To smash that big goal, focus on the little things
Building the discipline to become a prolific writer bears little or no fruit.
No publishers rushing to my doorstep, hat in hand, begging me for my next manuscript.
No readers PMing me asking me when my next post is due.
No ticking bank account with money flowing in from Google.
It’s just a thankless grind, daily.
Imagine a vast expanse of land.
Now imagine figuring your way about.
No sense of direction. No mobile phone signal.
Feeling lost, yet?
It’s not all dark and gloomy though.
Because, one thing is clear. Standing in place is not going to help. I’ve got to run, walk or crawl in some direction.
Either I make it to the promised land. Or I collapse, look to the skies and throw in the towel.
Why embark on such a crappy journey?
Here’s why.
Shipping something, anything, helps me eliminate excuses such as:
How can I blog? My website isn’t even complete yet.
What am I going to write about? Shouldn’t all my content have a unifying theme?
How will I get people to read my blog?
Or, more importantly, why would people want to read my crap?
These questions, while legit, are the symptoms of a bigger threat. A two-headed Hydra — self-doubt and laziness.
Just showing up and doing my bit, daily, is me jabbing at my opponent.
No big left hooks. No show-stopping uppercuts.
Just the ol’ 1,2,1,2. Jab, Jab.
Whatever happened to doing something for the love of it. With zero expectations.
Of course, thousands of loyal readers would be nice. But, ssh!
However, for the moment, I’ve overcome the need to be recognised. The urge to write, to help, is greater.
The reason — I stumbled upon a new drug.
Quora. So addictive.
It’s like crack (as my friend Dan said to me recently).
Suddenly, it isn’t hard to write any more.
The need for motivation? Gone.
I tune in every single day, like a prayer, and answer a minimum of 3 questions.
Do people read it? Yes, they do. Some of them even enjoy it.
A few thousand views later, I’m still hungry. Still loving it.
Is my writing there awesome? No.
Is it even borderline good? I don’t know. I don’t care.
I’m shipping, shipping, and shipping.
There’s a long way to go.
But the delight in having some sort of impact on someone’s life is hugely gratifying.
Instead of getting too caught up in the end goal, I’m focusing on the process. The grind.
Doing my bit for the day, and then putting it aside till tomorrow.
I write not as someone who has overcome his battles on his way to success. I write from among you, from the trenches.
Your frustrations are mine too.
What are YOU waiting for?
Write the first paragraph of your book.
Start that business. Ask your friends to refer prospects. Offer your service for free if you have to!
Start that blog.
Just ask yourself,
What’s the worst that could happen?
And then ask yourself:
Where would I be this time next year?
And then brush aside your fears and take action.
Massive amounts of action will teach you lessons that no book, course or mentor can.
I’m slowly learning that.
The process, the grind, the struggle, is not fun.
But, it is the only place you’d rather be IF you hope to bring even a flicker of meaning to your life.
And every little step you take, gets you closer to your overall goal. It definitely beats standing still on the sidelines. It beats being a critic. It beats being a troll. It beats being part of the audience.
What will you start today?
