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Pen to Paper Newsletter

Pen to Paper: Being a Finisher (P19)

Presented below is a thought from me on writing, a quote from someone else on writing, an excerpt from that writer, and a discipline/habit to implement… 

We will be focusing on being a finisher today.

A Thought

“Once we embrace the practice of initiating brilliant ideas and seeing them through to completion with our utmost abilities, we can genuinely become the writers we aspire to be.”

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“Beginners are many; finishers are few.”

– Stephen Covey (Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)

An Excerpt

An excerpt from Chapter 2 of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

“To achieve the life you want, you must start with the end in mind. This means identifying the big picture — the life you want to lead, the character traits you want to embody, the impact you want to have on those around you — and then ensuring each daily action is in line with your ultimate goals.”

(The writer you want to be.)

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

How do we get into the habit of finishing the projects we start?

Great question! Here are a few tips I’ve implemented to be a finisher.

1. Schedule dedicated sessions on your calendar to ensure project completion.

Trust me, when you make it official, things actually happen! For instance, I block off 3-4:30pm on a Friday and label it as “Songwriting Session for ‘Along the Way'”.

2. Establish a clear deadline for your song, script, poem, etc. (creative project)

This deadline will serve as a guide to help you effectively plan and complete your project. 

3. Realize that the end result won’t be flawless.

If we strive for absolute perfection, we’ll never complete anything. I’m not advocating for mediocrity, but rather acknowledging that after putting in hard work and meeting the deadline, it’s time to wrap it up. Move forward and apply the lessons learned to your next endeavor.

Wrap it in a bow and let it go! 

Put Pen to Paper this week and have fun!

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