When I write a post for my Freedom Friday series, I always envision it to be a placeholder for my life’s little adventures. I also think of how it will best reflect fun, whereby you the reader can determine with your very own eyes that I, who has chosen to write in the zombie genre, am normal folk with the same dreams and aspirations as everyone else.
For this reason, I’m going to try something different this week. I’m going to write this post in stream of consciousness. What that means is whatever comes to mind is what will remain on the page. No editing. This will be a snapshot of how I think.
Now, I have a number of topics I prepared ahead of time to get my juices flowing. I’ll pick one at random. Since I have them written down, I’ll close my eyes and point a finger at one of them.
Done.
I’ve chosen a quote from one of my favorite movie characters of all time, Rocky Balboa:
Rocky Balboa
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you!”
So many thoughts. Rushing. Here we go.
A football team can only take so many hits before they hit back. When they do, nothing can stand in their way. They will mow down their opponent until there is nothing left of them. Courage is not by honor but by strife. Winning happens when you go beyond yourself to achieve the unachievable. When someone asks, “Can it be done?” the answer should be, “My name is Affirmative Action. Nothing from heaven on high to the earth beneath my feet will prevent me from doing so.”
Taking the path of least resistance will only offer a temporary win. In the end it will cause you to fail. If everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean you have to. Success does not come by sight but by mind.
But I’m too short. I’m too tall. I’m too fat. I’m too skinny. My father beats me. My mother is on drugs. My brothers and sisters hate me. I’m poor. My life is a mess. I can’t go on another day. Why me? Why, why, why me? What have I done to deserve this?
No one can defeat you. You can defeat yourself. Only you. No one can take away your right to be the best person you can be. Only you can do that.
Take flight on eagle’s wings. Soar above the multitude. Perch on the footstool of heaven overlooking the ordinary. Keep to the sky, never letting go of the dream to move others as you would have others move you.
Stir. Encourage. Inspire.
Give hope to where there is darkness. Raise those who are low. Make strong the weak. Give dignity to the mortified. Let there be such an explosion of joy from your heart that no one can deny the optimism that lives within you.
Should I attempt to write in stream of consciousness again in the future? Did any of what I’ve written make sense?
Jack Flacco is an author and the founder of Looking to God Ministries, an organization dedicated to spreading the Word of God through outreach programs, literature and preaching.
View All Posts
21 thoughts on “Stream of Consciousness”
It’s an original technique, but please don’t or I will be reminded of my long days in high school with The Catcher in the Rye making an effort to understand Holden Caulfield. LOL 😀
Marvelous.
Stream of consciousness requires more courage than any other kind of writing, I think. Definitely do it again in the future.
Just a few of my favorites:
“Success does not come by sight but by mind.”
“No one can defeat you. You can defeat yourself. Only you.”
We are our only real threat. Fear, anxiety, apathy all come from within. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” E. Roosevelt.
I need to try this stream of consciousness thing, but I think it would reveal how nuts I really am. I’d probably end up talking about Peeps and poverty in the same sentence before transitioning to dog walking and diapers. See?
I was fevering with the chills when I wrote it, so the next time I do this I’ll probably have a nasty cold.
Let me know when you do write in stream of consciousness, I’m interested in discovering what kind of diapers dogs wear when walked by their penniless owners. Hmm, now that I think about it, there’s a book in there somewhere, it’s just a matter of finding the hook.
I thought the quote would be “Adrian, Adriaaaan!” Great thoughts you put there, life is a constant battle to achieve what you REALLY want to achieve. I still remember as a kid when my father would go out the door to work and saying literally “Let´s go to war.” It struck me a little strange at the time I almost hid under the table, but then you grow up. I took up my own little phrase ” You gotta go to the mattress.”(Common, The God Father, same meaning as going to war, but cooler.) Always interesting read.
excellent! what a great idea, to let the pen stream the thoughts on to the page and share without a second thought. I hope one day to be so bold, thanks for sharing 🙂
This is my third reading of this weeks Freedom Friday by now and it is a shot of optimism I needed. Thank you for that. Also it is the reason I don’t come to your site if don’t have at least an hour of time to spare, because I know i will get stuck here 🙂
Happy to know you liked it, Marko. When I wrote it last week, I was sick in bed with a fever, the evening was dark, and I had the chills. I needed something to keep me from throwing up. Something to keep my mind occupied. Totally random how it all poured out…
I loved this. You should let your thoughts flow with no editing more often. I must admit when you said that, was what, you were going to do, I had a little giggle. Your a very positive person and sharing it is your destiny. 🙂
Looking to God 
It’s an original technique, but please don’t or I will be reminded of my long days in high school with The Catcher in the Rye making an effort to understand Holden Caulfield. LOL 😀
Thanks for the awesome mention! Loved your post 🙂
Very inspiring stream of consciousness. I look forward to more of them.
Cheers,
Dennis
What a wonderful quote (and post). Thank you. I needed this today.
Marvelous.
Stream of consciousness requires more courage than any other kind of writing, I think. Definitely do it again in the future.
Just a few of my favorites:
“Success does not come by sight but by mind.”
“No one can defeat you. You can defeat yourself. Only you.”
We are our only real threat. Fear, anxiety, apathy all come from within. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” E. Roosevelt.
I need to try this stream of consciousness thing, but I think it would reveal how nuts I really am. I’d probably end up talking about Peeps and poverty in the same sentence before transitioning to dog walking and diapers. See?
Thanks.
I was fevering with the chills when I wrote it, so the next time I do this I’ll probably have a nasty cold.
Let me know when you do write in stream of consciousness, I’m interested in discovering what kind of diapers dogs wear when walked by their penniless owners. Hmm, now that I think about it, there’s a book in there somewhere, it’s just a matter of finding the hook.
I thought the quote would be “Adrian, Adriaaaan!” Great thoughts you put there, life is a constant battle to achieve what you REALLY want to achieve. I still remember as a kid when my father would go out the door to work and saying literally “Let´s go to war.” It struck me a little strange at the time I almost hid under the table, but then you grow up. I took up my own little phrase ” You gotta go to the mattress.”(Common, The God Father, same meaning as going to war, but cooler.) Always interesting read.
As with everyone else, I really enjoyed the style of this post!
I agree with everyone who’s already commented – more of this, please! 🙂
awesome!
I like your stream of consciousness. It works.
BTW, am also looking forward to your book coming out. I’m reading Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter series right now.
I hope you’ll like it! October 22nd is right around the corner! 😉
excellent! what a great idea, to let the pen stream the thoughts on to the page and share without a second thought. I hope one day to be so bold, thanks for sharing 🙂
Excellent. Definitely keep doing it 🙂
This was incredible Jack! I love it, please do this more often! Another facet of who you are revealed itself in this post!
Thanks, and will do! I’ll keep it in mind for another time, Nicolette!
This is my third reading of this weeks Freedom Friday by now and it is a shot of optimism I needed. Thank you for that. Also it is the reason I don’t come to your site if don’t have at least an hour of time to spare, because I know i will get stuck here 🙂
Happy to know you liked it, Marko. When I wrote it last week, I was sick in bed with a fever, the evening was dark, and I had the chills. I needed something to keep me from throwing up. Something to keep my mind occupied. Totally random how it all poured out…
I loved this. You should let your thoughts flow with no editing more often. I must admit when you said that, was what, you were going to do, I had a little giggle. Your a very positive person and sharing it is your destiny. 🙂