Only as Good as Our Next Script

Learn from the past…but don’t stay there.

Anthony Horowitz is a brilliant writer, having written novels, kids fiction, as well as for the stage and television (The Midsomer Murders, kids and adult novels, plus James Bond & Sherlock Holmes novels at the requests of the Ian Fleming and Arthur Conan Doyle families, respectively, etc).?

Many of his works have been fantastic. Others haven’t met with as much acclaim. Despite—or maybe because of—both those successes and failures, he’s got a twist on the usual maxim about writers:

“They say you’re only as good as your last script. I think I’m only as good as my next script.”

I think he’s right. Not only do critics want to point out our flaws, we’re often happy to help them.

It’s important to look back and learn from what’s gone before. But there’s no point in staying in the past. After all, the only thing we have any input on is today…may as well keep looking forward.

In his 2022 book, The Power of Regret, Daniel Pink breaks down regret and strategies to work through it. His working definition of “regret” is when we look back on a prior event, think of what could have been instead, compare that alternative with the current situation, then assess blame (to ourselves).

It’s a terrific book, with a number of strategies on moving past the debilitating impact of regret to an environment where we can move forward…wiser.

Moving forward.

Wiser.

As baseball great Satchel Paige said, “Don’t look back. Something may be gaining on you.”?

Or maybe, do look back. But just long enough to learn something, then press ahead toward that next script, next sale, next game.

Keep going. Keep pressing on. Wiser.

You’re only as good as your next script.

For a fun read, check out this piece from the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Paige and him throwing three scoreless innings for the Kansas City A's (before they became the Oakland A's before becoming the Las Vegas A's...).