Are you dealing with your personal problems head-on, or are you avoiding them?

Do you engage in conversations about hard things, or do you shut down when you’re confronted by a truth you don’t want to hear?

Would the people who know you best describe you as brave? Focused? Determined? Disciplined? Or would they say you’re aloof, timid, or uncaring?

It’s hard to face your real-life problems instead of running away from them. And it’s easy to turn to substance abuse or other unhealthy patterns as you try to escape from reality.

Henry David Thoreau said, “How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.”

Just because you’re a writer, it doesn’t give you the license to check out of real life. You need to show up on the stage of life where the action is happening.

Nobody is perfect. But your writing should reflect the person you are trying to become—bold, brave, and above all, a true-life superhero to the people you love the most.

Today’s Challenge: Think about the past twenty-four hours. What did you do that was brave, bold, or fearless?

The post Before You Sit Down to Write, Stand Up to Live appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

One day, the sand in your hourglass will run out. We have a limited amount of time on this earth. What will be left after you’re gone? Certainly, there will be social media posts, mementos, people’s memories, and what you created.

Those things can fade over time, but your words can be immortal.

We all have the same amount of time in life. Life is never going to be ideal, and things are not going to slow down. There is always going to be something happening. You write in the midst of an imperfect life, in the mess and the muck of what is happening all around you.

In the musical Hamilton, Eliza Hamilton asks her husband, “Why do you write like you’re running out of time?”

The truth is that we’re all running out of time. You don’t have an infinite number of days. You only have a limited amount of time on this earth. How will you spend the days you have?

Question: Does knowing your life will come to an end someday motivate you to make the most of every day? Why or why not?

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The song is great for many reasons, including its catchy lyrics, great drum fills, and of course Eddie Van Halen‘s amazing guitar licks. But who could forget the music video for “Jump,” which featured the band running around on stage in spandex and massive early 80s hairstyles?

The word “jump” is not just a great title for a popular rock song. It’s also great advice as you consider your next step to success in your writing life.

As you are considering that next project or next step, you’re probably dreading it a little bit. You’re not sure how you’re going to get it done. You feel intimidated and scared.

One of the defining qualities of successful people, no matter their industry, is that they take action now and figure it out as they go along.

The famous science fiction writer Ray Bradbury said, “First you jump off the cliff, and you grow your wings on the way down.”

So don’t wait around doing analysis for the next six months. Figure out your next step and take it in the next 24 hours. You’ll be energized by some forward momentum.

Six months from now, you will be amazed at your progress if you keep on taking that leap, knowing you will figure it out as you go along.

Go ahead and jump!

Question: What could your life be like six months from now if you just take the leap?

The post Van Halen’s Advice for Writers appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

It’s a beautiful analogy for the power of your words. Your words can cut people down to the bone with sarcasm and criticism. Or they can bring life through wonderful storytelling, personal experiences, or inspiring content. The choice is yours.

Question: As you use your words today, will they bring life or death?

The post Will Your Words Bring Life or Death? appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Ask anyone who has gotten sick from contaminated water or tried to avoid falling out of a canoe while going down the Amazon River teeming with deadly piranhas. They will tell you that water can be deadly.

But what about a person dying of thirst in the desert or someone who goes into the hospital because they’re dehydrated? Water can bring life.

There’s a wonderful scene near the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Indiana passes three deadly tests to get the holy grail, fills it with water, then pours it on his father’s gunshot wound so he does not die.

It’s a beautiful analogy for the power of your words. Your words can cut people down to the bone with sarcasm and criticism. Or they can bring life through wonderful storytelling, personal experiences, or inspiring content. The choice is yours.

Daily Question: As you use your words today, will they bring life or death?

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In one scene, just after George’s mother slams the door in his face because she doesn’t know him, the angel Clarence can see he is distressed. He tells George, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”

George Bailey had a chance to see what life would have been like without him. He had no idea that he had changed the lives of every person in Bedford Falls.

