193. A writer told me "I didn't get anything done today".
Answer: try to do nothing. The best way to have only good
days is to not aim at getting anything done.
Actually almost everything I've written that has survived
was written when I didn't try to get anything done.
This happened to me trying to craft aphorisms. There's some sort of inverse psychological effect where the more direct you are in what you pursue, the harder it becomes to achieve it. It's as if by being direct you suppress what your unconscious is quietly brewing.
Pg had said it's hard to write quotes, because they are so dense, like one-line essays. I suspect he meant it's hard to come up with one consciously. It's surprising how easy it is to spot an aphorism when you aren't really looking. Big revelations come when you least expect them.
To me aphorisms feel like conclusions that help you move forward. No aphorism, no direction.
Pg had said it's hard to write quotes, because they are so dense, like one-line essays. I suspect he meant it's hard to come up with one consciously. It's surprising how easy it is to spot an aphorism when you aren't really looking. Big revelations come when you least expect them.
To me aphorisms feel like conclusions that help you move forward. No aphorism, no direction.