As if writing itself wasn’t easy enough, there is all that pressure to gain fame and fortune. No problem, right? Not quite. We give ourselves high expectations and almost set ourselves up for disappointment. Instead, work backwards. Look at where you want to be, how high you want to climb. See yourself there, the writer you have become after so much hard work, brilliant thinking and skill with words, there you are!
Where exactly are you? What are you writing? What have you written? Which goals have you accomplished? What people helped you along the way? What resources were used to get to the top of the slushpile? What steps did you take along the way? What changes did you make in your life and your thinking?
Write all those down, every detail about the journey. Backtrack, make sure you haven’t missed any steps. Now, which of those things could you be doing? Do you already know some of the people you need to know? How many of those resources are in your grasp and which do you need to find? Where are your road blocks?
Work backwards from where you want to be to where you are now. See the steps in reverse and then begin taking them. Start the journey, don’t put it off while looking at the big picture in the distance. You still have to get there. Start today by looking backwards rather than forwards. There is so much less pressure in looking back than looking ahead and seeing how far you still need to go.