Float Tank: Keep Your Job

How can I remain content and motivated in the rat race? How can I keep this excited state of contentment that tends to happen for me between accepting a new job and some months after starting the new job? I just quit my job and got another. So many people I’ve met are miserable, or subconsciously miserable, and I don’t want to keep in that content-misery cycle. How can I surpass that? Those were some of my questions going into the sensory deprivation chamber.

Professional:
I don’t like being cornered. Maybe it stems from childhood fears of the Jurassic Park dinosaurs eating me in my sleep? I’d imagine shrinking and hiding away in the corners of the bed frame. I also don’t like being stuck. I’m always working toward something better. Career stagnation seems to be when you’ve achieved local maxima and frequently slam against diminishing returns. Keeping a clear goal for your career twenty years out might be the solution. I have ideas for the next year. Five or thirty years? Still kinda hazy. The float tank doesn’t work miracles, after all.

Physical/Personable:
Having been both physically fit and fat over the past ten years, my difference seems to be how hindered I am by bigger circumstance or smaller inconveniences. I own a rowing machine. Why not use it daily? Fatigue may be a good excuse but lightly rowing at a slow pace takes no effort. I think the momentum-killer is tying my shoes.

Cleaning up shop is my goal for this week. I’ll start a fast-paced gig next week. The more infrastructure I can build now, the more focused I can be on just writing when I’m tired in the evenings. Just like my rowing shoes, “it isn’t the mountains ahead.”

I’ve invited Collector to the party. We’ll collaborate on reviewing action figures from different perspectives. He’s great at the technical aspects of how they mechanically work and I just dig the characters. I’ve sent out invites to others, for movie and videogame collaborations, or solo ventures. Gotta release some control and trust in others: collaboration’s key.

Projects:
I thought about ways to build for the now (aforementioned infrastructure building), the near future (cool project builds), and my eventual plans for The Story (working title). I’ve been subconsciously working on this compelling force since high school. It’s the sort of project that summarizes your life’s experiences. My first attempt in high school wasn’t “lived in,” though I treasure the attempt dearly, and should post it. I’ve been refining a key scene, The Meeting, and wrote one good draft on March 4th 2014. I fleshed out this scene more in the tank and it breathes more.

Just outside the float tank place was a forgotten Hell or High Water ticket that reminded me of collaborative reviews. Near this tree, I recorded the thoughts captured from my mind palace using the mnemonic “PPP” structure above. I’m also closer to breaking out of that content-misery cycle while remaining in the rat race.

My big goal is writing. My most important goal is writing "The Story." All other goals should work toward that central goal. My proudest moment is the most recent time I overcame some fear, which should have been today. I'm a better zombie than I was yesterday. I'm not better than you and you're not better than me. Let's strive to be better every day.