Your Motivation Doesn't Matter
Your motivation doesn’t matter.
Or at least, not in the way you think.
I’ll be the first one to tell you that I almost never feel like writing. And if I waited until I felt motivated to write, well, I’d still be waiting.
There are two working definitions of motivation, and one of them doesn’t apply to your writing practice.
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Motivation is the general desire or willingness to do something
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Motivation is the reason for behaving or acting a certain way
Your willingness to write does not matter but your reason for writing does. So next time you are thinking “I don’t feel like writing,” remind yourself that it’s OK to feel that way, and think about your WHY instead.
Why do you write?
Why do you want to tell THIS story?
Why do you need to write these words?
Now that you know your motivation, work on your discipline.
Self-Discipline is mostly about consistency. Figure out what works for you and commit to it. Set boundaries to protect your time and writing space, and then sit down and get to work.
It’s as simple as that.
It’s not always easy, and it often feels very hard. But you just need to know your why and figure out a schedule you can stick to. And show up for yourself rain or shine. Your story deserves it.
