Make Your Intention Specific

The Problem

You have good intentions. You want to write. But you never quite get around to it.

The Forces Involved

Most people misidentify their own lack of action as a lack of motivation when what they truly lack is clarity.

It’s easy to have good intentions, to want to change behavior. But good intentions rarely translate well into action if they remain vague.

Vague intentions are easy to derail. You can rationalize any exception and continue making exceptions all day, all week, all month long, without feeling any real sense of loss.

Action must be taken at a specific time and in a specific place or it won’t happen. Actions like writing require the proper tools to be available at the specific time and place where the writing will occur.

Good intentions require clear plans in order to translate into action.

Therefore:

The Solution

Get specific about how you will implement your intention to write. Identify the time, the place, and the tools you will use.

Fill in the blanks:

“At [TIME] I will go to [PLACE] and write in [TOOL] for [X] minutes.”

Write this down on a sticky note and post it on your bathroom mirror. Say it out loud to yourself every time you see it.

By being specific about your intention to write and how you will go about it, you are preparing your mind for action. You will be ready and on your guard to defend this time and space from distractions and derailments. When you miss a day, you will know it and regret it.

Next Steps

• Leave Useful Landmines
• Prepare Your Writing Space
• Prepare a Writing Ritual
• Visualize Your Author Career
• Systems, Not Goals