The Most Effective Strategies to Overcome Writer’s Block.

 

Let’s face it…

Procrastination is horrific.

It’s a silent dream killer of pandemic volumes.

 

When you consider all the possible things that could be achieved without procrastination being a factor in this world, the world would look extremely different.

Inventions and technology would be further ahead. Artists and their artwork would be serving more people through inspiration, empathy and compassion.

But unfortunately, for a number of reasons, we often stay in our comfort zone with too many “good things” within an easy arm’s reach and not enough undesirable consequences to drive us forward. 

 

If we can work from home, get everything delivered to us at short notice, why try harder?

Here’s why…

Because it’s within you. It’s an idea burning away. If you can feel it there simmering for days, weeks and months, do something with it! It’s calling to you.

 

“It’s better to regret something you have done than regret something you have not done.”

– Billie Joe Armstrong

 

I’ve wanted to write consistently for a long time. I knew I wanted to leave a bigger legacy of content on the world, serving better mental and emotional awareness. And a habit of writing was for certain one of the core pillars to build this.

But the usual blocks, resistance, and justifications would come up…

“But what would I write about? I don’t have an audience. When I make just a bit more money, I’ll take the time off to write.”

Like many things in life, the solution is quite simple. 

Just like the desire being within us, the solution to achieve that desire is also within us too.  It’s not about waiting for the right invitation, to have enough money or the right idea to drop from the heavens like a lightning bolt.

There is only one solution to beat procrastination – taking action.

 

When you are taking action, you are no longer procrastinating. 

The more action we take (yes, even it’s a bad) is moving us toward (yes, even if it’s slowly) our goals.

Take action.

Don’t wait for someone else, the right amount of money, the right invitation.

Get out there and make it happen. 

Let’s face it. Does the world need another piece of artwork or blog?

No.

BUT the world DOES need YOUR blog and YOUR artwork!

And that’s what I truly believe. I knew that someone, somewhere, somehow sooner or later is going to enjoy and benefit from my blog (perhaps this is you right now? It’s fine if not but thank you for reading all the same) and someone will pay me money to solve problems for them with my coaching and speaking, through the blogs that I’ve written.

The feeling of the expected and future based outcome was good enough for me to say yes to myself, but how would I get started and take action when all of the lack of clarity, lack of momentum and a whole world (or so it feels) is against me?

 

You do whatever it takes, edge finders!

I had to trick myself into writing. I pulled out the best tricks in order to get myself to do what my heart desired while my mind and current state of affairs told me otherwise.

I had many well-worn paths and programs doing other things that didn’t get me closer to writing (stuck on social media anyone?) that it was an uphill battle to motivate myself to act differently from what I had already been doing for years.

Here’s what I did to reprogram myself…

 

Better People Programs

They say that your net worth will be the average of the five people you hang around with most. So, this is where you secretly need to tag along with others who are going to the same places as you are too.

I got accountability buddies, an editor that I was paying for and a good friend (Scott Ko I’m looking at you buddy!) who was in a similar place with writing content too to have regular discussions with.

These all helped pull, push and lift my connection to my writing up.

 

Trap Programs

This habit is essentially you setting a trap for yourself. 

I would leave my laptop out on my bed or couch so that I would have to move it doing anything else relaxing at least. And I would leave it open to the most inviting page, either a blank screen or a half-finished blog. This way I was always likely to say “well, while I’m here I guess I’ll just…” and hopefully that would be enough for me to tip over the line and start writing. Usually, I never had a problem writing once I got started.

A trap program like this does nothing other than get you closer to the intended action. Ideally, so close that it’s the only next logical step.

 

Adjacent Programs

What other mental programs, tasks or actions are adjacent to the current task?

This once again comes from my good buddy Scott Ko who writes a lot on curiosity.

Instead of directly writing, which can feel difficult and daunting for some of us to have a starting point AND feel like you have to achieve a certain outcome, ask yourself: “what programs or habits can I run that are similar but not the same, that may get me in the mood, zone or inspired to do what I desire?”

This can look like reading other people’s writing which might inspire me to write my own. Or complete a coaching session that is likely to be a problem someone is trying to overcome as well as a solution for them AND a pathway in between the two. They can’t be the only ones with this problem, it’s just not possible. Therefore, it MUST be valuable to someone else too.

