“Everything begins with belief.” Norman Cousins

“All serious daring starts from within.” Eudora Welty

“The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” Oprah Winfrey

It’s worth remembering that whatever we’re working on begins with our belief, our intention, and our actions. Sometimes it’s easy to feel that circumstances are dictating what happens to us in our writing life. But whatever is happening outside, it’s our mindset that really matters. It’s what’s going on inside that ultimately leads us to triumph:

Ideas start from within: My playwrighting coach once said something I’ve never forgotten: “Everything begins in silence.” Think about it: Ideas begin in silence, music begins in silence, a play begins in silence—the hush before the curtain rises. Yes, we may turn to the world outside us for fuel and inspiration—but the seed that is planted by whatever we see or hear grows from within.

Belief begins within: “Everything starts with belief,” as Norman Cousins says so well. And belief arises from inside us. Our inner knowing—the feeling we have something to say worth saying—this is an inside job. Belief may be built on knowledge and ideas that we gather from outside us, but belief itself springs our inner core.

Doing starts from within: “All serious daring starts from within.” How I love these words of Eudora Welty! They remind us that daring is all about courage, not circumstances. It about finding the strength and the inner drive to push an idea from potential to the page.

Reaching out starts from within: Often we need help to turn our beliefs and dreams into reality. My play, Dust of Egypt, had a wonderful, sold-out run at the New York Theater Festival. But to keep the play alive—to find backers and bring it to other stages—I need to gather support. New resources are waiting outside of me, but, as Oprah puts it, the “ability to triumph” begins with me. It takes courage and energy to find new leads and pursue them—and these qualities spring from within.

So whatever circumstances we face, let’s remember it’s mindset that matters. It may be cloudy outside, but inside, the sunshine of hope and joy can light our way to triumph as we all write on!

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