Why resistance comes from our mind not our circumstances when it comes to staying on track with your book writing plan. 

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” 

Roy T. Bennett

It’s easy to find reasons to ignore your writing habit – whether those reasons are concrete or conjured. There will always be reasons not to write.

First, it’s important to know the difference between a writing-cave-canceling emergency and something you decide to turn into a writing-cave-canceling emergency. As I tell clients in my author coaching program, be honest – you know the difference. If the interruption can legitimately and reasonably be dealt with later without the world blowing up around you, it’s not a writing cave-canceling emergency. Because remember, what is canceled will have to be rescheduled if you want to keep your writing plan on track.

We are all surrounded by constant reasons to avoid doing the “extra” thing in life, the passion project, like writing a book. We don’t have to be a woman in a shoe with so many children we don’t know what to do, to find a reason not to write. The exact same level of mental resistance to writing can occur in a childless, single person who lives alone, is independently wealthy, and has all the time in the world to write a book.

This is because resistance comes from our mind, not our circumstances.

Life circumstances can cause the occasional writing cave to be rescheduled. But it’s up to you whether it’s an occasional or regular occurrence. You decide how to handle distractions and disruptions. You can choose to turn them into excuses not to write, or you can deal with them, strategize, recommit to your writing habit, and put yourself back on track.

Even the woman in the shoe could have written a book… if she really wanted to.

P.S. Here’s some habits help – The Language of Good Book Writing Habits.