We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erik Seversen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Erik, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.
As a writer, there are times when the flow doesn’t arrive when I want it to. I’ve been totally stuck, staring at the blank page praying for inspiration… and nothing comes. This does not happen to me any longer. Now, when I’m starting to write something (or even trying to figure out how to solve a particular problem), I say to myself, “What is the stupidest way to write the chapter?” Or, “What is the dumbest way to solve this problem?” Then, I just begin writing. And guess what comes out? Well, initially, I begin to pen a bunch of silliness with writing so ridiculous that it could never be published, but then after a very short time, I notice that I’ve got an idea. I don’t chase it right away, but I let it fester as I continue to write whatever crazy thoughts come to mind. In a short time, once the good idea begins to take over, I just switch into following that idea and getting it on paper. At this point, the juices are flowing and so is my writing. Once I quit focusing on writing the perfect chapter and begin having fun, the best chapter within me comes out effortlessly.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a full-time speaker in January 2020, I had to figure out a next move once public speaking disappeared due to COVID-19. Happily, I drew from the momentum of my first book, Ordinary to Extraordinary, and began producing co-authored books about mindset, performance, and success. Since June 2020, I’ve not helped over 300 people become best-selling co-authors in books such as The Successful Mind, Winner’s Mindset, and Peak Performance: Mindset Tools for Leaders. My current passion is helping others get their important message out into the world through helping them write, produce, and publish their book.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In my journey, the three most impactful things that helped me reach my personal and business goals are: being true to my values, gratitude, and daily consistency working toward my goals.
My advice for anyone wanting to find success in whatever they do is to first decide who you want to be and be that person; second, be thankful for all of the things that are going on in your life (and even look for how you can be thankful for things that you didn’t want to happen); third, write down long-term and short-term goals and review these often to keep you focused as you take one small step at a time working toward them.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
A book that has significantly impacted my work and life is The Power of Meaning by Emily Esfahani Smith. In this book, Esfahani Smith highlights that people are so preoccupied with seeking happiness that they miss it. According to this book, there are four pillars of meaning: Belonging, Purpose, Storytelling, and Transcendence. Once we have these pillars in our life, happiness is a byproduct. I used Esfahani Smith’s ideas in my first book, Ordinary to Extraordinary, to encourage people identify if they feel meaning in their lives and to either celebrate the meaning they see or to take steps to add meaning in their lives by engaging with belonging, purpose. etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://erikseversen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikseversen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erik.seversen
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikseversen
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErikSeversen
Image Credits
All photos by Erik Seversen
