10 Ways NOT to Succeed

 I've been trying to write this book since the beginning of the year.

Trying to write a book is vastly different from writing a book.

To quote that famous philospher: "Do or do not. There is no try." —Yoda

With a new month started, I was so disgusted with so little progress that I read a post I wrote many years ago. I needed that reminder of certain truths I know. but am consistently ignoring.

Reading it helped me so maybe it will help you if you have a project that you just can't seem to bring to completion. Just substitute the name of your project where I call it Book and Writing.

Peck,peck,peck.

10 WAYS NOT TO SUCCEED

1. Wait until everything in your life is perfect before starting.

2. If started, wait each day until all the other nitpicky things of daily life have been done before you tackle your writing.

3. Write only when you feel like it rather than establishing a weekly quota of pages or words produced.

4. Write and rewrite the first chapter, not moving ahead until you have the beginning done to perfection.

5. Find a way to procrastinate. For instance, when you finally get to a new chapter, decide it's time to design the cover art. Get lost in that project and drown in indecision until the month is over. Then go back to the manuscript at which point you've lost your enthusiasm for the project.

6. Wallow in indecision about the story, the genre, the marketability, the cover—even after you've had a dozen created—rather than moving forward because that's so much easier than facing the blank page each day.

7. Take on a volunteer project that benefits all of your friends because you feel it must be done as soon as possible rather than procrastinating on it to write a book which is such hard work.

8. Take on another volunteer project because you finished the previous one.

9. Realize that you have 2 trips coming up so you know you won't get the book finished before then so set it aside to get your hair done, a mani-pedi, and new shorts and tops or whatever you think must be done now, now, now.

10. When you think about your work in progress, you get depressed so stop thinking about it. Watch some captivating documentary on TV when the itch to write makes you uncomfortable.

Depressing? You betcha. Fortunately, you'll eventually come to your senses and start saying NO to anything that isn't writing the book. You'll go to your office, give yourself a stern lecture, and start writing.

TAKEAWY TRUTH

Thomas Carlyle said, "Our main business is NOT to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand." That means FOCUS on what you set out to do, and get it done. That's what I'm doing now. I'm writing, NOT trying to write.

Books are little vacations between two covers. Take a vacay today—read a book!. If you love reading, sign up for Joan's free newsletter, I LOVE READING, and receive exclusive content and news about book bargains and new releases. SIGN UP TODAY.