Thou Shalt Write Every Day

THOU SHALT WRITE EVERY DAY.

How often have we heard this or some variation of it?

And how often did the guilt come the first day we couldn’t do it?

How many times were we tempted to give it up, to quit?

Please don’t.

Yes, it is important to have goals and targets. To write every day. To write a certain number of words every day.

I’ve been there and I’ve failed. And felt the guilt.

Somerset Maugham once said, “There are only three rules for writing. Unfortunately, no one can agree on what they are.”

Well, it may not be a rule or a commandment but it is definitely a strong recommendation: GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO FAIL.

Yes, set your goal and make sure it is achievable. Then allow for those days when it’s not. Something will come up. The car will break down. Someone will become ill and require your attention. A friend, a spouse, a child will need your counsel and your support. Give it to them.

And sometimes you, yourself, flat out need a break. Take it. Go do something fun. Even God took a day off.

Let the guilt fall away. It’s not your burden to carry. You can’t do anything about it anyway. Someone once said guilt is what we feel about things in the past. Worry is what we feel about things in the future. Neither is productive.

We can’t redo the past but we can learn from it. And we can use that knowledge to make changes if we have to. But don’t beat ourselves up over it.

Set your goals and work toward them everyday.

And when you goof up, forgive yourself. And start all over again.

My final rule, commandment, or strong recommendation: QUITTING IS NOT AN OPTION.