E.A. Brady

Have you ever heard the phrase, Discipline Beats Motivation? It’s one of my favorite mantras. (If I were to get a tattoo, that’s what I’d get!) It gets me to the gym when it’s cold outside and I’d rather stay home in my PJs. It gets me to choose a couple of crackers instead of a handful of chocolate chips when I need a little holdover before dinner.

The one place it loses its effectiveness for me, though, is having the discipline to sit my butt in a chair and get some writing done. I sometimes have a hard time finding the motivation.

For a long time, I thought I had an overdeveloped ability toward procrastination, but the more I think about it, I wonder if I have an overdeveloped sense of work ethic.

It might sound weird, but I can justify the effort it takes to go to the gym – cold days, hot days, tired days… I’m bettering myself, keeping myself healthy for the long haul. (It’s an added benefit that I like working out!) Same thing could be said for good eating habits.

But I find it difficult to justify taking time out of my life to write. After all, there is laundry to do, dishes to wash, rooms to clean, groceries to buy, meals to be made. Life is not in short supply of work to be done.

What I’ve come to realize, however, is I don’t prioritize the writing I do because I’ve never considered it ‘work.’  I’m still unpublished – indie or traditional – so I’ve never made any money on my writing. And since I haven’t made any money, I never considered it ‘work.’

Then I got an email from a motivational guy I listen to (Niyi Sobo from imnotyou.com) and I started to re-think my approach to writing as work, whether paid or unpaid.

“Your overthinking is costing you time, money and opportunity.

Coaches have no patience for running backs who lose yards, and that is what you are doing towards your goals right now….losing yards.

You must attack.

Right now, you must attack.

You’ve waited too long. You’ve thought enough.

It’s time to attack.

If your goal is to dominate your sport or business, then attacking can mean different things.

This is what you must determine, but your energy must be active and not passive.”

Strong words! “You’ve waited too long. You’ve thought enough.”

I guess it’s time to stop worrying about whether I’m published or not, whether I’ve made any money with this endeavor or not. If I don’t ‘attack’ my goal of being a published author, I will NEVER get there.

Time to be disciplined, get active and get those words written! And then do it again tomorrow. And the next day.

How about you? Do you struggle with the discipline/motivation relationship? How do you keep yourself disciplined to do the things you have to do when your motivation has taken the day off?