P.S. We’ve got our first sponsor! Since it happened to be a newsletter, I was already familiar with – I can honestly recommend it. Take a look if you’re interested.

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