“There is nothing more fatiguing than the projects we never get to.” – William James
One of my weekly goals is to write a blog post.
Write it.
Ship it out.
Move on.
But it’s never that easy.
Each week is a battle.
Something as simple as writing takes all of my willpower.
My brain hits me with a 1,000 reasons why I should be doing something else.
Author Steven Pressfield calls this force “The Resistance”.
Pressfield writes, “The Resistance is the universal force that acts against human creativity. The Resistance’s sole mission is to sabotage aspirations.”
The resistance is POWERFUL.
The resistance will tell you anything to keep you from making progress:
- No one’s going to read it.
- It’s too early.
- You should clean up your email.
- When’s the last time you called your college roommate?
- Did you just get a text!
It’s so easy to put things off until tomorrow.
The problem is that tomorrow never comes.
The ability to take action separates the AMATEURS from the PROFESSIONALS.
A professional doesn’t negotiate with their mind.
Professionals create routines, not decisions.
An amateur has a million plans and they all start tomorrow.
Professionals slay the Resistance.
3 Ways to Slay The Resistance:
Use the 5 Second Rule:
- When you get an impulse to act on a goal, physically act within 5 seconds.
- Countdown from 5 and take action when you say 0.
- If you don’t act, your brain will soon kill the idea.
- This technique has helped me to get up earlier and write consistently.
- Here’s a link to a fantastic TedX talk on the 5 Second Rule.
Practice the Daily Dose:
- Create 20 minute blocks in your schedule.
- Shut off your phone.
- Do your important work.
- Rinse & Repeat.
Think 5 Years Out
- Where do you want to be in 5 years?
- What work do you need to do to make this a reality?
- Take 1 step in that direction right now.
Humans have been battling the “The Resistance” since time began.
2,000 years ago the Roman philosopher Seneca wrote, “Today – this day – will achieve what no tomorrow will fail to speak about. I will lay siege to the gods and shake up the world.”
Your best work is trying to get out.
Do The Work and share it with the world.
What have you been putting off?
It’s time to punch the resistance in the mouth.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
#TakeAction
-Joe Ciccarone
The Vibe 