I’ve spent much of the last two weeks working on deliverables. This is also know as writing. While writing this afternoon, I thought:

I bet other water professionals also spend much of their time writing. Why don’t I write about writing.

For the record, writing is not one of my natural talents. Some helpful college professors, two writing coaches, and three editors later, I’m better than I was.  This post isn’t about the technical aspects of writing–for this I recommend Strunk and White. The post is about the Spirit of writing.  For this, I point to one resource. 

 War of Art by Steven Pressfield

I think the best way to share this message is to let you read the first 9 chapters for yourself (see below).  Yes, it’s a quick read. The chapters are short and the writing is concise. You’ll soon learn this book applies far more to life than writing. Writing, just happens to be one of my resistances. As such, nothing does more for my writing on water than this simple read.

WAR of ART 

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1. WHAT I DO

I get up, take a shower, have breakfast. I read the paper, brush my teeth. If I have phone calls to make, I make them. I’ve got my coffee now. I put on my lucky work boots and stitch up the lucky laces that my niece Meredith gave me. I head back to my office, crank up the computer. My lucky hooded sweatshirt is draped over the chair, with the lucky charm I got from a gypsy in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for only eight bucks in francs, and my lucky LARGO name tag that came from a dream I once had. I put it on. On my thesaurus is my lucky cannon that my friend Bob Versandi gave me from Morro Castle, Cuba. I point it toward my chair, so it can fire inspiration into me. I say my prayer, which is the Invocation of the Muse from Homer’s Odyssey, translation by T.E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, that my dear mate Paul Rink gave me and which sits near my shelf with the cuff links that belonged to my father and my lucky acorn from the battlefield at Thermopylae. It’s about ten-thirty now. I sit down and plunge in. When I start making typos, I know I’m getting tired. That’s four hours or so. I’ve hit the point of diminishing returns. I wrap for the day. Copy whatever I’ve done to disk and stash the disk in the glove compartment of my truck in case there’s a fire and I have to run for it. I power down. It’s three, three-thirty. The office is closed. How many pages have I produced? I don’t care. Are they any good? I don’t even think about it. All that matters is I’ve put in my time and hit it with all I’ve got. All that counts is that, for this day, for this session, I have overcome Resistance.

2. WHAT I KNOW

There’s a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don’t and the secret is this: it’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write.

What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.

3. THE UNLIVED LIFE

Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.

Have you ever brought home a treadmill and let it gather dust in the attic? Ever resolved on a diet, a course of yoga, a meditation practice? Have you ever felt a call to embark upon a spiritual practice, dedicate yourself to a humanitarian calling, commit your life to the service of others? Have you ever wanted to be a mother, a doctor, an advocate for the weak and helpless; to run for office, crusade for the planet, campaign for world peace or to preserve the environment? Late at night have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the realized being you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn’t write, a painter who doesn’t paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what Resistance is.

One night I was layin’ down,
I heard Papa talkin’ to Mama.
I heard Papa say, to let that boy
boogie-woogie. ‘Cause it’s in him
and it’s got to come out.
—John Lee Hooker,
Boogie Chillen’

Resistance is the most toxic force on the planet. It is the root of more unhappiness than poverty, disease and erectile dysfunction. To yield to Resistance deforms our spirit. It stunts us and makes us less than we are and were born to be. If you believe in God (and I do) you must declare Resistance evil, for it prevents us from achieving the life God intended when He endowed each of us with our own unique genius. Genius is a Latin word; the Romans used it to denote an inner spirit, holy and inviolable, which watches over us, guiding us to our calling.. A writer writes with his genius; an artist paints with hers; everyone who creates operates from this sacramental center. It is our soul’s seat, the vessel that holds our being-in-potential, our star’s beacon and Polaris.

Every sun casts a shadow, and genius‘ shadow is Resistance. As powerful as is our soul’s call to realization, so potent are the forces of Resistance arrayed against it. Resistance is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, harder to kick than crack cocaine. We’re not alone if we’ve been mown down by Resistance; millions of good men and women have bitten the dust before us. And here’s the biggest bitch: we don’t even know what hit us. I never did. From age twenty-four to thirty-two, Resistance kicked my ass from East Coast to West and back again thirteen times and I never even knew it existed. I looked everywhere for the enemy and failed to see it right in front of my face.

