If you’re reading this, then thanks for being here. I don’t know many people who would have the goal of the above, and to be honest, I didn’t myself. But in September 2020, a thought crossed my mind. It was the same thought that had floated around my limbic system, several times before, for at least the past ten years. But I'd become the queen bee of swatting it away with screams of self-doubt and covering it up with ideas that seemed more logical, or better yet socially acceptable.
But on this day, the thought screamed louder, and louder, until finally, I followed the process of what you’re about to read.
Well, at first I didn’t have a process. I had a screaming mind that I learned to calm, fuel, and create, which lead me to the below, and here I sit thirteen months later, having just completed my fifth book.
As I said, I don’t know many people who want to write five manuscripts in a year. But I do know a lot of people, who want to do big things. Who wants to launch the business, or write the book. This little spill isn’t about the specific achievement. It’s about finally sitting down to do the thing. Your thing, the thing that’s constantly niggling inside of you.
This is the process of screaming louder than the resistance. Taking the jump and letting yourself fumble deep into the process, hoping that at some point the parachute will work, and drift you down slowly to the desired result. Two feet on the ground, with a whole new achievement.
I’m telling you now if that little niggle inside of you is screaming louder than ever before, or for once you've given yourself a minute of confidence to envision how it could be bought to life rather than burying it deep inside amongst the list of should have, would have, could have. If it feels right, authentic, and something that you must do. Even if the logic doesn’t a hundred percent add up. The parachute landing will come, but first, you must jump.
So, jump my friend, let's go.
1. At first, you must commit
Declare what it is you want once and for all. I was always the person who had an inkling I’d be an author. All I ever loved in school was English, I completed a semester of Uni in journalism (before I dropped out). I always told people, If there was anything else I would want to do, that I currently wasn’t doing, it would be to write a book. I didn’t know what about, I didn’t know why. I just loved the idea of writing. So I fuelled the scream by becoming a freelance writer, and a copywriter, you know doing the thing that seemed a little more logical. It was great, enjoyable, I still love it. But it never silenced my scream. Just like any great ideas that are birthed into the world. It only took a fleeting moment, an internal heart-pounding commitment, a whisper to myself that said, I'm finally writing the book.
The moment you tell yourself, the moment you appoint yourself, you give yourself the label and commit to what it is that you want. Well… that’s just the beginning. But now you can let the real work unfold.
2. Know your why
Why do you do what you do? Why do you dream what you dream? How does it make you feel? What is your inner scream, the little knowing telling you to jump? And why is it there, what is it telling you to do and what does it mean to you?
Simon Sinek's famous speech and books teach us that people don’t buy what you do they buy why you do it. To that, I say, why spend your time on anything that doesn’t feel authentically you?
I’ve had these conversations with many artists in my life and I’ve had a lot of mixed answers, some say ‘for the lifestyle’, others, to ‘prove I can’ or 'to make (insert an amount of money.' But the most committed answer something like, ‘to live every day in that flow state’, ‘to make a career out of my deepest love’, or because, ‘it’s the one thing where I get lost in the world, it's the full integration of my soul and myself.'
My why is because, behind the laptop, typing away at a story is where I feel the most me, it's where I find myself my fullest self-expression. Ask yourself, what is it that makes you feel like that? The most authentic why’s aren’t for global recognition, labels, or achievements but for just enjoying the time that you have. Give your full self to the things that you love.
3. Declare it
It’s time to stop lurking behind the closed door and show yourself to the world. This doesn’t mean shouting everything you want to every single person you pass on the street or posting all your life dreams onto each one of your social media pages. If you want to do that, be my guest. But have you ever told those closest to you what you're working on? Or what you're trying to achieve? Does your best friends know your desires to sing, write, create? And if not, why are you scared of them finding out?
If you don’t own it in yourself if you don’t voice it out loud, how can you give anyone else the chance to support you? You might be wildly surprised by how the ones you love will show up for you. And if not refer to my blog on creative excuses here.
I believe the sexiest quality any human can possess is passion.
