By Larry Leech @LarryJLeechII

Steve Martin, that wild and crazy guy, back in the 1970s uttered some famous words on an album (yeah, those things made out of vinyl) that I have never forgotten: “Punt on first down.”

Those who understand football know that is just plain old crazy talk. No team in its right mind would punt on first down. That’s just giving up without trying. Quitting without any effort.

Yeah.

Kinda like we feel sometimes while working on a project. Grab a towel and throw it in. Curl into a ball and cry until eternity. Whatever works for you.

But if we succumb to urge to quit every time, we’d never finish a product. And we wouldn’t have any books or articles to read.

If that happened, I guess we’d all have to binge-watch shows on our favorite streaming platform. And then, we’d all … let’s not go fall into that abyss.

Let’s assume that we can, and do, overcome the desire to “punt on first down,” “throw in the towel,” or cry until the cows come home.

Whenever I get stuck, I ask a few questions: Whose will? Mine? Sometimes I can be an impatient person. Other times, I can drag my feet until I’m ready to devote all my energy into a project. I also ask if it’s the Lord’s will. If I discern an affirmative, I question whether the enemy is distracting me or if I am pushing my will into the Lord’s.

Either way, I find myself seeking clarity on how to move forward. I’ve come to realize that life’s greatest opportunities and accomplishments don’t always come wrapped in a big box with a giant bow on top. Would be nice, wouldn’t it?

Sometimes we must push through the mud and muck of life to wrap up a project or finish an article or to say anything worthwhile in a blog. Yeah, punting on first down is certainly much easier. But finding the inner strength, the drive, the commitment to finish is worth it. Few accomplishments feel as good as writing…

The End.

Writing coach of award-winning novelists, Larry J. Leech II has spent nearly 40 years working with words. After a 23-year journalism career that began in 1981, Larry moved into freelance writing and editing in 2004. He has ghostwritten nearly 30 books and edited more than 250 manuscripts. Larry teaches at numerous conferences nationwide and can be found online on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and his website, www.larryleech.com.