I’m not saying that shortcuts, hacks, and quick fixes don’t work, but they exist on a micro level. They are not foundational. The bigger picture requires you to roll up your sleeves and get at it.
It’s simple, just not easy.
I used to model myself off authors I admired, and I was besotted with their daily word count. They managed to keep putting in the work day in and day out, establishing a rhythm that propelled them forward. Something else I learned indirectly from the greats was the need for flexibility. It wasn’t the word count itself that was important,
but the daily habit of writing.
Many people are derailed by the daily grind because “doing the work” isn’t about grand gestures or occasional bursts of productivity. It’s about embracing the daily grind—the small, consistent actions that compound over
time.
And that can be tough.
Bestselling author Marci Shimoff explains, “To make the quickest progress, you don’t have to take huge leaps. You just have to take baby steps and keep on taking them. In Japan, this approach is called kaizen, which literally translates as “continual improvement.” Using kaizen, great and lasting success is achieved through small, consistent steps. It turns out that slow and steady is the best way to overcome resistance to change.
Don’t overcomplicate it.
It’s simple.
Whether you feel like it or not, no matter where you are on your journey, cultivate habits of taking action.
Don’t get sidetracked looking
for shortcuts, quick fixes or hacks like I did in my early writing career.
Show up daily and do the work.
The world is full of people with big dreams waiting for the perfect moment. But you, Gentle Reader, are not one of them.
No more excuses or procrastination.
Your future self will thank you.
Be Your Own Hero.
