3 Keys to Getting Motivated to Write So You Can Get Words On the Page
Writing is hard. In fact, Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, "Easy reading is damn hard writing." I believe he's right. It takes a lot of time and effort to write in a way that will make it easy for readers to read. It takes thought and tweaking to revise so the words flow just right.
With all these things in mind, is it any wonder some of us struggle to write? Combine this with self-doubt, procrastination, and a need for perfection, and we're lucky if we ever write anything useful.
Do you have trouble getting motivated to write? Do you want to write but you can't seem to sit down and focus on your writing? Do you need to write blog posts and newsletters for your readers so you can develop relationships with your prospects and customers?
If so, then you must get past those hurdles so you can be productive and successful in your business.
It's time to get motivated. Here are three keys to getting motivated to write:
Make it a habit
When you perform a task consistently, you turn it into a routine, second nature. You also grumble less because you have incorporated it into your schedule. Not doing it at the same time every day or as consistently as you should can lead to distress (at least for me). It's something you do on a regular basis. You know that at 8 AM (or whatever time you set) you need to sit down to write your next blog post.
Experts say it takes 21 days of consistency to create a habit, so set your writing session in stone in your schedule. Have a specific time every day that you allot for your writing.
Write about what interests you
It's really hard to write about something you're not interested in, so make sure your topics interest you or are ones you feel passionate about.
Writing fiction comes naturally to me. If I were to pick my second top interest, it would be on writing, and the third would be business writing for leadership development and business management clients. I love fiction–that's my passion–, but I also love to learn new ways to improve myself and business.
Set an appealing reward (or extreme consequence)
Are you ready to be ruthless about meeting your writing goals? Let's get started.
What is an appealing reward for you? What is something that you want badly? (No, I'm not talking about that NOOK you've wanted since last Christmas). I mean, a piece of chocolate or a bowl of ice cream or a movie night. It has to be something enticing.
Or what is an extreme consequence? Is there anything that you don't want to do under any circumstances? Maybe 50 pushups or crunches. Or maybe it's babysitting your neighbor's kids.
The more ruthless, the better.
Once you've decided on your reward (or consequence), the second step to this key is to have the control to enforce it. Don't touch that piece of chocolate until your blog post is done. Don't sit down for a movie with your spouse until your newsletter is scheduled for delivery to your subscribers.
Are you ready to get motivated and get your writing done? Who's with me?
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