This article is inspired by Rory Vaden, a speaker colleague of mine, and what he wrote in “What Bestselling Writers Know that Most People Don’t”. The ultra-short version of his article is this: There is no such thing as a great author – there are only great editors. He also talks about the importance of the editor and the various tasks the editor performs to bring out the best in a text. It’s a cool article about the writing process and is well worth reading.

It’s not just true for books. It’s also true for our lives: We are both the author of our lives and also the editor. We are the author as we create things, make decisions, and work on relationships. Sometimes, it doesn’t go as planned, and so we go back to something we did before to make it right or change it. In these moments, we become the editor of our lives.

We are both authors and editors of our lives.

Most of us are aware that we’re authoring our lives through our thoughts, words, and actions. Yet we’re not always aware that we can also edit. It’s important that we step into both roles fully and that we develop skills in both. If we don’t take on both roles, we won’t achieve our highest potential because we’ll miss out on the opportunity to make tweaks to what the author in us didn’t quite get right. Here’s how it plays out if we don’t step into both roles:

If we’re not aware of our ability to edit: If we’re not aware of the possibility to restore relationships or amend mistakes, there is much more pressure on our role as authors. We feel we need to get it right the first time. Our first attempt at something – at coming up with a solution for a problem, reaching out to establish a new relationship, or anything new we want to create – is burdened with our self-created pressure to get it right or perfect the first time. This is stifling and leads to long planning, the creation of mental barriers, and possibly – in the end – inaction. The more we are aware of our ability to make something right, the freer we are to try something new in the first place.

If we’re not good at editing: When I get something wrong, it’s tempting for me to minimize the mistake. I’m also pretty good with justifying my mistakes and finding the flaw in the context or in others. That’s poor editing. Editing in life is the ability to go back to something and make it right – or maybe even make it better. We do this first by stepping into full accountability for what we’ve done. This doesn’t mean that we take on burdens of guilt that we work through – it just means we take responsibility to put action in place and correct the situation. It’s not helpful to make anyone (including ourselves) feel bad or wrong. All that’s needed is a fix that starts with us.
When I reflect on the initial question of this article, of whether I am the author or editor of my life, my gut reaction is that it’s way cooler to be the author – and that being the editor sounds boring. However, as I reflect on many tipping points in my personal and professional life, I’ve come to realize that the role of the editor is just as important – and every time I messed something up, my appreciation for being an editor went up tremendously.

The bottom line: Hone your skills as the editor of your life to become the best possible author of your life.

Make it Real

Watch for situations where you weren’t satisfied with something you did. Think through the ways of how you can make it right AND where you step into full accountability. Don’t blame or shame others – or yourself. Just edit.