What about you? Do you know how many lives you have impacted through your writing and your overall life? It’s far more than you know. The world would be less without your influence, your words, your inspiration, your story.

Don’t doubt it for one second. You’ve really had a wonderful life, and you’ve made others more wonderful because of it.

Daily Question: If given the chance to see what the world would be like without you, would you take it?

The post The World Without You appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Every single day is unique. It will never come around again. You only have this one shot, this one opportunity to live these twenty-four hours. So, you must treat today like the gift it truly is.

As a result, we have to treat our audience the same way. We have to show up every day, ready to write, ready to create, ready to serve. They deserve the best you can give.

The legendary singer Tony Bennett said, “If you walk out there like it’s just another night, the audience is going to treat you the same way.” Wise words from a man who has been entertaining and serving audiences for decades.

Daily Question: Are you treating this day as the gift it truly is?

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One of the most fascinating characters of Hollywood’s classic film era is Norma Desmond, the lead character of 1950’s Sunset Boulevard. She is a silent film-era actress who lives in a fantasy world where she makes a triumphant return to her glory days.

In the final scene, she has completely lost touch with reality as the police and reporters with cameras fill her house. She can’t see the reality that they are there to take her away because she has shot and killed someone. In her mind, she is the star of another Hollywood picture.

The movie ends with Norma Desmond making a speech that ends with the chilling line, “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” as she moves toward the camera and the picture fades out.

Just like Norma Desmond, we can get lost in our own fantasy, as well. We can get so enamored and obsessed with our stories, goals, plans, and projects that we start to ignore the people in our lives and lose touch with reality.

Writing is a part of your life, but it’s not your TOTAL life. Don’t lose touch with reality. Keep good, healthy boundaries and make sure writing stays in its proper place in your life.

Daily Question: Are you ever tempted to get lost in the fantasy of your own goals, dreams, and projects?

The post Lost in Your Own Fantasy appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

We writers, by definition, tend to be an introverted group of people who don’t like change. Most of us like systems, predictability, and routine. We prefer sitting in a room alone for hours in front of a computer screen instead of being in groups of people.

Which is all well and good.

But the downside of the typical writer personality is that we have a hard time with change and risk. However, we must remember that nothing is certain. There are no guarantees, either when you have a writing business where you are serving clients, or whether you are writing and launching your own books and other content.

There is more change and disruption happening in the world today than probably at any point in human history. All bets are off. Every industry is undergoing massive change because of technology. But instead of seeing this as a threat, it’s a great thing.

Why? Because it means we get to build the kind of business and life we want.

It also means we need to let go of our preconceived notions about what to expect. We have to roll with the punches, be nimble, and be able to change and grow to take advantage of new opportunities. This means that your long-term goals are important, but your short-term strategies may need to be reconsidered.

Remember what Charles Dickens wrote at the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities? He said, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …” But you get to choose which one it will be for you, and it begins by letting go of expectations, having fun, and being willing to adapt and grow.

Daily Question: Do you this moment as the best of times or the worst of times? Why?

The post Opportunity or Threat? You Get to Choose. appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

In the push and pull of everyday life, each day pretty much seems the same. We go to work, spend time with our families, take care of bills and housework, watch some TV or movies, and rinse and repeat for the next day.

Today probably seems like every other day, but it’s not. Today is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This day will never come around again in the history of the universe. You only get one shot at it.

That’s important to remember when it comes to the time you dedicate to writing. You only get one chance to write today, so make it count. It’s so easy to channel Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind. She famously said, “I’ll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.”

But tomorrow is not just another day. When tomorrow comes, it means today is an opportunity you can never get back. Everything you want as a writer is created in actual time on actual days. It’s not somewhere out there—instead, it’s right in front of you in the push and pull of your daily life.

Don’t let your writing time be gone with the wind.

Daily Question: Are you using today to its fullest writing potential?

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