This post originally appeared onFast Company.
Because there is never time.
They show up no matter what and do the work.
What sets the pros apart from the amateurs?
It’s not simply external validation or success.
“Most of us have two lives.
The life we live, and the unlived life within us.
The pros are the ones who successfully overcome that resistance and thrive in the face of it.
“The professional tackles the project that will make him stretch.
Hell, yes,” writes Pressfield.
“If you’re paralyzed with fear, it’s a good sign.
It shows you what you have to do.”
And that pressure can become debilitating.
Pros understand this and steel themselves against it.
It’s not about the success of the work.
It’s about the process of creating it.
“The amateur takes it so seriously it paralyzes him.”
Do what’s important first.
Create Daily Focus Blocks
Doing what’s important first is of course easier said than done.
That means no distractions are allowed to worm their way to the forefront.
Start with an hour of uninterrupted time and gradually add 15 minutes each week, he suggests.
Recognize that Fear is Normal
Fear can be the big resistance we face.
What if you invest all this time and effort and the result is a failure?
What if you get scathing criticism once you send it out into the world?
Or finally realize you really aren’t cut out for this kind of work?
“Remember our rule of thumb,” writes Pressfield.
Trial and error and a willingness to screw it up are par for the course.
He recognizes it as reality.”
Image byRawpixel(Shutterstock).
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