From the archive

Be a monster

And you'll have to endure unpleasant feelings without immediately concluding that you've chosen the wrong path. Does it hurt to admit you've wasted years? Yes. That admission probably won't feel like a massage. Is it scary to submit work people might tear apart? Of course. You've finally given reality a chance to answer. Tired after a hard day? It happens. Not every difficult day means you need to drop everything and urgently find something that never requires you to make an effort. But “it hurts because it's supposed to” can easily turn into a stupid religion too. You can spend years putting up with something you should have left long ago and take pride in your endurance. You can destroy yourself with work and call it proof of how serious you are.