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This Is A Fact...
If you’ve already give up, or you’re about to, I have good news:
It’s not too late to hit your
writing goals.
Read. That. Again.
Even if you’ve made zero progress on your goals this year, don’t be discouraged. You still have plenty of time.
The tendency among most of us when we fall short is to beat ourselves up and then give up.
That is SO unnecessary.
Four Things You Can Do TODAY
Here are four steps you can take today to get back on track with your writing:
Step #1. Let go of perfection.
Just because you didn’t start the year off perfectly doesn’t mean that you’ll never get back on track.
Pro tip: Projects rarely, if ever, start off perfectly.
You don’t
need the perfect conditions to start. What you need is the will to start.
I’m going to say that again: You don’t need the perfect conditions to start. What you need is the will to start.
You know the old adage, “Where
there’s a will, there’s a way.” Kick those excuses to the curb and choose to do the hard things that you so desperately want and need to do.
Step #2. Take baby steps.
Imagine sitting down at the computer and you start writing your book. Everything is going great, and
then ten minutes later…SQUIRREL!
After zoning out for 5 minutes, you turn back to your manuscript to find that you’ve only written a few sentences. You’re deflated.
Most people obsess over perfectly concentrating on a goal within a given
timeframe and completing it. Sensing a pattern, here? This usually hinders them from completing their goal rather than helping them accomplish it.
Instead of demeaning yourself for letting your mind wander, use that moment as an opportunity to bring yourself back to the task at hand. Rather than chastising yourself when
you don’t meet your goal, celebrate that you actually returned to your manuscript.
If setting a 25-minute timer (the Pomodoro technique of 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break) is overwhelming, start with 5 minutes of work and 5 minutes of mindless wandering. Then bump it up to 10 and 5.
Success is built upon small steps toward a goal. All progress, no matter how incremental, is significant.
Step #3. Adjust your expectations.
People change. Life happens. You might find
yourself in a totally different situation in February, 2024—personally, financially, or emotionally—than you were in December, 2023.
Goals should not only be SMART (feel free to give that a Google), they should be flexible.
Maybe
you set your goals too high and didn’t break them down into manageable steps. (Don’t worry—most people do this.)
Try going back to the heart of what you’re hoping to accomplish this year. Think about how much you really, REALLY want it. Then, break that goal down into its smallest steps.
There must be one that you can take today.
Step #4. Put some skin in the game.
When I was in college, if my dating life hit the doldrums, I would buy two concert tickets. That forced me to invite somebody from
the female persuasion to join me.
Envision holding your book in your hands and then make the jump.
If you’re having trouble doing numbers 1, 2, and 3 above, chances are you could benefit from scheduling a meeting with me.
I promise you, I’ve struggled with all of these and more. You’d think that this would be easier now that I’ve written 20+ books in my career.
I’m telling you the truth: it’s not.
It’s never going to be easy, and it’s never going to be perfect. But it’s not too late to start.
Click here to schedule a meeting with me and let's turn your dream into reality.
