3 Tips to Boost Your Motivation to Write

Motivation is a hot topic, no matter WHAT industry you’re in. How can you get MORE – usually in less time? Or for less dollars?

For me, motivation is about BALANCE. Balancing the “go do it” with the “yay! I GET to do it” with the “I’m really, REALLY not feeling it.”

I’ve got a big day ahead of me today with client calls, a meeting with a prospect, today’s newsletter, and next steps on SEVERAL projects.

Am I motivated?

Actually, yes, very much so. Yesterday, when I was talking with Ben about what I have on today’s plan, I said “I get to do XYZ.” I’m genuinely looking forward to most of my to do list tasks.

What about the “go do it” stuff? Trust me, there is a lot in my life that falls into that. (Dishes, I’m looking at YOU.) But I know that if it’s not done, it WILL make me crazy, keep me up at night, and add to my stress.

Then there’s the “I’m really, REALLY not feeling it.” Here’s where the real crux of motivation lies. Because in the category, there are two subcategories:

  1. If I start, it’ll be okay.
  2. I’m gonna loathe every minute and get resentful.

Sometimes you have to do it anyway, resentment or not. That’s not a good place to come from for your writing. It’s not sustainable. And resentment… ooph. That’s just no good all the way around.

Sometimes, you best bet is to… not.

Just don’t.

Maybe you don’t for today. Maybe you don’t for this week. Maybe you just… don’t. Ever.

(Unless it’s dishes. They get stinky. Go do them.)

There are plenty of books that I THOUGHT I wanted to write. Until I started. And then they moved firmly into the “I’m really, REALLY not feeling it” category. And no amount of rest, free writes, or change of scenery got them OUT of that place. So I kindly thanked the idea – and set aside the book. Zero guilt.

Tip 1: Know which category you’re falling into – then act accordingly.

It amazes me how many times just NAMING my emotion gets me sorted out. I learned that from my mentor Holly Doherty, by the way.

And yes, motivation is TOTALLY an emotion – it comes, it goes, it can me a great thing or a horrible thing. Just because you won’t find it on a list of emotions doesn’t mean it isn’t one.

Tip 2: Don’t go it alone!

Pep talks WORK, folks. I have mentors for when I need specific pep talks around business, marketing, or health.

I also have a cadre of friends to call when I need a more generalized pep talk like: “Go do those dishes and then you can have a brownie!”

(Clearly THAT person is not my health mentor!)

Tip 3: In everything – rhythm.

You probably thought I was going to say “balance,’ right? I honestly don’t believe in balance. It makes me think of scales – the type with two dishes called Balance Scales. And then the two plates have to be level. Except life is NEVER balanced like that. So the attempt to make it like that is too hard.

I like rhythm. The rhythm of a launch – where it’s go-Go-GO for weeks. Then rest. The rhythm of a lazy Sunday where we linger over everything.

Find yours – and then know it changes for the season, motivation, and task.

FYI: I’m BRILLIANT at being the pep-talk-giving mentor for my clients. The one who ALSO understands rhythm and how to maximize it for your writing. AND how to help you manage the emotion called MOTIVATION.

If you’re ready for mentorship so you can FINALY write your book, then apply to talk to me. I’m currently accepting a few more authors into the ONLY group of the Finally Write Your Book VIP Mentorship happening in 2021.

Apply Here.

Kim Galloway
Find me!
Latest posts by Kim Galloway (see all)