When we edit a profile for a Sunday magazine, we often look for the “Moment of Success”—the book deal, the IPO, the trophy. But as a writer, I can tell you those moments are actually the most boring parts to write. They are static.
The real story—the part that makes readers lean in—is the “Middle.” It’s the three years the novelist spent getting rejected. It’s the pivot that almost broke the company.
1. The “Social Media” Hallucination
We are the first generation in history that compares our “Behind-the-Scenes” footage with everyone else’s “Highlight Reel.” On Instagram, life looks like a series of arrivals. In reality, life is 99% process and 1% result. When you focus only on the result, you are essentially wishing away 99% of your life.
The Editorial Insight: If you hate the process, the prize won’t fix it. The “destination” usually lasts about twenty minutes before you start worrying about the next goal.
2. The Power of “Ugly Minutes”
In the newsroom, we have “Ugly Minutes.” These are the hours before a deadline when the story is a mess, the facts aren’t lining up, and the coffee has gone cold. Inexperienced writers panic during the Ugly Minutes. Veterans embrace them. They know that you have to write a lot of bad sentences to get to one good one.
The Lesson: You aren’t “failing” at your project because it’s difficult; the difficulty is the proof that you’re doing something worth doing.
3. Competence vs. Confidence
We often wait for confidence before we start. This is a mistake. Confidence is a lagging indicator. It only shows up after you’ve done the work. In the Gap, you don’t need confidence; you need stamina.
The Strategy: Stop asking “Am I good enough?” and start asking “Am I still here?” In a world of quitters, simply not stopping is a superpower.
4. Edit Your Expectations, Not Your Ambition
There is a difference between having high standards and having impossible timelines. Most people over-estimate what they can do in a day and under-estimate what they can do in a decade. As an editor, I don’t care how fast you write the first draft. I care that you finish it.