So tell me, what's yours? It's time to declare it.
4. Expanders
I first heard about the idea of Expanders through Lacey Phillip's work, To Be Magnetic. Which I highly recommend to anyone wanting to clear limiting beliefs and achieve big things. You can find more about her here.
Expanders could be the JK Rowling’s, the David Guetta’s, the Van Goughs,
Anyone who has achieved the things that you desire. The ones who pathed the path that you desire to walk down, in your own magically unique way.
Expanders can also be found in your friends, your family, your work colleagues, or your everyday barista. They’re called expanders because they expand your consciousness of what is possible, they possess the attributes or energy that you want to tune into. They're confident enough and do the things that you desire.
Expanders are gold, keep them in your mind, hearts and let their energy, journey fuel you towards yours.
5. Accountability Buddies
As humans, we’re built for connection. The creative journey can be a lonely one. And one that a lot of people won’t understand and won’t support.
But find the one friend that does. The one you can hold accountable to your new commitments, to your dreams, the one who lets you speak what still might feel unreachable to you. Bring someone into your world, and let them listen, passion is power, and sharing and taking action on your dreams might help someone else do the same.
If you don’t feel like you have those friends, put yourself out there into creative groups, find a class on your field of choice, a Facebook group, an event. Your people are out there, and they’re here to support, understand and by doing so, you may just provide the same energy back to them.
6. Consistent action
Developing discipline doesn’t sound like the sexiest thing, to the free-flowing artist. But discipline does create freedom, take you to a flow state, improve your art, and directs you towards the results faster. Anything magnificent and magical was created amongst the mundane. The consistent daily practice, the small tasks every day are what create the illusion of overnight success. Find the time that you must give to your goals every day, even if it's only twenty minutes. After thirteen months, you'll be surprised of how much twenty minutes a day.
7. Create rituals
Your mind and soul may love a crazy spontaneous adventure. But our bodies and brains thrive on routine, therefore we work on a circadian rhythm.
This doesn’t mean boring yourself to death, if anything if you’re giving yourself the time to do what you want to do, no part of you should be bored, if anything it will be lit up and fulfilled. But like anything, we work in seasons, and you can’t always Rely on motivations, and to get your greatest work done, you can’t rely on highs.
We can’t rely on the spontaneous muse, we must create it. This is why it’s great to create rituals, a routine that tricks your body and Bain into thinking it’s time to do the thing.
For me, I created a set time frame, one hour a day where I knew would be, and could always be uninterrupted writing time. This hour also came with a ritual, of dim light, the smell and flicker of my favourite candle, and sweet herbal tea in my favourite mug. After two weeks of the same routine, the taste of peppermint makes my fingers want to hit the keyboard. Find your little things that bring out the inner muse, consistently every day.
8. Deadline
You do not need to be a struggling artist, you do not need to wait for the muse to show up. You are the muse.
You don’t need to give in to the beliefs of the majority (see 10 creative excuses) to stop you from living the life you most want.
After all, you live yours and not theirs. When you commit, when you take action. Write the date down and give yourself a deadline of where you want to see your thing completed. It doesn’t have to be rigid or strict. Once you are taking consistent action, and have created your daily rituals. Increase your discipline by giving yourself a deadline, once the dates are set, once you commit fully to yourself, there's no turning back, boo.
9. Enjoy the journey
In the creative life, know, there is no end game. The end game of any life is death itself. Yes, it’s great to set deadlines, to great goals, and to move forward towards everything that it is that you want to do. Make sure that you enjoy the moments. Giving yourself the time doesn't make you busier. It makes you abundant, abundant with the choice of how you get to spend your own time and creating the things that light that little spark in your heart, brings a smile to your face, and infuse the world with infectious joy.
So how did I really do it? All of the above, committing to a thousand words a day, rain, hail, shine. Giving myself the deadlines, owning my own time, learning to say no, and most importantly, I completely and utterly let myself fall in love with the process. And before you know it the commitment of one book, turns into five, and soon to be many, many more.
What do you want to achieve in the next year? Let me know on Instagram.