1 bad mistake keeping your online writing dreams JUST out of reach
In my yearlong quest to generate enough money from online publishing to leave commuter life, I’ve hit some big roadblocks.
Yes, I’ve had some success (you can see an update at the bottom of this piece), but I’ve also stepped into more than one pothole along the way.
Some of my creator tasks are easy — writing here, for example — but it’s like pulling teeth to get me to follow through on others.
And the problem with that is, those other tasks are the ones I need to get a handle on or I’ll never reach my goal.
Isn’t that always the way?
The thing you want to do the least is the thing you need to do the most.
I was thinking about this after re-listening to the absolute genius audiobooks The War of Art and Turning Pro (affiliate links) by Steven Pressfield last week.
Pressfield expertly walks the listener through the creator’s №1 opponent — Resistance — and how to battle against it.
And in doing so he reveals one awful mistake we creators always make that keeps our dreams — writing full time, making YouTube videos, starting a bricks-and-mortar business, whatever — JUST out of reach.
Below I’ll tell you what that mistake is, and then I’ll tell you how I plan to avoid making it again and again moving forward.
Delayed progress writing online
Here’s what Pressfield says in what I believe to be the most important passage of Turning Pro.
After discussing the many differences between amateurs and those who have “turned pro” — that is, someone who stops thinking and caving to resistance and who just starts working every day, he hits you between the eyes with this one (I’m paraphrasing because I couldn’t find the timestamp):
“The pro sits down to work, the amateur always says ‘I’ll start tomorrow’.”
While I’m happy to report I turned pro on this site long ago, I still act mostly like an amateur with my other side projects like YouTube, KDP, and developing courses.
Oftentimes, I’ll find any other activity besides actually working to fill my time:
Instead of editing a YouTube video I’ve already filmed, I’ll watch YouTube videos about how to win on YouTube
Instead of creating and posting a product on KDP, I’ll watch videos about other people who’ve been successful publishing on KDP
Instead of creating a course, I’ll look at other peoples’ sites who’ve already created courses to see what they’re charging
What do you do instead of working?
Write a bunch of outlines?
Watch instructional videos?
Clean the house?
At the end of the day, we would all do well to listen to Pressfield and remember that line:
Amateurs always say, ‘I’ll start tomorrow.’
If you act like an amateur, you’ll always get amateur results.
If you act like a pro, you might actually achieve your dream of doing something you love for a living.
So make the commitment to start today.
(Hey folks, just a heads up that you can listen to The War of Art or Turning Pro for free if you’re new to Audible. Just use my affiliate link here and you’ll get two complimentary audiobooks. I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you).
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