An Intro to 7 Steps to Removing the Blocks to Writing Your First Book
So many of us have struggled with procrastination and continue to procrastinate on projects we would like to complete. There would be many more authors in the world if it wasn’t for the inner struggles to get it done. Yet, some people are able to get things done.
Procrastination is not just a habit; it is not even a practice we engage in because we don’t want to do something. If you think about it, people procrastinate on things they actually do want to engage in also. So what is procrastination really about? I believe that procrastination is more about what’s going on beneath the surface. Our tendency to ‘procrastinate’ is a reflection of an inner battle with the task or activity we are running away from. I’m not just talking about the ironing or the cleaning. We procrastinate on those because we truly don’t want to do those things. I am talking about writing a book, for example, or writing a song or painting a sunset—things we really want to do.
When we say stuff like, “I don’t have time right now,” that’s an excuse. Because everything we do in our lives we have to plan and place on our schedules. We find time to do the things that we need to do and even things that we want to do.
What’s really going on is that there is some hesitation or doubt about the activity. Maybe we don’t feel that we can accomplish it or that it will be good enough or that it can be a success. There is a lot of inner dialogue that goes on subconsciously that can drive the way we act. It is the doubts and fears beneath the surface of our conscious mind that cause us to hesitate or ‘procrastinate’ and, essentially, stop us from reaching our dream of publishing that first book. Even successful people have struggled through doubts and fears.
These doubts and fears do not have to stop you from accomplishing your dream of writing your first book. The exercise (can be accessed at www.HowYouCanWriteABook.com) that follows was developed to help individuals address the thoughts and feelings beneath the surface that are standing in the way of embarking on the journey to their lifelong dreams.
It is a common belief that when you have negative thoughts you should push them away and not allow them to come forward; people are often told to only think positive thoughts because thoughts create. However, negative thoughts create also. Pushing them away does not make them go away. They continue to operate beneath the surface sabotaging our best efforts and therefore, creating the inner battle that takes place between our confidence and the doubts, which finally lead to procrastination.
It is my absolute belief that the only way to get rid of any negative thoughts that are sabotaging your best efforts to write your first book is to first acknowledge them and allow them voice. These thoughts communicate our deep down beliefs. Those beliefs drive our actions. To be able to release negative thoughts you have to change your beliefs. To be able to change your beliefs you have to discover what you believe. Listening to your negative thoughts can tell you that. Once they have been acknowledged and given voice they can be released so that they no longer work underneath the surface sabotaging your best efforts. The tool below was developed by Coach Cat and used with her coaching clients to help them release blocks that stopped them from moving forward to achieve their goals.
While this tool on removing blocks can very effectively help you to release the things that stand in the way of you achieving your goals, there is one thing that you must definitely bring to the table in order for this to be completely effective. You must be ready to let go of any blocks that stand in the way of you achieving your dreams. If you are not ready, no exercise in the world can help you release the blocks. If you are truly ready and willing to release that which stands in the way of you writing your first book, this tool will help you to release the blocks and move you beyond procrastination to joyously completing your first book. All the best to you and I look forward to seeing you at the finish line!
Cathy Archer is a rainbow person: A rainbow person is an individual that has interest and skills in several areas (Fern Gorin—Life Purpose Institute). Her formal training includes a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a master’s in Human Resources Development & Administration and she continues to work as an Organization Development Consultant from time to time; however, more and more of her time is focused on writing. She has authored several books for herself and as a ghostwriter. Her business book is entitled, A Different Path, A Different Result: A New Consciousness Model for Business.
Her most recent addition is an e-book entitled, How To Be A Writer: Guidance for writing a book. Always having the desire to help others be all that they can be, Cathy is also a certified Life Purpose Coach and develops unique tools to help individuals overcome obstacles to be able to achieve their goals. One of the tools she recently developed and offers as a free tool for new writers is “7 Steps to Removing the Blocks to Writing Your First Book,” which can be accessed at www.HowYouCanWriteABook.com. Coach Cat’s newest website is developed as a community for new writers to be able to get tools and support for the process of writing a book. Her goal is to see all those who wish to write a book ‘someday’ begin today and looks forward to seeing all would-be authors at the finish line.