Alright, let me tell you how I totally messed up trying to “do it for the plot” and what crap I learned.
Step 1: Thinking Plot Was Just Drama
I used to scroll Insta, see people skydiving or backpacking through sketchy places, and think “Yeah! I need more PLOT in my life!”. So last Tuesday, I decided to force it. Grabbed my keys, mumbled “For the plot!”, and drove without a plan.
My genius plan? Just wander until something “exciting” happened. Result? Got stuck in horrible traffic on the highway for three hours because some dude spilled a load of turnips. Ended up at a gas station parking lot eating stale chips. Plot? More like plot hole.
Step 2: Actually Trying Stupid Stuff (For Science, Of Course)
After that disaster, I thought “Okay, maybe you gotta DO something, not just drive aimlessly.” Decided to create plot points. Tried:
- Saying yes to literally everything for one evening.
- Taking a beginner salsa class wearing mismatched socks.
- Striking up conversation with the grumpy dude at the bodega about his cat collection.
Guess what? Saying yes got me volunteered to organize a charity thing I know nothing about. Salsa dude tripped over my socks and glared. Bodega guy actually showed me his 27 cats… and I’m now slightly allergic. Felt less exciting, more exhausting.
Step 3: The “Plot” Sneak Attack
Totally frustrated, I gave up forcing it. Was just doing regular crap. Went grocery shopping last Thursday. My piece-of-junk car DIED blocking the entrance to the store. Horn started blaring randomly. Couldn’t shut it off. Had to crawl under the dash pulling wires while a crowd gathered and someone filmed me with their phone. Panic sweat? Oh yeah.
Suddenly, the store manager comes running out. Turns out he used to be a mechanic. He helped me jimmy a wire, fixed the horn. We ended up bonding over crappy old cars in the parking lot for like an hour while my engine cooled off. He gave me his card for free towing next time.
THAT was plot. Pure accident. Totally unexpected. Way more interesting than any forced salsa disaster. Learned the hard way: trying to manufacture excitement mostly manufactures awkwardness or problems. Real plot comes when life throws wrenches (or failing cars) and you actually deal with the mess.
What Actually Works (For Me)
Now? I stopped chasing “plot.” Instead:
- Pay attention to the small weird things. That cat guy? His story was interesting once I actually listened instead of treating him like a plot device.
- Say yes (sometimes), but know your limits. Charity gig? Told them “Look, I suck at spreadsheets but I can lift heavy boxes.” Used reality, not Insta dreams.
- Embrace the everyday hiccups. Did getting lost because the GPS died make me late? Yep. But the detour took me past this insane neon pink food truck that sold the best tacos ever. Rolled with it. Taco bonus plot.
- Stop recording everything. When the car died, my first thought wasn’t “Where’s my phone?” it was “OH CRAP.” Being in the panic, in the fixing it, that’s where the story lived. Pictures come later.
Bottom line? “Doing it for the plot” sounds cool, but forcing it feels fake and usually backfires. Real stories come from paying attention to the weird, the annoying, the stuff that actually happens, and then just dealing with it like the messy human you are. Don’t chase the plot. Just live your damn life, the plot finds you.
