- Could’ve written this article myself. Why You Should Work From a Coffee Shop, Even When You Have An Office. Every word of it is truth for me. And, isn’t it great when you find out it’s not just you? (By the way, I would never have expected to enjoy a business-focused magazine as much as I am Fast Company. What a great publication!)
- Would’ve profiled this woman myself if I had known about her work. A Nun at the Crossroads of Faith and Film. (Darn it, I hate it when the New York Times gets there first.)
- Should’ve. Well now, there’s a question to ponder. Over the course of a professional journey, the should-NOT-have’s have a way of presenting themselves pretty readily, but what about the should-haves?
A few answers come straight to mind. I should’ve:
- Taken more risks. I never took a creative risk that didn’t pay off. (And after all, what’s to lose? You’re the boss. If you don’t deem a piece publishable, you can always send yourself back to your desk and make yourself do it again.)
- Shared more first drafts. (More than that one time, I mean. Geez, Susan.)
- Allowed myself to write more like Anne Lamott.
- Trusted myself to write more first-person pieces, earlier in my career.
- Read more David Foster Wallace. Read more fine contemporary essayists in general. Read more Shakespeare, more often. Ditto for poetry.
- Started Fast Company myself.
Bigger questions demand serious thought, though. What articles should I have written? What stories should I have told? What could I do about that now?
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