When my job first transitioned into a remote work situation, I had high hopes.
I would finally be able to get into a regular writing routine. I would get back in shape. I’d reconnect with my dog. After all, without the daily commute, I was gaining at least two hours every day when you factored in the drive time and the time it took to prepare for and recover from sharing the road with far too many idiots. With that much extra time, I told myself, all things were possible.
Eight or so weeks later, that hope is dwindling but my level of determination is increasing. It turns out – and maybe you’ve heard this before – change ain’t easy, no matter how bad you want it. That’s because just wanting to change isn’t enough; you have to take action – and that action begins with your own thoughts.
To help keep everyone thinking sharp as we all exchanged our corporate casual outfits for pjs, robes and slippers, the manager of Organizational Development and Learning at my employer has been sending out optional training and inspirational videos. One in particular struck a chord: it was about programming your mind for success.
It’s not specifically about writing, but it certainly relates to it.
The presenter, Carrie Green, talks about all the subconscious factors that hinder us from achieving our full potential: fear, obstacles, lack of motivation. They are self-limiting thoughts that keep us from action.
“People miss out on amazing opportunities all the time because of what’s going on in their heads,” she said.
If you let these things get in your way, you tend to make bad decisions based on a bad frame of mind, she said. You talk yourself out of ideas – maybe telling yourself “there’s always tomorrow” – and your potential stays locked inside.
Anne Lamott, in her wonderful book ‘Bird by Bird,’ describes something similar as an internal radio station stuck in your head. She called it KFKD.
The key to breaking through is asking yourself a series of questions:
- What do you want to achieve?
- Why do I want to achieve it? Or, put another way: What does it mean to me?
- What kind of person do I have to be to make it happen?
When you can answer those questions, you can start to reprogram your mind for success. You begin to control your thoughts, rather than letting them control you.
Let’s talk about writing for a minute. We’re all familiar with the who, what, when, where and why, which is the foundation of any story. If you are having a hard time motivating yourself, stop thinking about the story and just ask yourself the three Ws:
- What do I want?
- Why do I want it?
- Who do I have to be?
Again, it won’t be easy. Chances are, the answer to the third question will not be someone who sleeps in, watches reruns or waits for inspiration to strike. You have to commit to it and take it on like it’s the toughest job you’ll ever have. Keep the ‘why’ in mind and hold yourself accountable. Success, in writing or in any other endeavor in life, is no accident. You have to do it on purpose.
Scott Spielman 