I’ve been writing a book about my ancestors. This week, I updated my writing coach:

I’m not sure if I’m on track to finish a first draft by the end of the year. It almost doesn’t matter, as the parts of the story that call to me–to reflect, to gather additional detail, to step back and see a larger perspective–are so compelling that I wake up each morning with new insights and more questions.

Jim Collins, author of the business classic, Good to Great, has a terrific new book, What to Make of a Life. The book was born out of 10-year research project on how humans find their way in the world when things don’t go as planned (he calls them cliffs), move through confusion and uncertainty (he calls this fog) and how to keep the inner fire burning brightly, sometimes for decades. (Hat tip to Dan Pink for alerting me and thousands of others in his newsletter of this seminal work.)

In reading the book, I realized that I have found a personal hedgehog. It’s that one big thing that I’m wired to do and a labor of love. Being in hedgehog mode for an extended period of time focuses, sustains, and amplifies my inner fire.

Here’s the kicker.

“To be in hedgehog mode means you’ve committed to organize your life and channel a huge chunk of your energy toward the pursuit of this One Big Thing.”
–Jim Collins, What to Make of a Life

It’s so true. I arrange my day in service to a few precious hours of writing or researching. But unlike many writers, I don’t write first thing in the morning. I prepare my body with morning stretches, tap into my spirit with meditation, and open my heart with grounding exercises. This gives me clear and clean space, energetically, for the work. It’s a joy, not a grind.

There’s more to say, and this is the first in a series of posts. In the meantime, I’d love to hear if you are in hedgehog mode, and if so, what it feels like for you.

I leave you with a beautiful quote that reminds me why I do what I do, each and every day:

“I think about wanting to make something that only I could make.”
–Sofia Coppola, filmmaker

May you find inspiration to make something that only you can make.