Don’t Think, Just Do

At the start of an Olive Tree Writing Club session, my friend K recorded a few videos of our group. She spent about five minutes on her phone, then put it away and started writing.

At the end of the session, I checked my phone and saw that she’d posted a full reel hyping up our writing club.

This reel would’ve taken me three hours to make.

First, I’d overthink what to record. Then, I’d take a few videos, probably needing some warm-up shots. Editing would be another hurdle—since I’m not used to reels, I’d have to figure out the process. And throughout it all, I’d be battling anxiety: feeling self-conscious, worrying about putting myself out there, and dealing with my inner critic.

But K did it in less than ten minutes.

It reminded me of how I used to feel about writing daily posts or hosting OTWC events. Both used to make me anxious, but now they’re second nature—like brushing my teeth or taking a shower. I just do them without overthinking.

The people we admire often seem effortless at the things we want to do. But their ease comes from repetition. The friction fades over time, the more you do the thing.

Writing, hosting events, going to the gym—it all gets easier the more you show up.

Right now, there’s friction for me when it comes to taking fit checks or posting on Twitter. But I’m doing it more often, and I can already feel that resistance starting to fade. Soon, I’ll just do the thing, without overthinking it.