Novel Writing Made Less Impossible Introduction Continued: Killing Your Excuses - You Have the Time

The great sales instructor/motivational speaker Zig Ziglar used to say that we all have the same twenty-four hours as everyone else. It's what we do with it that makes a difference in our lives.

When I did the nine-to-five, I'd get up, turn on the TV, eat breakfast, get cleaned up and dressed, commute to the job, work, have lunch, work some more, commute to home, turn on the TV, eat dinner, watch the TV or play video games, then get ready for bed. Wash-rinse-repeat.

Soon, I realized that my 60 minutes of lunch meant I could take my laptop (or even a pad of paper) and get some writing done. Eventually, this evolved into keeping paper close while working in case an idea penetrated my skull. Then I lost my job, which turned out to be a blessing. But now, I couldn't sit around and watch Jerry Springer all day ... I had to fit in Steve Wilkos' show too. KIDDING! No, I had to make sure my time counted. So over the next few weeks, I trained myself to limit my time on social media and to not sit around and mope about losing a regular gig. In time, I noticed my output increasing. Then I stopped playing video games during every waking idle hour. How do you think I got BLOODSHOT: THE COLDEST WARRIOR out? Then to save money, I gave up television. Instead, I would buy a DVD set or a film as a REWARD for getting work completed. I learned that my habit of keeping the Idiot Box on could be easily broken. I now no longer miss most television programming (although waiting for the Doctor Who sets is tough at times). Since giving up my distractions, I now realize how they stood in the way of accomplishing my goal of publication. Thus, when someone tells me, "I don't have time to write," I call BS.

It's not a matter of having time, it's a matter of MAKING time. What are you willing to do to dedicate a chunk of time, even just 15 minutes to writing? What gratification would you put off to get this done? Would you get up earlier? Stay up later? Give up an hour of online gaming? (Granted, if you are a parent or caregiver, you have a reason -- not an excuse -- to not write every day ... the rest of you, not so much) I gave up television and online gaming and I have five books out with more on the way. And it's not just because I'm a fast typist. I know where my REAL reward lies ... and I'm no different than anyone reading this ... except I have a little more discipline, perhaps. It's certainly not because I have more time than you do ... it's the same 24 hours. Use yours wisely.

#Writing #ZigZiglar #timemanagement #JerrySpringer #SteveWilkos