There are some habits that, even after a long time, still remain tedious. I find that no matter the difficulty, if you are getting results or these habits help to move you forward, then it’s easier to persevere. But whatever it is that you choose to focus on, it must be significant, meaningful, that one thing above all else you want to achieve, experience, or be.

Remember that excellent self-evaluation question you would ask yourself about your passion? The one that would go something like:

 

If You Wouldn’t Do It for Free, Don’t Do It For Money.

 

Getting your finances right is critical, but money isn’t the only metric that matters. Think about what is important to you, embrace the fact that you’d do it for free, even if it’s painful at times.

 

And this simple phrase below is what keeps me going.

 

Strive for progress and enjoy the process.

 

The process involves a goal, an endgame. Without figuring out what matters most to you in life, you’ll be unable to enjoy the process of progress.

For me, as an author, my process and endgame are writing and publishing exciting Urban Fantastic fiction. That quarter-inch smile that I mentioned earlier comes about not just when I finish writing a short story or novel but the little steps too. Every step I take in creating the characters, constructing the plot or building my marketing architecture is a win for me. I won’t insult your intelligence by saying it’s all easy for me and that I could do it with my eyes closed. It’s tough, and I have lapses in confidence. 

We all do.

But I can’t help smiling because I’m doing what I love even if I’m only able to write a sentence in twenty-four hours. That one act in itself means nothing to most, but I’ve created a narrative for myself that says whatever I create towards my goal big or small, good or bad, is worth celebrating.

 

When you lock in that way of thinking to your life, it’s liberating, a breath of fresh air.

 

So the correct thing to do would be to enjoy the process regardless of whether it’s enjoyable or not. Seek out the hard things because on the other side of pain is greatness and a dude with a quarter-inch smile.