3 Effortless Ways Freelance Writers Can Set Themselves Up For Success In Business & Life

Especially on those days when you feel lazy and don’t want to do a damn thing

There are some days where I simply don’t want to put pen to paper.

You might know what I mean, especially if you are a freelancer or work for yourself. We rationalize why we “deserve” a day off, or we’ll steal a glance over at the wife and kids (or hubs and pup, or whatevs) and justify doing nothing for the sake of the family.

Today is one of those days.

Today is a day where I genuinely have no reason not to write some sort of content, article, or hammer out 1k words…and yet all I want to do is N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

I also know that if I choose to do not a damn thing, then all I’ll be doing is letting myself down. 

Look, freelancers know that success is not easy to come by.

And freelance writers are like a double whammy with a deck stacked against us, especially if you’re new to the game.

It’s a grind and a long, winding road with many potholes, but the person who wants it badly enough can make it happen. If you’re going to be successful in business, writing, or life, it starts at home, before you even get started on your journey. Visualize what you want to accomplish and create a plan for doing so before ever taking the first step.

Visualization is a huge part but not the only element to getting out of these funks and making things happen.

So today, as I blame my laziness on my wife and kids, or a game on T.V., or the fact that it’s a Sunday, these are the hard and fast rules I fall back on as a reminder to myself, to my goals, to my family and to my success, that come through for me in a pinch.

Read them.

Study them.

then,

Steal them.

1. Create goals that if not accomplished would hurt

I’m not referring to self-flagellation.

I am referring to the most important things to you, though, like getting braces for your daughter. Or even more granular, making the next payment or two on your wife’s car.

If you don’t hit those goals, obviously something, or someone, will hurt.

Hopefully, it’s you.

Sure, the books all say that they should be S.M.A.R.T. goals. You know, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. But that’s old school. Everybody is taught that acronym, and yet everyone is still chasing that elusive dream and not hitting their self-appointed goals.

So make them hurt.

Deeply.

Imagine your daughter looking up at you and asking when she can get her braces.

Consider facing your wife and sharing the news that the family car is being repossessed.

Then get your ass up and write. Write. WRITE!

2. Decide who you will become

If the first thought you had was, “well, I wanna become a better writer Rick. Maybe the next Hemingway or (insert your fav author here)”, then you are barely scratching the surface.

Writing isn’t hard. Writing is tactics, strategies, frameworks, studying, learning, then doing over and over again. Writing is a skill that anyone can learn and eventually master.

So decide WHO you WILL become as a result of not being a lazy son-of-a-bitch.

Here’s what I mean.

• I’m gonna be a hero to my daughter.
• I’m gonna be a knight to my wife.
• I’m gonna be a man who lives up to the promise I gave to my family when I said that I would be their Superman, provider, protector, and everything else in between.

And I’ll do this all by writing today.

Maybe you’re not a parent, and it’s just you and your cat.

Totally cool. My drivers are not yours, but your drivers should still evoke something deep in you.

As an example, if you want to be a millionaire writer, then be it unapologetically. Consider what that writer does every day to achieve that status, then ask yourself if you’re doing the same.

You want to write a book about doing an Ironman, but first, you need to do an Ironman? Well, are you living Ironman habits?

Then, who will you be when you’ve accomplished these goals?

Whomever that person is that you will become, the more profound question is, are you practicing those behaviors? Why is accomplishing it so important to you?

3. Think about and create processes and discipline that you’ll need to consistently execute to reach those goals

This is rubber meets the road time.

Creating processes or roadmaps to success is one thing. Actually developing the behaviors and discipline to act on them is another.

Feel me?

While a goal may feel good as you write it down, and it may feel invigorating to read it each day when you rise, the fact is that doesn’t mean squat if you’re not acting.

Your behaviors and daily disciplines are the literal and figurative steps you’ll take to make this all come to life. While a goal gives you a shred of focus and direction, it’s your daily discipline that is all the action necessary to achieve said goal.

No need to complicate this.

Make a list. Like a daily checklist of one to three things, you’ll do today to move you one step closer to success. Maybe you’ll stall, that’s ok. Don’t change the goal, change the processes, or give yourself a real head-check on whether you’re disciplined enough.

Many folks stop and quit here, not because their goals are too lofty. Instead, they chose not to take that ONE simple act today because they felt lazy.

They fail themselves.

And in a way, we’ve come full circle…

The final word

Every single person can create the life of their dreams by following the few simple concepts outlined above.

1. Create goals that if not accomplished would hurt

2. Decide who you will become

3. Think about and create processes and discipline that you’ll need to consistently execute to reach those goals

Look, the road won’t be easy, and folks are all on their own timeline. Still, with focus, hard work, and discipline, you’ll soon see opportunities and success emerge as a result.

Lastly, but most importantly, remember why this matters so much to you.

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