To my dismay, I sometimes find myself using a time-worn phrase to explain why I didn't get something done.
"I haven't been able to find the time."
I hate saying that because I absolutely realize that no one finds time to do anything. You make the time.
Achieving or accomplishing something isn't a matter of happenstance. If you're waiting to find some time, you'll never achieve anything that requires a commitment of time.
You know you can't rummage through the attic and find some spare minutes. They're not lurking under rocks either. You make time, and you do it because something is vitally important to you.
Make Time
If you want to blog regularly, then you set up an editorial calendar that details how often you will blog. Make a commitment no matter how small that time increment may be.
If you want to write a book, you do the same thing. You make a commitment to plot it or outline it or do research or write a certain number of words or pages every day.
The same thing applies if you want to learn how to ballroom dance or make mozzarella cheese (as the heroine in my latest romance does) from scratch . Sit down and figure up how much time on a daily or weekly basis you can commit to the project, and take action to get it going.
Commit By Taking Action
That's right. Until you take action, your commitment is only a fantasy. Action moves it from the fantasy side of the ledger to the side of reality. After you've penciled in appointments with yourself on a calendar that indicate when you'll work on achieving that which you desire, take some action. Action makes it real.
If you want to dance, look up the phone number or website URL to get schedule information. If you want to write a book, sit down and start making notes about what kind of book, the premise, the characters. If you want to create web content regularly, sit down and brainstorm topics on which you can write.
Everyone is allotted the same number of hours in a day. Those hours amount to 1,440 minutes. Those who achieve use their time effectively. Quit making excuses. Quit killing time.
Takeaway Truth
Remember what Henry David Thoreau said? "As if you could kill time without wounding eternity?"
Don't wound eternity. Make your time count. Make each minute count.
This topic is one I totally agree with. In fact, The Writer magazine published an aricle of mine titled "Making the Time to Write" a few months ago. My first title was "Finding the Time to Write," then I scratched it out for the very reasons Joan's saying. You gotta make time.
ReplyDeleteIf you wanna be a published author, you make the time and set priorities.
Cheryl, I'm sorry I missed that article. I once read The Writer faithfully, but find it hard to locate any more. Is it now online?
ReplyDeleteJoan
The Writer is still print published, still available at booksellers, like B&N and by subscription. They do have an online edition, but the articles in it are not the same as appear in the print edition. It's a lot more sophisticated looking than it used to be. They've finally discovered graphics. I subscribe, but I'm waaaaay behind on reading it, and waaaay behind on lots of stuff. And I can't use the "mother-of-the-bride" excuse, either!
ReplyDelete