Another example is the good old gym session that so many of us procrastinate on. 

Going to the gym or doing physical fitness for a couple of hours might feel daunting, but what about you start by cleaning your gym bag or spraying and wiping down your yoga mat? While you’re in the mood you’ll be one step closer to going to the gym. Even if it’s not now it might be later on and you’ll be less turned off by a slimy greasy smelly piece of equipment. 

Perhaps the best thing about this strategy is that an adjacent program, like what was suggested above, will give other benefits too. Did you notice the intended outcome above almost became secondary and an easy next step following some other benefit?

 

Minimal Amount Programs

This program is basically you asking yourself “If I can’t do the whole action, what can I still do instead?”

Maybe if I can’t go for a run because I’m tired or maybe I can’t bike ride because it’s wet, I can still do a few pushups inside?

Again, the idea of writing and editing a whole blog was often a bit daunting but maybe I could commit to just writing a quick title that inspired me? Record a few notes or brain dumps to come back to later on an audio recording app on my phone? Maybe I just came up with a great metaphor that I think might be of use later in another blog? Or maybe a friend shared a problem or an idea that I might like to write down to flesh into a valuable blog for later? 

All these ideas would eventually build a huge surplus of reserve content for me to come back to and pull from for ideas of any kind later on. Sure, they don’t get the blog published or completed immediately BUT they do get me closer to it.

Just by doing a little bit of something, (anything!) I was moving the needle in the right direction and getting myself more and more used to the action of writing, being a writer and doing writer-like things.

 

Incidental Programs

This is also known as the “killing two birds with one stone” program or the “while I’m here I may as well” program. 

Other examples might be not taking the elevator to get somewhere but walking (or even running) up the stairs or an escalator to increase physical movement.

I also utilized this to great effect while learning to stunt drive as I would learn the basics first in so many different vehicles by being a professional truck and bus driver AND get paid for it. Then I never had to spend as much money upfront on expensive trainings but only for the more advanced learnings once I had mastered the basics. 

My example for beating procrastination toward writing was that since I would often take notes while coaching anyway, why not turn these notes into a blog? Obviously change the names and remove personal details but I already have the strategy fleshed out and this person can’t be the only one with this problem or situation, can they?

 

Trigger Programs

A trigger program is doing whatever WILL get you to start writing. It’s usually a bit more advanced and will come AFTER having done the previous programs above (that may or may not exactly work every time) and build toward this direct and specific trigger program.

 

Ask yourself: What will trigger me to do the desired task?

1. List – Is it enough to just have it on a list of things to do and work your way down and do it because it’s next in line?

2. Time – Will it get done because of a time or calendar-based trigger?

3. Event – Will it get done because of something that has just happened or is about to happen?

 

For me with my writing it was a bit of a combination of all of the above. It was about blocking out chunks of time on a Saturday morning after my week had cleared and had nothing else left to call to me and distract me. No fires were burning, and I could just get into some writing.

Maybe my editor had left notes for me to review, and I wanted to honor her time and the results we had created together as well as the money I had spent on her time. Maybe I also had another intended deadline to publish by?

Now the thought of the legacy pulling gently under the surface through all this while all roads would seem to lead to me sitting down to write made the task of writing seem far less daunting.

So…

What are you struggling with?

Create One Program of Each of These for Yourself:

• Better People Program – How can you find a way to surround yourself with better people?
• Trap Program – How can you set a trap for yourself so that you are forced to do what you want and not get stuck doing something else?
• Adjacent Program – What is adjacent to the thing you want to do? What will get you closer to doing the task by sidling up next to it?
• Minimal Amount Program – What is a minimal amount that you can do that won’t trigger any resistance?
• Incidental Programs – What is something you can do where you might find yourself saying “While I’m here I might as well…”
• Trigger Programs – What lists, events, calendars, timings etc. can you utilize where you might find yourself just doing it because it’s the next thing to do?

 

 

Get curious, edge finders! What does it take to get you over the line?

This stuff fascinates me! Email me if you would like to chat more about this. I’d love to discuss what works for you and what doesn’t. ☺️