Life Lessons from the Olympics
Here are quick strategies inspired by the Olympics, authors (or anyone) can use for success.
Hard Work in Authorship
Watching the Olympics reiterated for me the countless hours of hard work and preparation the athletes put in behind the scenes. Likewise, authors put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to reach our goals. The first goal being—Finish the book. Most people that want to write a book never do, if that’s you; watch this. To finish my books as planned, I had to be disciplined.
Discipline is the unsung hero in a writer's journey, much like the relentless training of an Olympic athlete. Writing a book isn’t just about inspiration—it’s a marathon of research, solitude, and sacrifice. The initial burst of excitement can only take you so far; it’s discipline that carries you through the long, grueling process when motivation begins to wane. Discipline becomes your accountability partner, pushing you to keep going even when the thrill fades. It’s the quiet, consistent effort behind every word on the page, ensuring that you cross the finish line, no matter how tough the race gets.
Whether you're a writer or not, have you made discipline your accountability partner? If not, it’s time to start—and see the difference it can make.
How I Stayed Disciplined
To stay disciplined I had to create a schedule. My schedule is specific. I often write daily. When I started out, I made sure I made time to write everyday for at least an hour. To stay consistent, I determined what time I’d write at. My writing schedule looked like this. Monday-Friday, 6-8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 4 hours.
While balancing writing around working and my other household responsibilities, I selected a two hour block to dedicate to my passion. I was off on the weekends, so I had more time. Because my activities varied on my off days, I couldn’t establish a definitive time to write. That didn’t discourage me because I knew overall I’d have more time available, so instead I determined the total amount of time I could set aside to write. I dedicated four hours to write on both Saturday and Sunday. These were minimum times for me, sometimes I could write more.
How can you harness discipline to crush your goals? Would creating a schedule give you the structure you need to succeed?
Results of My Disciplined Writing Routine
By going all in and committing to my writing routine, I transformed writing from a task into a habit that seamlessly integrated into my daily life. What once required effort and planning became something I did almost instinctively. Writing was no longer I scheduled; it became a natural part of my daily routine, like eating a meal or checking my phone. As this habit solidified, I found myself writing more frequently. The mental debate about whether to write disappeared—because I knew, without question, that I would. The routine turned into a rhythm, and writing became as natural as breathing.
The ultimate result was completing and publishing more books. Here’s more on my author journey. Go Me!
On My Path to Gold
Bonus Tip: Having a dedicated writing space is vital to sticking to your writing routine.
Hit Me Up
What inspiration or life lessons did you get from the Olympics? In what areas of your life do you use discipline? Let me know below in the comments.
