Kill your "darlings"

Last night I spent a good few hours killing darlings and burning bridges.

You might think that sounds pretty violent, and in some ways it was, but let me explain.

You know that list of great ideas that never got off the page, half-completed projects, thoughts, and things, you’ve held on to for far too long that deep down inside, you know you’re never going to do anything with.

They’re your darlings.

For me, right now, they include domain names purchased that have just lain dormant, Facebook groups and pages started in a fit of enthusiasm and left to fizzle out, half-completed e-books destined never to be completed before the information contained reaches its “sell-by” date.

They could also be anything from gym equipment purchased and never used, activewear that’s never seen a minute's action, or maybe even people, people who no longer figure in your life, or have any place in your future, people who will otherwise, whether directly or indirectly drain your passion and enthusiasm (my first business coach used to call them your “wet blanket”).

Ironically that’s where the expression originally came from but with regard to writing great fiction. Variously attributed to writers such as Stephen King, William Faulkner and Oscar Wilde, to name a few, the phrase refers to:

“a common piece of advice given by experienced writers. You kill your darlings when you decide to get rid of an unnecessary storyline, character, or sentences in a piece of creative writing—elements you may have worked hard to create but that must be removed for the sake of your overall story”. LINK

I believe it goes a great deal deeper and can be equally applied to every aspect of life.

This last weekend, prompted by a LinkedIn post that included the phrase, I was prompted to share some advice I was given by an ex-boss to stop holding on to the past because it stops you from reaching your full potential. LINK

The older we get, the more “darlings” we accumulate.

When I moved house 12 months ago and was forced to downsize I managed to get rid of more than 100 refuse bags of “darlings” that were cluttering the two garages, two sheds, (huge) loft space and various corners of the old house. Everything from boxes of screws and nails to piles of old magazines, not to mention surplus bits of furniture and so the list goes on.

So yesterday’s cull included various domain names, Facebook groups etc but also some of the “darlings” I did bring with me to the new house that have lain untouched in boxes for the past year.

How about you?

What’s holding you back?

Stuff, people, concepts,

CLUTTER!

Spring is just around the corner which seems to me to be the ideal time to “spring clean”.

So what do you reckon?

Are you up for the challenge?

Ready to kill a few darlings?

Imagine how your future story will look if you do, and give it a try.

What have you got?

To lose?

#greaterlife #over50 #50plus #lomar23