Hiya writer friends,
I’ve been running courses, challenges, and memberships for over a decade, and I’m sure it will come as no big surprise to you that more people start than finish.
No matter your level of skill and no matter how good your intentions may be at the beginning, unless you build the habit of finishing, you’ll never really get the results you’re after.
There are many reasons people don’t finish: Confidence drops, momentum drops, excitement drops, commitment drops. Life gets in the way. Something else comes along to grab your attention. You self-sabotage. You thought you wanted this, but perhaps you don’t.
I never finish a fitness challenge. No matter how good my intentions are or how hard I try, there comes a time in a 10-day fitness challenge (usually day 4) when my excuses become bigger than my determination, and I quit.
I almost always finish a writing challenge. Whether it’s NaNoWriMo, 30 Days 30 Queries, or something else, I not only finish, but often I finish early. Confidence drops, and I carry on. Momentum drops, and I build it back up again. Life gets in the way, and my determination solidifies.
My lack of follow-through in one aspect of my life isn’t a reflection on my personality. It’s not a character flaw. It’s a clear indication of the fact that I, no matter how much I may claim otherwise, simply do not want it badly enough.
Long-term, continued success in writing is something I crave, desire, and will go to great lengths for. Fitness, not so much. I’m thin(ish) because I’m lucky, not because I care for my body (I’m eating crispy bacon as I type this.)
But my writing career is not a fluke. I have worked harder and longer than literally anyone I know. And I still do.
If you’re serious about achieving a result, learn to finish. Not the goals others set for you, but the ones you set for yourself. Because even if you don’t see the results right away, you’re planting seeds, you’re building good habits.
You’re investing time and energy in yourself.
You’re compounding your efforts. The work you do today will pay off tomorrow, but most people will never see the payoff because they’re only focused on the short term.
Finish, and keep finishing.
It’s the best advice you’ll ever get about building a successful freelance writing business, and the advice most people won’t take.
Enjoy the issue!
Cheers,
Natasha