In the 1987 movie Wall Street, Lou Mannheim says, “Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss”.
This is amazing and a good reminder that in the end, we can only control ourselves. It's both freeing and restrictive...and we have to learn to adapt and change.
The belief that you must write an ending before the story has even been lived can be paralyzing. It’s a projection of fear, a desire to skip over the struggle and get to the outcome. But true growth comes in the struggle, in the quiet moments where you have to encourage yourself, when external validation seems distant or absent. The decision to continue, to keep writing your story regardless of how much applause or approval you receive, is where real power lies.
Omg. If I could express to you what this piece meant to me… yes… I am where I am meant to be., steps can’t be skipped and I need to be the one validating me, not others… Ty for this post which for me was insanely eye opening🙏 I hope you are well
Look 53 yo Musial here. Took 20 years off to build my dream house with my own hands in the forest and become debt free with wife and kids. Is becoming a rapper who releases monetises and performs at my age with no background in rap realistic? Probably not. Is it daunting? Yep. Am I stopping myself? Hell no.
Apologies for the late response. When I face those silent nights filled with doubt, I remind myself that progress isn’t always visible—it’s often happening beneath the surface.
I start by grounding myself in gratitude, listing even the smallest wins to quiet my inner critic. Then, I focus on reframing the doubts into actionable thoughts. Instead of, “Why am I stuck?” I ask, “What’s one small step I can take tomorrow?”
Sometimes, I simply let the silence be, using it to reflect instead of resist. Journaling helps me organize my thoughts and clear the mental fog.
By the time morning comes, I often find clarity and renewed energy, even if the steps forward are small.
In the 1987 movie Wall Street, Lou Mannheim says, “Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss”.
This is amazing and a good reminder that in the end, we can only control ourselves. It's both freeing and restrictive...and we have to learn to adapt and change.
Excellent piece today and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
The belief that you must write an ending before the story has even been lived can be paralyzing. It’s a projection of fear, a desire to skip over the struggle and get to the outcome. But true growth comes in the struggle, in the quiet moments where you have to encourage yourself, when external validation seems distant or absent. The decision to continue, to keep writing your story regardless of how much applause or approval you receive, is where real power lies.
Omg. If I could express to you what this piece meant to me… yes… I am where I am meant to be., steps can’t be skipped and I need to be the one validating me, not others… Ty for this post which for me was insanely eye opening🙏 I hope you are well
❤️❤️❤️
BEAUTIFUL
Look 53 yo Musial here. Took 20 years off to build my dream house with my own hands in the forest and become debt free with wife and kids. Is becoming a rapper who releases monetises and performs at my age with no background in rap realistic? Probably not. Is it daunting? Yep. Am I stopping myself? Hell no.
Going for 1 new release each fortnight now.
Here’s my latest
https://open.substack.com/pub/thumbnailgreen/p/sleep-tight-sunshine?r=nv8me&utm_medium=ios
Apologies for the late response. When I face those silent nights filled with doubt, I remind myself that progress isn’t always visible—it’s often happening beneath the surface.
I start by grounding myself in gratitude, listing even the smallest wins to quiet my inner critic. Then, I focus on reframing the doubts into actionable thoughts. Instead of, “Why am I stuck?” I ask, “What’s one small step I can take tomorrow?”
Sometimes, I simply let the silence be, using it to reflect instead of resist. Journaling helps me organize my thoughts and clear the mental fog.
By the time morning comes, I often find clarity and renewed energy, even if the steps forward are small.
How about you—how do you manage those moments?