Have you heard this story: woman learns she has cancer, six months to live. Within days she quits her job, resumes the dream of writing Tex-Mex songs she gave up to raise a family (or starts studying Classical Greek, or moves to the inner city and devotes herself to tending babies with AIDS.) Woman’s friends think she’s crazy; she herself has never been happier. There’s a postscript. Woman’s cancer goes into remission.

Is that what it takes? Do we have to stare death in the face to make us stand up and confront Resistance? Does Resistance have to cripple and disfigure our lives before we awake to its existence? How many of us have become drunks and drug addicts, developed tumors and neuroses, succumbed to painkillers, gossip and compulsive cell-phone use, simply because we don’t do that thing that our hearts, our inner genius, is telling us to? Resistance defeats us. If tomorrow morning by some stroke of magic every dazed and benighted soul woke up with the power to take the first step toward pursuing his or her dreams, overnight every shrink in the directory would be out of business. Prisons would stand empty. The alcohol and tobacco industries would collapse, along with the junk food, cosmetic surgery, and infotainment businesses, not to mention pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and the medical profession from top to bottom. Domestic abuse would become extinct, as would addiction, obesity, migraine headaches, road rage and dandruff.

Look in your own heart. Unless I’m crazy, right now a still small voice is piping up, telling you as it has ten thousand times, the calling that is yours and yours alone. You know it. No one has to tell you. And unless I’m crazy, you’re no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow. You think Resistance isn’t real? Resistance will bury you.

You know, Hitler wanted to be an artist. At eighteen he took his inheritance, seven hundred kronen, and moved to Vienna to live and study. He applied to the Academy of Fine Arts and later to the School of Architecture. Ever see one of his paintings? Neither have I. Resistance beat him. Call it overstatement but I’ll say it anyway: it was easier for Hitler to start World War II than it was for him to face a blank square of canvas.

4. RESISTANCE’S GREATEST HITS

The following is a list, in no particular order, of those activities, which most commonly elicit Resistance:

1) The pursuit of any calling in writing, painting, music, film, dance, or any creative art, however marginal or unconventional.

2) The launching of any entrepreneurial venture or enterprise, for profit or otherwise.

3) Any diet or health regimen.

4) Any program of spiritual advancement.

5) Any activity whose aim is tighter abdominals.

6) Any course or program designed to overcome an unwholesome habit or addiction.

7) Education of every kind.

Any act of political, moral or ethical courage, including the decision to change for the better some unworthy pattern of thought or conduct in ourselves.

9) The undertaking of any enterprise or endeavor whose aim is to help others.

10) Any act which entails commitment of the heart. The decision to get married, to have a child, to weather a rocky patch in a relationship.

11) The taking of any principled stand in the face of potential reprisal.

In other words, any act which disdains short-term gratification in favor of long-term growth, health or integrity. Or, expressed another way, any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower. Any act of these types will elicit Resistance.

Now: what are the characteristics of Resistance?

5. RESISTANCE IS INVISIBLE

Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard or smelled. But it can be felt. It is experienced as a force field emanating from a work-in-potential. It’s a repelling force. It’s negative. Its intention is to shove the creator away, distract him, sap his energy, incapacitate him.

If Resistance wins, the work doesn’t get written.

6. RESISTANCE IS INTERNAL

Resistance seems to come from outside ourselves. We locate it in spouses, jobs, bosses, kids, distractions. “Peripheral opponents,” as Pat Riley used to say when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers.

Resistance is not a peripheral opponent. Resistance arises from within. It is self-generated and self-perpetuated. Resistance is the enemy within.

7. RESISTANCE IS INSIDIOUS

Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work. It will perjure, fabricate, falsify; seduce, bully, cajole. Resistance is protean. It will assume any form, if that’s what it takes to deceive you. It will reason with you like a lawyer or jam a nine-millimeter in your face like a stick-up man. Resistance has no conscience. It understands nothing but power. Resistance cannot be negotiated with. It will pledge anything to get a deal, then double-cross you as soon as your back is turned. If you take Resistance at its word, you deserve everything you get. Resistance is always lying and always full of shit.

8. RESISTANCE IS IMPLACABLE

Resistance is like the Alien or the Terminator or the shark in “Jaws.” It cannot be reasoned with. It is an engine of destruction, programmed from the factory with one object only: to prevent us from doing our work. Resistance is implacable, intractable, indefatigable. Reduce it to a single cell and that cell will continue to attack.

This is Resistance’s nature. It’s all it knows.

