How I Write: Ben Hardy, author of Willpower Doesn’t Work
“Good timber doesn’t grow with ease.”
Every month, I recommend a new book that’s helped me see the world differently. This month’s is Willpower Doesn’t Work, by Benjamin P. Hardy.
Ben Hardy is a man of principles, someone whose work and philosophy I deeply respect—precisely at a time when I see so much of the world operating without either (principles or coherent philosophy). He’s the top writer on Medium, and with good reason. His work cuts through the hurricane of Internet noise in both style and content, like he’s some sort of newfangled crazy genius Internet poet.
You can learn all about Willpower Doesn’t Work here later. Meantime, I caught up with Ben to talk about his writing process, like I do every month with a select author I admire.
Let’s start with Ben’s workspace:
What’s your process for a big writing project like WILLPOWER DOESN’T WORK?
BH: Get a gig first (book deal) that gives me a timeline.
Get mentoring to help me organize my thinking.
Create several outlines until I like the angle (chapter ordering, ideas within chapters, etc.).
Read lots and lots and lots.
Get myself in the right frame of mind (I believe this is my ultimate job), then once I’m there, write write write. I have a pre-performance routine for doing this — it’s my morning routine. It involves writing in my journal, prayer, meditation, fitness, listening to audio books, then writing.
What’s the one thing you have the least amount of willpower with?
BH: Definitely chocolate… dark chocolate. I could eat a ton. And ice-cream.
What rituals, if any, do you have as a writer?
BH: See above. Lots though. For me, my four biggest rituals:
- Read LOTS
- Write in my journal daily
- Pray and meditate about the success of my writing
- Live a challenging life that fuels my writing from my core
What’s your writing toolkit?
BH: A regular notebook with a pen.
My iPhone with lots of audiobooks.
My laptop.
Sometimes I drink NeuroSonic.
Where do you go for inspiration?
BH: My car with my journal.
The gym.
Phone calls with close friends who love me.
My wife and kids.
Sacred and religious places.
What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever written in your life?
BH: Willpower Doesn’t Work, followed by this article: https://medium.com/personal-growth/you-can-never-change-your-life-through-willpower-heres-what-actually-works-928a562db627
What’s the first book you remember loving?
BH: Spiritual Roots of Human Relations by Stephen Covey.
What’s your best piece of advice for writers?
BH: 2 things:
Quantity is the path to quality.
It’s better to be prolific than perfect — this means you’ll likely disagree with stuff you’ve written in the past, if you’re seeking to continually get better in your thinking and writing, you should be happy if you don’t agree with stuff you’ve written in the past.
What do you want written on your tombstone?
BH: GOOD TIMBER DOES NOT GROW WITH EASE
