Maintaining your writing motivation can sometimes be a difficult thing. After all, there’s more to life than writing. These things can often take precedence over our sacred writing time, and when they do, they can rob us of our motivation to write. In fact, there are many reasons why we might be lacking in motivation on any given day.
Even the most successful people can sometimes struggle with finding the motivation to write. Sometimes we’re so deep in a rut that feeling any motivation at all can be almost impossible. But what if I tell you that it needn’t always be that hard?
After all, motivation is all in the mind, isn’t it?
Becoming motivated is a process and like any process, we can learn it. But like anything we learn, it takes time. We don’t always get hold of things right away. Just like learning a language, every passing day, you get a little better at it. But you must set your sights high.
It’s never too late to change your habits and become the motivated writer that you always wished to be.
1. Work on One Goal at a Time
If you feel your motivation waning, it might just be that you’re trying to do too much all at once. Even if you’ve decided to make a change and are determined to master your writing habit, taking on too much can become counterproductive.
Focusing on many goals at the same time can lead to fatigue. Whereas seeing one task through to completion can keep you refreshed and give you the motivation necessary to take on the next task.
Make a list of the projects you want to tackle. List them in order of priority and note the time you’d like them completed by. Then set to work on just the first one.
2. Develop a Routine
This is possibly the hardest part of staying motivated, but if you can find a routine that is easy to maintain, then staying motivated will be so much easier.
Take note of what works for you. Maybe you’re a morning person, or perhaps you prefer writing on your lunch break? Find your routine and stick to it. Consistency breeds motivation.
3. Finish what you Start
Many of us hit the ground running, only to stop right in the middle of what we are trying to achieve. We can get distracted by other goals, or a life event can completely derail us. The most important thing to do is to get back to your routine and keep moving forward. Even if you were forced to stop for weeks or even months, don’t waste your time worrying, just keep moving forward with your one goal.
If you have problems finishing what you start, it can be useful to remember why you started in the first place. Write down your reasons and remind yourself daily.
I find it extremely helpful to create a personal mission statement outlining what I expect from myself and why. This is a great way to maintain writing motivation during the difficult times.
If your writing motivation is failing you this week, remember, it doesn’t always have to be this way. You can learn to be more motivated, and the more you practice, the easier it will become.
Whatever you do, don’t give up! Keep learning, keep writing and build a better book.
Check out this past episode for more on motivation.
