After 3 years of taking writing serious I’ve learned that motivation is a myth. If I only worked when I was inspired then I’d never write.

I’d be so inconsistent I wouldn’t make progress.

The needle doesn’t move if I show up only when it’s easy.

It made sense to me after hearing this Albert Gray quote:

"The common denominator of success lies in the fact that he or she formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do."

Pro and amateur athletes both feel the grind of doing drills. Skipping practice would feel great to both. Quitting would stop both’s pain. The difference is the pro feels all these urges but does the work anyways.

It’s so easy for me to write when it feels like a muse is spoon feeding me words to put on a page. But showing up when the tap isn’t flowing is what will make me grow as a writer.

It makes sense—on average people will be average. I’m average right now. Success in something is reached by the minority of people. So to reach the next level I have to put in above average work.

At first I thought I fell for toxic hustle culture, but then I realized it’s actually just me committing to what I care about. This is what I want, so I want to match it with dedication.

Being a pro is painful. But I don’t want to be a hobbyist/amateur, so I’ll pay the price of some pain.

***

This post was from my newsletter

I share ideas from great thinkers so we can stand on the shoulders of giants, instead of figuring life out alone