How to Direct Your Actions to Get What You Want (as an Illustrator)
Because, Or Else…
”The things I want to do — I don’t do, and the thing’s I don’t want to do — I do”.
- Paul of Tarsus
Can you relate?
Recently I took stock of some of the things that I spend my time on in areas that are Not Urgent and Not Important.
And the number is staggering! From What’sapp to Instagram (🔩 you Reels) to checking emails and Substack stats (guilty) to playing the mobile game of the week in 3 minute bursts, watching football highlights and commentary … all that added up to a surprising 19 hours a week!
More than 2 WORK DAYS!
I’m sure you’re not being distracted for 19+ hours a week like I am, but if you are I’m not here to judge.
But I am here to say, that if you signed up for this newsletter, my guess is that you want to spend more time creating, I’m not asking you to do 19 hours, but I will ask you to do 10 minutes, Daily.
And by the way if you’re not sure why you signed up for this newsletter, go here and I’ll help you decide if this is the place for you because, NOBODY needs more email, unless it’s going to help them get what they want.
Now if you’re still here, you WANT to create more. You probably want to spend some of that distracted time creating instead. I’m here to help you do that.
So today’s prompt is a worksheet, I use this for different areas of my life, to carrot and stick myself to do the things that are important to me.
Fear and resistance keep us stuck, inactive, or distracted.
Our time is stolen, destroyed…and that is a kind of death because our time is our life.
This simple exercise will drive you to take back some of that time, some of you life!
You can use this in different areas of your life to drive yourself to do what you want. But my job here is to use this template to help you (and help me), carrot and stick ourselves to do what I want.
And the thing YOU want is to create something for at least 10 minutes a day or you wouldn’t even be here!
So let’s make that happen. (Print this out, or draw your own)
Th reasons we are distracted, or procrastinate is we’re avoiding thinking about the cost of our inaction. And maybe we even avoid thinking about our action because it feels like it’s going to take so much effort, we think it’s going to hurt like how going to the gym hurts.
The resistance to go to the gym always hurts, your mind is trying to conserve your energy. But how does it feel after the gym every single time, does it not feel absolutely amazing?
Focus on the great feelings, not to pain of getting started, focus on the future joy, that amazing feeling, but also focus on future pain if you don’t act now.
The reason, I woke up at 4am, and worked 4-5 hours on my goal of becoming a children’s illustrator, for years, when it was just a dream is a fear of pain. I imagined myself a decade in the future and asked myself how I would feel if I was 10 years older and I did NOT take advantage of this decade to try to go for my dream.
And it felt like living would be hard.
As I went for my dream friends would say wow you’re so motivated, maybe. The truth was I was a desperate to avoid that outcome. Desperation can be more powerful than motivation, it looks the same though.
So there are two columns, and your job is to fill them.
In the or else column, fill in all the bad things that will happen if you don’t do it…
I’ll be 10 years older and regret wasting the decade not pursuing a dream
I won’t be able to buy certain things or have certain experiences
I won’t build the muscle I need to do bigger things
I will continue to dream rather than act
I’ll never know if I could have done it
I will not get any better at my craft
…
In the because column, come up with your own reasons in 1,2,3,5,10 years, what is the outcome of not doing it, make it painful, use your body and your emotions, bully yourself to take action.
It would feel intense, then sake off that feeling, do some squats or just shake your body and in the because outcome think of the reasons you DO want to do it. What the action could result in when compounded over time.
I’m a published illustrator
I’m a step closer to writing my own books
I get paid 4-5X my salary to illustrate a book
I’m doing what I’m passionate about and being rewarded
I have time to spend with my family, work out, do the things I love
…
Look at your reasons often, stick it up on your wall, read them out loud.
I’ll see you tomorrow for your daily prompt!
Or unsubscribe.
Thank you, I needed to read this today. :)