017 - Self Discipline and Passion

Self Discipline and Passion

What is your passion and are you disciplined enough to go after it? 

Perhaps you’ve heard the quote “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment”? Or you’ve heard that “Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently.”

Today is a bit of an emotional show…I generally go with what comes up for these podcasts. I do turn them into blogs on my Lets Get Your Book Published website too if you’d like to refer to them later. For me, writing is so healing and it’s always filled with tears. So before I get teared up again…lets get going!

Is there something you know that you need to do before you leave this planet? Do you get out of bed with a fire in your belly every morning to pursue your dreams? What motivates you? What are you willing to sacrifice to manifest that vision or create that reality? Are you pissed off enough? Are you tired of being quiet? Has something happened in your life that you no longer want to keep quiet about? Are you trying to find your voice or stand up for yourself? Are you tired of explaining yourself?

I want to tell you a little bit about what motivates me. It’s because I simply want to give you permission to get up the courage to stop hiding and to get out and tell your story. You see, if you are anything like me you know that you have had something really amazing happen to you in your life and you feel compelled to share it for the growth of others around you. Perhaps you see our planet in peril, struggling, failing or perhaps it’s the opposite—people thriving…and you know that you are tired of complaining, tired of no one listening, and now have just the right amount of courage to get your words into a book as your tool to begin sharing your message.

When I wrote my first book I was scared what others would think of me. I was scared to put myself out there and be ridiculed for being wrong or just simply making myself vulnerable. But, there is a certain mix of I don’t care, I must, and faith that all come seamlessly together pushing you forward in the manifestation of your book. It’s like the perfect storm and it finally busts out from within you and burns out onto the pages. I’ve watched clients move through a host of emotions for many years as I’ve helped them create their books. 

So the story I want to tell is not one that’s in my books but one that’s gone on for many years...it’s not knowing who I am and others trying to form me into a mold that fits them...it’s not stepping up and owning my dreams and visions...in fact it’s taken most of my life to figure out even what those are! There have been many years in my life that I struggled to understand who I was. I knew without a doubt that I was special and I was put on this planet for a big reason but it’s taken me forever to come into my own power. 

But, I finally found my joy and then it all exploded. I found a new joy and that exploded. I finally became so ill I couldn’t function. My passions and dreams and goals all exploded right in my face and while trying to dig myself out with what passion and drive I had left. 

I got so sick I nearly died. 

My passion was buried and trumped by life. I kept pushing forward and worked myself through depression and wanting to give up and feeling like a failure. I worked so hard. Then, as I climbed out and back into a moderately functional person I was met with more resistance. Those around me wanted me to believe that the flames of my passions that were nearly diffused in my struggling and suffering were not important...they didn’t matter. Those little desires that burned when I could barely function were my hopes keeping me alive. They felt like the only meaningful things I had left. I worked myself day and night to prove I still could. 

Each new person coming into my life had judgements to pass that again tossed water on my flames. I would hear things like “you need to get a job” and “maybe it’s time to quit” and “launch that thing already!” and “stop working so hard and take a break!”, but something inside me kept going. 

There have been far more neigh-sayers than supporters that is for sure! I think of it a bit like running a marathon...it isn’t just about the day of the race. You don’t sit around and eat poorly and never work out then get off the couch and go run 20+ miles! You have to train! You have to fail. You have to keep going and push through your obstacles! You don’t stop training unless you’re bowing out of the race! 

When it comes to writing your book you aren’t going to get a lot of support. Everyone that loves you is going to try to get you to conform into their comfort zone. You aren’t going to be gifted uninterrupted time. Something is going to have to give. You’re going to have to get real quiet and remove yourself from your life patterns….and maybe people too. Your going to have to move to a place of mental clarity and strength . You need to want this more than you want anything else. And you need to know why you are doing it. If you have a strong why you can get through. 

There is a reason 80% of the population wants to write a book and only 2% do! Imagine a room full of 100 people and just 2 of them will become writers! Look around at your class reunion, your church, your gym…so many people will never write a book and nearly all of them would like to. The reason you ever break out and become one of the few is based on your passion and your desire. It has to be strong.

What you want requires discipline! I can show you the how but you need to show me that all the interruptions in the world are not going to pull you away from your why. 

My online book publishing system will show all the hows…but, I can’t coach you into your passion and your “why”. I can help you find it but you have to run with it. 

If life is pushing against you than use your words to fight back. Use your words to help people understand new ways of being or what life challenges and obstacles can be overcome. Use your words to share what you have discovered in the pains and joys of living. Use a book to leave your legacy. There is no reason not to write a book, but there are better ways to position it’s content and improve the outcome and your success. Although, some times (as in my first book in particular) a story just needs to be told.

I will leave you with this action item today…begin to spend some quiet time in either meditation or just silence and ask yourself what life pains, dramas, and traumas you’ve come through that could help ease the suffering of others. These things we see as weakness are often the same things that become our gifts. Can you find your passions from your weaknesses? If you were to write, what is your big “why”? Get to the heart of your why and you will have no trouble finding discipline to get going. Start there and instead of living wounded share your words and story on the pages of a manuscript that you will take into a book. We are really all in this together. Don’t hide behind your fears! Share openly your words…share to help us all grow and learn. You will be surprised the peace, love, and light you will have letting go and how much you can change another life.

Keep going and keep up! Get clear on your vision and in no time you’ll work yourself into becoming an author. 

I can help you with all phases of the project when you’re ready. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

Let me know what topics you're interested in and we can add those to a show for you to keep you going. 

Eyes on the prize!