The first blog in this series discussed why discipline matters to writers. This one explores ways to develop a more disciplined mindset.
Habits are mental. They are choices you make every day—choices that require discipline. Yes, that D word that carries some negative connotations. But though discipline isn’t easy to develop, it is far from a dirty word. Rather it is a commitment. Dedication to a dream combined with the will to execute.
This blog will focus on ways to embrace discipline as a writer.
If you want to write, the way is simple. You must capture words and stories in some manner, be it on tape, paper, a wrier’s notebook, a computer file, or on minuscule scraps of paper you throw into a hat. The manner doesn’t matter. The act does. If you want to write, write. Journal, make notes, scribble, jot down, scrawl, pencil it in, inscribe your thoughts, ideas and stories. Lure them into existence and preserve them. Nurture them. Foster them. Help them grow into larger forms.
This what constitutes a writing discipline. It is what keeps your butt in the chair so you can embrace your dream and make it come true. It is work and an act of loving yourself enough to work toward your heart’s desire. It is not a negative act. Not in the least. It’s a gift you give yourself.
Still, it’s surprisingly difficult to turn off Netflix, get up from the couch, and create. It takes engagement and energy. It takes effort. It takes practice. It needs to become a habit.
We’ve all heard it takes 21 days to change a habit. Or 68. Or 100. Or whatever statistic the experts are currently touting. They are right that it takes time. How many days doesn’t matter in this context. You want to be a writer and that is a lifestyle, a calling. So what you need is to change your habits to support your desire. This means changing the way you live.
James Clear in Atomic Habits espouses the 1% rule. It is the philosophy of searching for the tiniest margins of improvement in everything you do. If you wrote for 10 minutes today, write for 11 minutes tomorrow. He calls this “the aggregation of marginal gains” that compound over time.
His theory is that the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. That daily habit determines success more than heroic efforts or rare transformations. My favorite part of his theory is that it doesn’t matter where you are now as long as you are on the path that will lead to success. This means writing on a regular basis and moving toward your goal with purpose. That is where you should put your focus.
How do you do that? Discipline. You need to analyze what you are doing now and what systems you need to change to end up where you want to be. If you don’t have time to write, it’s analyzing how you currently spend your time and shifting some of that time to writing.
It also means letting go of things that are holding you back. Here are a few tips for developing a discipline mindset:
Let Go of Guilt
Guilt does not serve you. Avoidance and procrastination are stress responses. And they come with a heaping dose of guilt. When you let yourself down, guilt follows. It’s a negative spiral that doesn’t help you. Stop it by determining what is stressing you out and preventing you from doing the work. Then attack that stressor. Work through it.
Let Go of Overwhelming Goals
Instead of looking at the entirety of what you need to do, work on making progress. Push that boulder a tiny bit toward the goal line. You don’t have to write a novel in a day, but you should have milestones to hit, whether that be a time goal (write for 1 hour per day), a page goal (write 10 pages per day) or a word goal (write 3,000 words per day). Choose the goal that works for you. If you are not a structure kind of person, then try setting a weekly goal (write 5,000 words this week). Every day do what you can to get closer to reaching that goal. This will reinforce your habit and make you feel better about your progress.
Let Go of Negative Self-Talk
It is easy to beat ourselves up for not accomplishing what we wanted—for not writing like (insert famous writer here). But that doesn’t accomplish anything. If you miss a day of writing, get back to it the following day. Missing one day is human. Missing more than that is creating a new habit, according to James Clear. Stop spending energy on negative emotions. Focus on what you can do and get back to work. Let the rest go. Especially that nasty editor voice that calls everything crap. It may be, but that’s what rewrites are for.
Practice
The first time you do anything, you are likely to embarrass yourself. Writing is the same. It takes time and practice to get good. You have to keep at it. Don’t judge your practices with the same critical eye as you would finished works. Keep working on them the same way you would it you were learning a new skill that takes time and effort to master. And keep in mind that practices are just that—practice. You are allowed to make mistakes and then you learn from them.
Take Control
You are in control of your habits and action. Not your stress. Not your fears. Not your feelings. You. Don’t let anything stand in your way. Act.
Embrace Your Happiness
Happiness is found by moving toward your dreams word by word. Each one that lands on the page is progress. Each one links to the next creates a story. Embrace the journey. Love the process. Let yourself be happy with the act of writing. Waiting until you are finished is missing the point.
A disciplined writing practice is what will keep you going even after the excitement of a new idea fades. And it always fades, no matter how great an idea you have. There are moments that you will be beset with inadequacies and fears. Moments of self-doubt. Keep going anyway. The initial excitement for your story will return, but it is never a linear thing. It’s more of a wave that ebbs and flows as you move through the project. Discipline is what will keep you writing even when your excitement level bottoms out.
And it’s a requirement if you want a career peddling words. A professional writer doesn’t have the luxury of writing only when inspired or when they feel like it. They work to deadlines. They have quotas and budgets. Strategic plans. Mortgages.
Discipline is the foundation of a good work ethic, which is key if you want to succeed.
The next blog in this series will examine the emotional side of developing discipline to write. The final blog will cover the practical tips that lie outside your mind.