Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing: Tip #15 – Avoid the Tap Out, and Help Others Avoid it Too

One of my family’s favorite series to binge watch is the survival show Alone. From the comfort of our cushioned sofa spots, we love to watch as ten skillful individuals compete to survive—all alone—in the wilderness. Each participant is dropped into their own little corner of a remote island and equipped with nothing but basic survival gear. There they must battle the terrain, weather, wildlife, and hunger to create a habitat for themselves that can sustain them longer than any of their competitors. The contestant who remains the longest wins $500,000.

All the contestants have been carefully chosen from thousands of applicants. Each possesses the skill, health, and mental stability needed to succeed. But in every season, there are always a few of the ten who “tap out” within the first week. The others usually dwindle gradually until you’re left with the final few.

It’s easy to see, from about the fourth episode, which contestants don’t have the know-how to make it until the end. But the most surprising element of the show is that very rarely does the contestant with the highest level of skill win. In fact, the most skillful often tap out early. Why? Because while the other contestants are still struggling, the greatest survivalists have already built a masterful shelter, secured a food source, and solved the wildlife problem. Then, with all other distractions gone, they must deal with the real challenge—isolation.

While munching popcorn in our PJs, I admit my family and I have been known to roll our eyes and make fun of those muscle-bound pansies who tap out and throw away a half-a-mil just because they couldn’t bear to go to bed another night without kissing their wife. Why must they get into their own heads that way? My husband and I think that it’s because when all the work is done, and they are left without a purpose, the boredom drives them to loneliness. Yes, I know it’s easy to throw stones when you don’t have to sleep on one. But to have the prize in the bag and quit just because you’re lonely seems crazy!

Well, it did seem crazy until … quarantine.

We were created for fellowship. Just like our bodies need food for nourishment, our souls require the support and encouragement of others to keep us going. Last month I talked about ways to stay connected even while apart. That’s important. But it is just as important for us to use this opportunity to build up, encourage, affirm, and support people around us.

As writers we have the unique ability and responsibility to make our words count for something good. Instead of wielding our well-crafted words to cause further division, we can choose to give people a reason to hope. This applies to fellow writers and people in general. Let’s be the reason people choose to keep on reaching for the goal. Armed with that driving purpose, we will be less likely to tap out of our own writing journey and continue toward the prize set before us.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 1:7, Proverbs 18:4, Proverbs 12:18

Fun Fact or Helpful Resource: For several years I have enjoyed the inspirational devotionals emailed to me through the Joni and Friends ministry. If anyone has the experience and credentials to speak to challenges involved with isolation it would be Joni. If you need a pick-me-up geared to encourage you to push past your obstacles toward the finish line check out her daily devotional.

Annette Marie Griffin is a award-winning writer who speaks at local women’s group meetings and women’s retreats on the topic of biblical womanhood and finding our identity in Christ. She is the Operations and Events Coordinator at a private school for special needs students and is the editor of their quarterly newsletter. She has written custom curriculum for women’s retreats and children’s church curriculum for Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas where she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Family Program Director for over twenty years. She and her husband John have five amazing children and two adorable grands. She’s a member of Word Weavers International, ACFW, SCBWI, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Creative Writing Institute.