I was probably 10 or 11 years old when I first learned how to solve a Rubik’s Cube.
Contrary to popular belief, the process is actually not that difficult. You don’t need to be some genius or magician to make it happen. All it takes is memorizing and following a specific series of “algorithms” — particular turns of the cube — in order to solve it. Once you learn those algorithms (or patterns), you can solve any Rubik’s Cube that’s handed to you, regardless of how it’s been jumbled up. If you Google it, you’ll find countless articles and YouTube videos explaining how to do it.
However, the first time I tried to solve one, I had no clue if I would be able to do it. Because of this, I was terrified of making an incorrect move. If you make one wrong move, then the algorithm will get screwed up, and you’ll have to start again. I distinctly remember taking my time, double and triple checking each move on a Post-it note where I had written down all the algorithms. It took me several days to figure out, but then, finally, I accomplished it. In my palm, for the first time, sat a perfect Rubik’s Cube.
And then what happened next was pretty remarkable. With each passing attempt, I was able to double or even triple the speed with which I could finish a Rubik’s Cube. Before I knew it, I could finish one in just over a minute. That was when I decided to take it to school, and for about a week, I became the coolest kid in the 5th grade.
So what’s the point of this story?
Well, as I start 2024, I have one goal in mind: to finish the freakin’ novel that I’ve been writing. I have not told many people about this, but over the past 6 months, I have been writing a fiction novel. My New Year’s Resolution last year was to write, consecutively, for 180 days. It didn’t matter how much or how little I wrote, all that mattered was that I wrote something—a story, a poem, or even a few sentences—everyday. Once I completed that goal, I decided it was time to up the ante and embark on a longer-form project.
I had written about 50,000 words over the course of three months, then realized I didn’t like what I was writing. So, I scrapped it, and began again. I’m now about 37,000 words into my second draft. The micro goal is to write 750-1,000 words per day, but the macro goal is to get the novel published.
More importantly, I’d like to chronicle the journey of how I get this book published. This moment feels exactly the way it did when I first learned how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. I often ask myself, “Can I actually do this?”
There’s no algorithms or patterns for publishing books that I can look up on YouTube. There’s no guarantee that the book will get published if I follow the exact right order of steps. So instead, I have to write the “algorithms,” which is exactly what I’m aiming to do with posts like this.
Everything is terrifying the first time you do it. Unless, of course, you don’t let it become terrifying.
Here’s to having a little fun in 2024!
I was probably 10 or 11 years old when I first learned how to solve a Rubik’s Cube.
Contrary to popular belief, the process is actually not that difficult. You don’t need to be some genius or magician to make it happen. All it takes is memorizing and following a specific series of “algorithms” — particular turns of the cube — in order to solve it. Once you learn those algorithms (or patterns), you can solve any Rubik’s Cube that’s handed to you, regardless of how it’s been jumbled up. If you Google it, you’ll find countless articles and YouTube videos explaining how to do it.
However, the first time I tried to solve one, I had no clue if I would be able to do it. Because of this, I was terrified of making an incorrect move. If you make one wrong move, then the algorithm will get screwed up, and you’ll have to start again. I distinctly remember taking my time, double and triple checking each move on a Post-it note where I had written down all the algorithms. It took me several days to figure out, but then, finally, I accomplished it. In my palm, for the first time, sat a perfect Rubik’s Cube.
And then what happened next was pretty remarkable. With each passing attempt, I was able to double or even triple the speed with which I could finish a Rubik’s Cube. Before I knew it, I could finish one in just over a minute. That was when I decided to take it to school, and for about a week, I became the coolest kid in the 5th grade.
So what’s the point of this story?
Well, as I start 2024, I have one goal in mind: to finish the freakin’ novel that I’ve been writing. I have not told many people about this, but over the past 6 months, I have been writing a fiction novel. My New Year’s Resolution last year was to write, consecutively, for 180 days. It didn’t matter how much or how little I wrote, all that mattered was that I wrote something—a story, a poem, or even a few sentences—everyday. Once I completed that goal, I decided it was time to up the ante and embark on a longer-form project.
I had written about 50,000 words over the course of three months, then realized I didn’t like what I was writing. So, I scrapped it, and began again. I’m now about 37,000 words into my second draft. The micro goal is to write 750-1,000 words per day, but the macro goal is to get the novel published.
More importantly, I’d like to chronicle the journey of how I get this book published. This moment feels exactly the way it did when I first learned how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. I often ask myself, “Can I actually do this?”
There’s no algorithms or patterns for publishing books that I can look up on YouTube. There’s no guarantee that the book will get published if I follow the exact right order of steps. So instead, I have to write the “algorithms,” which is exactly what I’m aiming to do with posts like this.
Everything is terrifying the first time you do it. Unless, of course, you don’t let it become terrifying.
Here’s to having a little fun in 2024!
