A Crash Course On Writing Dreams When Resistance Stands In the Way
Q: What do you get when you put Perfectionism, Procrastination, and Self-Doubt on a project together?
A: An unfinished project.
Many a soul have held themselves back because of those three reasons.
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It's not good enough.
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I'll never finish this in time.
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No one will like it.
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I'll be the laughing stock of the whole editorial office.
Do you ever wonder if editors share your "horrendous queries" with their colleagues? Laughing at you and speculating about your writing future?
The fact of the matter is: it doesn't matter.
If you want to write and become known as a successful writer, you'll need to push that negativity aside and plow through the muck to get to your writing dreams. Are you going to let those negative thoughts ruin your whole writing career?
You want to write, don't you? You want to get published and write books full-time one day?
Then, you can't let anything stop you. Not that resistance from your close family member in the form of doubt about your abilities to make a living writing. Not your in-laws' questioning comments about how well you're really doing. Not that tendency to procrastinate because you don't think you're good enough.
Let nothing stand in your way.
Did you know that Adolph Hitler wanted to be an artist? What did he do instead? Do you suppose his life would have turned out differently had he been able to break through the resistance that was keeping him from achieving his dream of becoming an artist? (For the record, I'm not saying those people who submit to resistance will turn out like Hitler! It's just an example. The point is, he let resistance get in the way.)
If you haven't read Steven Pressfield's The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle, I highly recommend you do. It will open your eyes to a world of possibilities if you let it. I also recommend that you read Pressfield's Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and get out of your own way.
Accomplishing your writing dreams is all about overcoming resistance. Combine that with a plan, a schedule, motivation, and distraction prevention, and there isn't any goal you can't achieve.
This is a timely post Jody. I’m been doing lots of writing lately and pressing through the resistance. in fact, I’m working on a free offer that starts with much of what you’ve said here. I really enjoyed reading this. As always, thanks for sharing you wisdom!
Great encouragement. I agree, Pressfields “War of Art” is quite the book.
Thanks, Robert. I can’t wait to see your free offer!
WE should nothing stand in our way….nothing…we need to press on. I am finishing up my eBook; it is quite a deal, I must say. Pressing though will get the job done. Thanks Jody
So true Jody and it applies to so many areas of life.
I have experienced all three of the reasons you mentioned at the beginning of the article with a whole lot of unfinished projects. Thank you for the encouragement to overcome resistance & just keep writing.
Thanks Jody, you are absolutely right! If I keep on procrastinating, nobody will care, let alone realize that I wanted to write in the first place. Time to face the ‘resistance’ head on & JUST DO IT!
I really like your final statement: “Combine that with a plan, a schedule, motivation, and distraction prevention, and there isn’t any goal you can’t achieve.” So true! People just have to get started! I keep being shocked by how many people say to me, “I want to do x, y, or z” when I tell them I am following my dreams of being a writer, and yet they do not take any steps to follow their own dreams!
Connected with you from Susan Preston retweet. I have so many writing project ideas that I keep procrastinating on. I just have to get started. Moving a desk into my extra bedroom right now. As of today it will be my “Writing Room.”