Stay in the FIght

Like most people, I was saddened to hear the news about the passing of Christian recording artist Mandisa. She didn’t hide the fact that she was struggling and that her success and fame couldn’t fulfill her. I respect her vulnerability about the battles she fought because I have struggled with them as well.

• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Health issues

Her song “Overcomer” encouraged people to keep fighting. About the time it was released, I was struggling with my faith, broken relationships, and the loss of close friends. Her encouraging words helped me get through some of the darkest days of my life.

Today, many people are struggling to deal with daily life, whether it’s finances, mental health, or physical health concerns. We all need a little help and encouragement if we’re going to stay in the fight of life.

The Fight

While I am a firm believer that it’s the fight that makes us stronger in life, I am also keenly aware that sometimes the fight can overwhelm us, even if we have a strong faith. If you think life is hard, try living with a severe brain injury.

The side effects of living with a brain injury range from physical to mental and emotional challenges. Alone, any of them may cause a person to want to give up and quit life.

Statistics show that fifty-seven percent of TBI (traumatic brain injury) survivors are moderately to severely disabled. Fifty percent of survivors are hospitalized again at some point. Thirty-three percent must rely on others for help with daily activities

It doesn’t take much for disabled persons to become depressed or discouraged. The Brain Injury Association of America advises survivors to practice self-care and self-affirmations to stay encouraged and healthy. Many of these practices are beneficial if you are struggling with the grind of a writer’s life.

The Grind

 Most of us writers have experienced the grind of the writer’s life and know how it can wear us down. Social media and marketing can suck the life out of the craft of writing. The writing process itself can sometimes be difficult.

There are times when brainstorming, writing, and editing just seem to drain us of our creative passion. Add to that the rejection letters and no guarantee of being published. It’s clear why so many choose to throw in the towel.

If you have found yourself overwhelmed by the grind of a writing career, you are not alone. The odds of making a living as a writer are stacked against us. But don’t give up the fight just yet, below are some tips for staying motivated and staying in the fight for your writing dreams.

1. Find your why.
2. Find your motivational triggers.
3. Make sure you’re not chasing someone else’s goal.
4. Picture yourself as a successful writer.
5. Create a roadmap and stick to it.
6. Reward yourself
7. Establish a routine
8. Create a vision board
9. Let go of perfectionism
10. Cultivate community
11. Read
12. Reevaluate constantly

Over the years I have almost given up numerous times and each time I have stepped away to reevaluate my goals and options. I can attest it is wise to take a break and regroup. My initial writing goals had nothing to do with writing books.

As an English major in college, I wanted to write screenplays that made a difference. Life had different plans. My desire to write books was encouraged by mentors who believed in me and nudged me in the direction of writing books.

However, I never completely gave up on my dreams of screenwriting. Earlier this year, I decided to take the time to do another revision of my latest screenplay.

While rearranging the order of the plot points, I had an epiphany. Sometimes life also takes us down unexpected paths on our journeys.

Different Paths

I’ve said it before and I will reiterate it here, every brain injury is different and each person’s recovery will be unique to their brain injuries. I have seen people with less damage to their brains who are worse off than I am.

Our brains are amazing organs that can be reprogrammed and rewired to do common tasks in not-so-ordinary ways, that’s why no two people are the same; even conjoined twins can follow different paths.

I have learned over the last 27 years just how unique my recovery has been because the brain surgeries performed on me are rarely performed. I am one of the last persons to receive a partial frontal-lobe lobotomy due to the risk to the patient.

Likewise, a path to publication or literary representation looks different for every writer. We cannot follow the same course to success as other writers, because we are different writers and unfortunately the publication industry is constantly changing.

That’s why, this year I made the hard choice not to attend an annual writing conference I usually go to in the spring. I felt like it was time to take a break, regroup, and see what doors would open. Fortunately, the doors and opportunities are already opening.

• I am about to celebrate one year of writing a successful spiritual column that reaches around the globe.
• A popular screenwriting website has offered me free hosting and evaluations for my revised screenplay.
• I am in my seventh year writing this column.

My path to success is different because my goals, gifts, and story are different. I must use my voice and skill set to achieve my goals. I get to encourage other writers through my writing. I can educate others about persons with disabilities and I get to help others struggling in their writing journeys. Together these are enough reasons for me to stay in the fight!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.