9. RESISTANCE IS IMPERSONAL

Resistance is not out to get you personally. It doesn’t know who you are and doesn’t care. Resistance is a force of nature. It acts objectively.

Though it feels malevolent, Resistance in fact operates with the indifference of rain and transits the heavens by the same laws as the stars. When we marshal our forces to combat Resistance, we must remember this.

Last week I set up Lotic’s brand page on Google +.  Here’s the link. I haven’t determined my media strategy for this new tool, but wanted to make sure I secured a place marker for when this time comes.

Pursuing this new channel made me take a step back and think about how and why I use digital media in the world of water. Highlighted below are the various digital media channels I’m leveraging and why.

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Twitter 

Why: Twitter is my favorite digital media tool. Not as a megaphone for blasting content, but instead as a set of headphones for listening to the market. This gets even better with a client application (tweetdeck and hootesuite are my two favorites). These clients enable you to filter content so you hear only what you want to hear. Specifically, the search columns allow you to target specific content (e.g. water communications) so anytime, anyone, anywhere in the world tweets “water communications” it appears on my tweet deck.

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Google Alerts

Why: Similar to twitter, strategic use of Google Alerts allows you to aggregate and filter relevant content found on the world wide web. Some of this content is duplicated by tweets, but I always find some gems missed by tweeps (yes, peeps on twitter are tweeps). You can have daily Alerts emailed to you, but I prefer to stream the content via Google Reader.

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Linked In

Why: Yes, Linked In provides value that Twitter and Google Alerts cannot capture. I utilize Linked In group pages, which allows me to survey content on the topics of interest and even engage in conversations with like-minded water and marketing professionals. Linked In also provides access to a digital “networking engine” for recommendations and referrals.

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Blog

Why: Look familiar? I hope so.  Unlike the other tools, the blog is not my headphones, it’s my voice. My authentic and transparent voice.  It also increases efficiency. How? When someone calls me and ask me about investing in water rights, I send them this link. When someone asks about Water Restoration Certificates, I send them this link. When someone asks about my work with water rights and ecosystem services, I send them this link. When someone asks about my digital or social media, I’ll send them the link of this very post.

The blog also allows me to explore content and think about new and innovative ideas. It provides a framework to develop these concepts and share these thoughts with others.

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Google +

As I began this post, Google + is my latest channel, because an estimated 54 million users can’t be ignored.  I’ll start by sharing the link to this post and see where it takes me.

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This is my digital media story. I welcome any digital media tricks, tips or insight, you’d like to share.

Thanks for listening.

Last year, I encouraged  applications to the Enviropreneur Institute with this blog post titled: I am an Enviropreneur. All of the sentiment expressed in this post holds true today and applications are being accepted  here.  I, once again, hope all interested parties apply and leave you with the following quotes:

Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled – Howard Stevenson

And

If you find a job you love, you’ll never work again – Winston Churchill

And

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take – Wayne Gretzky

On December 12 & 13 of 2011, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the Innovative Water Transfer III workshop put on by the Western Governors’ Association and the Western States Water Council. All of the meeting proceedings can be found here. I enjoyed the meeting and was, once again, reminded how localized and fragmented these markets really are. Although there was one summary presentation, from Carlee Brown of the Western Governors’ Association, I found particularly interesting. This presentation summarized survey results from western state water resource managers (presentation embedded above). It’s good to hear their thoughts, as they’ll play a decisive role in these markets.  None of this content is revolutionary, but is good to see on a western scale. The summarized version is as follows:

1. Legal requirements: Agencies rule over the water rights changes, but not the actual monetary deal.

2. Mitigation: Most states consider impacts to other water users and environment.

3. Market Drivers: Urban/Suburban Growth

4. Most Common Barrier: Public Opinion

5. Informal Agreements: Increasingly common circumvent regulatory process.

I also like the use of PREZI of course.

I  just finished one of the better books I’ve ever read: Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson. The book presents 7 parameters that facilitate idea creation:

1. The adjacent possible. Ideas within communities thrive on each other.

2. Liquid networks. This medium makes innovation easier. Encourage social flow not solitude.

3. The Slow Hunch. Ideas develop slowly over time.

4. Serendipity. In what appears lost, ideas can be found.

5. Error. Failing fast leads to wins.

6. Exaption. Don’t recreate the wheel. Borrow.

7. Platforms.  Ideas are built and spread on foundations. These foundations are platforms.

Although I generally agree with these seven, there was one reoccurring notion throughout the book that I found especially thought provoking. Ecosystem Design.

