Have you ever thought about why do so many writing projects get started, but never get finished?

Lots of people want to write a book, start a podcast, create a blog, or build a writing business. But why do so many people stop short of following through?

The answer is simple: it gets hard and people give up. You have probably fallen victim to giving up as well. You have started something, it got hard, then you quit because it wasn’t as fun anymore.

Here is a simple yet effective way to ensure you will follow through: before you get started, commit to the middle 50%. The first 25% of a project feels fun. You have lots of enthusiasm and energy. People are cheering you on because you have announced it. The whole thing feels new and fresh.

But from the 25% to 75% mark, it gets hard. The enthusiasm wears off and you have to stick with it. You are far way enough from the starting block that you’ve lost the initial excitement but you’re too far from the finish line to see it. So, you have to manufacture your own enthusiasm and keep pressing on, knowing the end is coming.

When you get to that final 25%, the excitement of finishing is going to pull you forward and give you a second wind. (Or maybe a third or fourth wind.) But that middle 50% kills an awful lot of projects because it forces you to focus and be disciplined.

So, before you get started, make sure to commit to the middle 50%

Daily Question: Think about your current projects. Have you made the commitment to keep going in the middle 50%?

The post The Middle 50% appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

This is the fourth entry in our series on dealing with rejection.

One of the biggest paradoxes of feeling hurt is that everyone experiences it, but when you’re going through it, you feel totally alone.

This happens to every great writer, leader, and artist. Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs all faced rejection or failure at some point. But they persisted. They were resilient. They had the right attitude. They kept at it until their dreams became reality.

Did you really think success was going to come so easily? Not a chance. The trials you are going through are shaping and molding you for something greater down the road. But you won’t be able to handle that success unless you are ready for it.

If you can’t properly handle the times you feel down, you won’t be able to handle the times when you are on top. Both experiences call for disciple, focus, and persistence.

Lincoln would have never been able to handle the pressure of being President if he hadn’t gone through all the trials and rejection in his younger years. In the same way, your today is preparing you for your tomorrow. So, pay attention and get focused because your big day is coming.

Daily Question: Think about a trial or some rejection you are experiencing right now. How might it be preparing you for what is ahead?

The post You’re Being Prepared for Something Great appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.