How is writing a book like doing a polar plunge?

Seems like a lot of creatives set an intention – or an imperative – as alternative to a resolution for the new year.

Some word-of-the-year examples from book coach/writer colleagues that are things they want for themselves and are guiding the goals they set: 

• Create

• Abundant

• Momentum

• Play

In late December, I thought about what I wanted for myself in the new year. What word could encapsulate a challenge and a goal for myself? What word could keep me focused throughout the year? 

I struggle with putting off harder things in favor of easier things. As in low hanging fruit. But doing the easier things first actually hasn’t proven to be a productive strategy, because the harder things get kicked further and further down the road. Because they’re hard. 

What is it about harder things that makes them so hard to do? It’s the discomfort of doing it. It might take more brainpower, time, money, or energy, but it can be done. It just isn’t as comfortable or easy or effortless as I’d like.

For my word, I considered:

• Try, as in experiment, but it connotes not actually committing to doing it (as in “do or do not, there is no try”).

• Inexhaustible, as in not stop or delay doing a more difficult thing when I’m tired or have an easy thing I could do instead, but it connotes driving to exhaustion, which is definitely not a goal.

But somehow neither option captured the essence of what I wanted to work on. 

At the same time I was contemplating the right word to guide my 2025, I was deciding whether to do the polar plunge on my vacation adventure to Antarctica in the first few days of the new year. I dithered. I don’t like cold water. I live in Florida. It takes me several minutes to gradually get acclimated to 80+-degree pools or the ocean. Just thinking about being submerged in icy water still makes my heart pound and everything in my body go “nope.”

But. I wanted to be the kind of person who does the polar plunge.

I knew it would be freezing cold and I knew I would be uncomfortable mentally anticipating it and physically in it. But I knew I could do it – and I would have the reward of satisfaction after.

I realized: The only way to get the satisfaction of having done it is to do it, despite knowing there will be and experiencing discomfort.

Which, incidentally, is the same for writing a book: the only way to say you’ve done it is to do it, despite it being hard and taking a long time and feeling not so good about it sometimes. 

So, I did it.

(Water temp: 1.6C/34.9F. Air temp: 4C/39F. Pro tip: don’t dive away from the ladder because you’ll have to swim back and you’ll end up spending longer in just-above-freezing water. Just step straight into it.)

And I’m so glad I did. (Some hot chocolate and a hot shower immediately after helped get rid of the chill.)

Back at home, I asked ChatGPT for help finding my word:

My word for the year is Fortitude. Because I will push forward even when faced with discomfort.

(The word also reminds me of a dark, scary, chilly thriller series from a few years ago that I enjoyed. Guess I do tolerate cold after all.) 

I know what I have to do to write a book. I just have to do it. Take the plunge.

What’s your touchstone word for the year? 

How would you like to work on your writing project on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 while crossing the Atlantic Septermber 3-10? Visit https://www.amygoldmacher.com/cruise-writing-retreat for more info – booking page will be going live this week!