Johnson applied ecosystem analogies for our societies, cultures, and markets. For example, the dynamics of a corral reef mimic our cities.  I’ve recently developed similar thoughts in relation to ecosystems and markets. I’d argue a market is an ecosystem. The same structure and dynamics of species and their environment present in ecosystems also exist with people, companies, brands, and their markets. I’m still flushing out the details of this idea. Call it a slow hunch.

Any thoughts?

Just consider this a repost of the Ecosystem Marketplace Water Environmental Trading News.  Why? Because Lotic was featured twice. Well, at least 1 and a 1/2.

1. Can his water bank help Montana solve its water problems?

1.5  Instream Flow Transactions are Big Deals in the West.

In addition to this greatly appreciated media, the newsletter is also full of other great reads on one of my favorite topics: water markets.  A recommended read worth reposting.

I just received a request from the Environmental Leader asking me to share a quote for a lesson learned in 2011. Not surprisingly, this made me reflect on 2011 in a level that far surpassed this request. I felt inclined to share.

1. Water is a big deal. WATER is becoming a media darling and this makes for exciting times within this industry. In spirit of this simple thought, I couldn’t help but have some fun with the question: Is water a big deal?

2. Water markets are highly localized and fragmented.  In 2011, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend and present at water conferences across the county. After each of these experiences, I was reminded of the localized and fragmented nature of these water markets.

3. Never trust a water right.  A lesson learned in 2010, but I was frequently reminded of this lesson in 2011.

4. If it’s quick its not a water deal.  I filed the first change to water marketing in the state of Montana in October. This project is two years and running…. emphasis on running.

5. Water Banks rule. In continuation of #4 above, I had the fortunate opportunity to work on some water banking projects in 2011. Here’s a link to a recent article on the topic. I’ve always felt strongly about water banks’ role in water markets of the West and this feeling was strengthened in 2011.

6. We need wetlands. Wetlands: filter water, mitigate floods, house fish and wildlife, increase species diversity, recharge aquifers… Wetlands have long provided vital ecosystem services. Reallocating water rights to wetlands use provides an opportunity to secure these eco-assets and capitalize on future aquifer recharge markets.

7. Stories Spread.  Story telling is the ultimate transmission of ideas, concepts, brands, etc. The art of a well crafted and positioned story can help overcome the complexity associated with water and ecosystem markets.

8. Try. It is well documented and I learned first hand in 2011, “trying things” is the basis for growth and innovation.

9. Experiments in good tasting Spaghetti. If you review, Lotic’s book of business you’ll see a wide range of services. One of my MBA professor’s even accused me of executing the Spaghetti approach. This consists of throwing Spaghetti against the wall and seeing which one sticks. In 2011, I started focusing specifically on the Spaghetti that tasted the best. AKA, do what you love, love what you do.

10. Change. Change drives markets. Change also sustains business. Look for changes in 2012.

11. Thanks. Can thankfulness really be a lesson? I think so. Thanks for listening.

1. 100,00 acre-feet of consumptive use on the Colorado front range.
2. Non-arguable hydrologic studies for all western surface and groundwater.
3. Consensus on climate change.
4. An accurate online water rights database, with consumptive use data.
5. Helios Switch 115-4 tip flex Fly Rod.
6. A Master’s thesis on the topic of water that doesn’t highlight the importance of water in the first 2 sentences.
7. The end of Adjudication.
8. A MLS and price database for all water rights trades.
9. A water conference with great slides.
10. Basin closure for all new water rights appropriations.
11. Abolish recognized beneficial uses of water.
12. A greater emphasis on water conservation.
13. A logical solution for winter mitigation water.
14. More water infographics.
15. Free entries to the Water Rights Trading Summits of 2012.
16. Increased demand for Water Restoration Certificates.
17. Another great year in 2012.

Thank you for considering these wishes. More importantly– and in all seriousness– Merry Christmas! It’s better to give than receive.

This workshop will bring together approximately 50 people from across the Western states to discuss the most promising strategies to promote smart and innovative water transfers in the West.

As you may imagine, I’m looking forward to the event and decided to submit written materials for the workshop. It’s no secret that I believe trading solves the Western water woes, and it probably won’t come as a surprise this is the topic I tackled in my materials.  Ten Reasons to Trade.

10 Reasons to Trade