Tag: jonathan milligan

Do You Have The Someday Syndrome?

On By Robert EvenhouseIn Waking up1 Comment

I’m no so sure why Annie was excited about tomorrow. I get the context, but tomorrow is a day that never actually shows up. Sort of like our frenemy Someday.

As in, someday I’ll to go to Europe. Someday we’ll get this debt paid off or sit down to write that book or clear the garage. It’s a safe statement, with none of that proactive or deadline nonsense.

Have your ever had the someday syndrome?

look at the futur 1

Lately, I’ve become fascinated with people that act. They don’t live in the realm of someday. They may form a plan and gather information but they take action. They don’t tuck it in a drawer.

I’m reading a book The 15 Success Traits of PRO Bloggers by Jonathan Milligan. If you are a blogger I’d suggest picking it up. Why? Because it has a ton of great application. In one instance he shares what got him started.

He told a friend after work that he was ready to go and fail at something. That’s when he knew he was ready to act. To Jonathan, it suddenly became more frightening to not act, than to act and possibly fail. Let that sink in for a moment.

Where are you today? Is there something you always have wanted to try but just cannot bring yourself to commit to it? Have you relegated it to the land of someday?

Consider the other side. Could you live with yourself if you never did it?

 

Creating Boundaries For Our Blogs

On By Robert EvenhouseIn Writing Tips4 Comments

I’m a novelist, but I’m attempting to reboot my blog. Because of this I occasionally skip my daily word count for my book to ensure I have a post. This has become my writing regiment – blog and then book.

But then I second guess myself. Should I build a platform for my book or write a book for my platform? This is the modern writers version of the cart before the horse.

It depends what you are trying to do. Are you trying to be a blogger or a novelist or both? If a writer, then make that the priority and create boundaries for your blog. If a blogger, focus on that and ditch the book.

Photo Credit: Arenamontanus via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Arenamontanus via Compfight cc

This question surfaced in my mind after I listened to a Simple Life Habits Podcast by Jonathan Milligan.

My desire is to be a published novelist. Mr. Milligan, in his simple brilliance, says to do the creative stuff first if this is the case. Work on your dream, book, piece of art, first. Then do the other things that surround it. Why? Because it builds momentum yes, but because this is why you are blogging in the first place. This is where joy comes from.

If you want to be a writer of books be wise with the limited time you have. Write what you desire to write, not what others say to write or what you feel obligated to write.

Work on the project you love, then sprinkle in the rest.