How are you doing with your bad habits? You said you wanted to write every day. Are you? Are you hitting the snooze button instead of waking up early?
I have been waking up early and writing. Oh great. Here I am questioning your ability to maintain good habits. And then I brag, “Hey look at me. I can get up early and write a daily blog post.”
But, now it is confession time.
I have two good habits, maybe three. I wake up early, write on my blog daily, floss my teeth every night and put the lid down on the toilet seat after I flush. Okay, four good habits.
I have 10 million bad habits. My mother said, “You exaggerate too much Pamela.” But, today I am telling the truth. I am not exaggerating, really.
My top ten bad habits
- I pick my nose.
- I never put my hammer away.
- I don’t mail birthday cards out on time, even though I know I should.
- I procrastinate.
- I overspend.
- I buy a new pencil when I don’t need one.
- I eat food when I am sad.
- I forget to cook.
- I stay up late reading odd news stories.
- And my worst habit – I continually check my e-mail to see if anyone read my stories, instead of writing my book.
After I click the blue Publish button on WordPress, I don’t walk away from the computer. My bad habit of checking every five minutes to see if anyone commented has not been overcome.
I feel like a rat who is continually tapping on the switch hoping to get a kernal of corn. The rat has become insane. At random intervals a kermal of corn will appear. The rat won’t stop hitting the switch.
I am the rat. I check my phone if it makes a beep. Is it facebook? gmail? google+? I check my phone even if it doesn’t beep. I want a kernal of corn.
Last week I read, “The Free Agent Mindset, Part Two”, by Steven Pressfield, on his regular weekly column, Writing Wednesdays. Steven Pressfield, the author who wrote “The War of Art” and ‘Turning Pro”, gives weekly advice on his blog, Steven Pressfield.com.
Each of us as individual writers, artists and entrepreneurs needs to be able to flip the switch and become the Incredible Hulk of self-discipline and self-sustenance.
Steven Pressfield – An honorary citizen of Sparta, Greece
That’s it!
I was fighting resistance with Hello Kitty, and I needed to be The Incredible Hulk!
After I read the article I immediately drove to Target and bought a green Incredible Hulk mask. After I publish this story I will close my computer and put The Hulk mask on top of it. If I am tempted to check updates or read odd news stories The Hulk will remind me to fight resistance.
When I am writing my book, The Incredible Hulk mask will remind me to write and not check my e-mail and facebook.
My daughter said, “Mom, you need to put a picture of The Incredible Hulk on your phone, so every time you go and check status updates, you will see The Hulk.”
It is time to use a kleenex, put my hammer away, mail my mother’s birthday card, stop procrastinating, stop overspending, stop buying pencils, stop emotional eating, feed my family, go to bed on time, and schedule time to answer email.
Today I will fight resistance, as The Incredible Hulk, and write my book. At least one word, perhaps a sentence, a chapter? Today I will start. Good-bye Hello Kitty, hello The Incredible Hulk.
Are you The Incredible Hulk of self-discipline or Hello Kitty? How is the battle going against your bad habits?
Please let me know in the comments. I would love to chat.
Later, that is. I have to clean the kitchen cabinets, they still look like the photograph in the story I wrote yesterday, What view do you want me to see?
