10 Failures of Mindset That Will Keep You from Writing
This month, I’m going to be focusing on various aspects of what I call Mindset Coaching for Writers. It’s a big part of what I do as a coach, since craft isn’t all there is to writing. I’ll explore many aspects of a writer’s mindset, such as developing persistence, dealing with blocks, plus the paradoxes of both staying in “beginner’s mind” while also developing mastery of your craft, among others.
Recently I’ve been reading Napoleon Hill’s classic Think and Grow Rich. Not my usual cup of tea, but despite his somewhat shady history he does have some great insights that can apply not just to making money, but to writing or any other pursuit that requires dedication and perseverance.
According to Hill, success is found through the following formula:
Definite plan + clear desire + constant persistence = success
To achieve this, you need:
1. A definite purpose backed by a burning desire
2. A definite plan backed by continuous action
3. A mind closed to negative thoughts and influences
4. Friendly alliances with encouraging people who support you
Sounds easy, right?
Obviously, for most of us, it becomes tricky to maintain that single-minded sense of purpose, and to keep negative thoughts from overwhelming us when we face rejection, criticism, or even boredom. We start a writing project with enthusiasm, but soon our burning desire wanes in the cold hard grind of the continuous action: writing day after day, with all the uncertainties that entails. To deal with it, we might start yet another project, or stop writing all together (usually promising ourselves we’ll get back to it tomorrow… or next week… or when work gets less busy…)
I actually saw ten failures of mindset that will keep you from writing, based on ones found in Hill’s book:
1. Failure to recognize and define clearly what you want – If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? Do you want to write a book? Why? No really, Why? To get on the bestseller list? To be respected? To help people by telling them an urgent truth? What exactly does success mean to you?
2. Procrastination, backed by alibis and excuses – One phrase really resonated with me here: Are you fighting for your potential, or for your limitations? In other words, when someone confronts you about why you aren’t writing, do you keep coming up with excuses? Or do you focus on your potential? On what you want to accomplish, what you can accomplish?
3. Lack of interest in acquiring knowledge of craft, the business, etc. – Some writers don’t want to know the business; they just want to write. Others don’t think they need to study craft; whatever they write will be their truest expression of self, and writing can’t be taught anyway. You have to develop your knowledge of craft to write well and also your knowledge of the business of books – whether you are planning to traditionally publish or self-publish.
4. Indecision or indifference – Are you holding yourself accountable to your own stated goals? Are you committed to writing? Do you care?
5. Lack of creating definite plans – This includes what you will write, when you will write, giving yourself deadlines, etc. Leaving it to “when you feel like it” or “when you have time” is a recipe for not getting much writing done.
6. Blaming others, or the world for lack of success – Do you blame your family or your boss for not having writing time? Do you blame agents, the market, Amazon, etc. for your work not getting published, or not selling?
7. Weakness of desire – This often translates as a lack of motivation that impels action. You have to love the journey, and the process of writing. It comes down to: Do you want to write, or do you want to have written?
8. Habit of neglecting to move on ideas – When you get an idea, you automatically start thinking of all the reasons it won’t work. You need to develop the habit of nurturing them right away, and figuring out through acting on them whether or not they will work. Start outlining, planning, making notes, writing scenes, etc. and see if there’s any juice.
9. Wishing instead of willing – If you’re wishing for something to happen, vs. having a strong will to do it, no matter what, then you will stay stuck, and not be strong enough to overcome the inevitable obstacles that will come your way. It’s about making a commitment, and developing the persistence to see it through.
10. Fear of criticism –Do you fear criticism and rejection more than you desire success? If so, it will be hard to develop the commitment and motivation mentioned above. Fear won’t necessarily go away, but you can learn to manage it, and not let it control you.
Finally, the simplest mindset hack of all:
Saying “I get to do this” or “I love doing this” instead of “I have to…” or “I should…” Do this often enough, and you can actively change your mindset. Find phrases that apply to you and your work, such as:
I get to write today!
I love to delve deep into scenes.
I love figuring out plot twists and character motivations.
I get another crack at having a breakthrough on this chapter. Today could be the day!
At first, it might sound silly. You may be skeptical. But pretty soon, you will find that you have way more energy and will to work when you come at it with a positive attitude as opposed to the nagging dread of, “Oh no, I have to tackle that scene again” or “What am I going to write today? I have to because it’s on my calendar, but I’m tired. No, I should do it. I haven’t written in three days… or is it four?”
Which of these pertain to you? Do you have any bad mindset habits you need to tackle? Being honest with yourself is the first step. Don’t beat yourself up; gently examine what your tendencies are and why. Taking the time to do this will pay dividends in terms of motivation, and more time actually spent writing.
