In this video, I answer one of the most common questions writers face: “How do you organize and discipline yourself to write on a schedule?”
It’s a fascinating topic because discipline is both a skill and a result—it raises the age-old question of what comes first: disciplined behavior or the positive reinforcement of consistent effort?
I share my personal method, rooted in what I call the 4 D’s of writing success. These strategies not only keep me productive but help me avoid the frustration of falling off track—and they might just help you, too.
Hello, Jane Cleland here. The question is, “How do you organize yourself? How do you discipline yourself to write on a schedule?” It’s an interesting question, I think, because it really comes down to a chicken or egg kind of thing. Am I a disciplined person who therefore is able to write on a schedule? Or is the satisfaction I get from doing it—enough positive reinforcement—to enable me, encourage me, allow me to continue to do it? I don’t have the answer to that, but here’s what I do know about me: I get very frustrated when I am not productive, and that bad feeling means that I will do a lot of things to avoid having that bad feeling.
I work on the four D’s. I am disciplined. If I say I’m going to do something, I do it. I work well with deadlines, because that gives me structure. I have to write X number of words over X number of weeks to achieve that long-term goal. I am dedicated. I am deeply committed to doing what I say I’m going to do from a writing point of view. And I’m determined. I, I don’t quit; I’m a little Energizer Bunny—just off I go, I just keep on going. So, the four D’s: Deadline Driven, Determined, Dedicated, and Disciplined. Where it comes from, which comes first, I don’t know that, but I do know that avoiding feeling bad about myself is a motivator, and enjoying the feeling of pride when I do do it is also a motivator.
I’d love to know how you discipline yourself. Please put your responses, your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to read them. And if this tip had value for you, would you like it? Would you share it? Please subscribe to the channel. That opens up features for us that lets us make these videos even more valuable for you. Thank you.
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