Habit #4 — Write away!

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Up to this point all of my habits have been health related. I’ve added one habit from each of Tom Rath’s categories (eating, moving, and sleeping). Now that I’ve spent a few weeks working on health related goals I’m going to start working on one of my New Year’s Resolutions, I’m going to start writing a book (500 words a day).

I’ve been wanting to write a book since I was in elementary school. I even wrote the first chapters to a couple (they were very, very bad). But it’s been a dream that I’ve never really followed through on.

I’ve never succeeded in writing a book for any number of reasons, or should I say, excuses. It wasn’t any good (which it often wasn’t), or I didn’t have any right to write (clever isn’t it), or it just got boring. I’ve realized, though, that all of those are excuses. I need to become a better writer, yes, but I won’t ever get any better if I don’t do it. Maybe I don’t have the right for anyone to read what I’ve written yet, but I have to have something written in order to earn the right. Maybe the process loses some of it’s luster as time goes on. . . but if it didn’t everyone would write.

Both Do the Work, and Start, books that I’ve been reading recently, speak a lot to overcoming those excuses. I would highly recommend both books but I’ll sum up the most fundamental idea behind both: “DO!” Whatever your dreams and goals in life. Whatever you want to get accomplished. Get started today. Do the Work. You’ll never find success unless you start. I’m starting, will you start with me?