(First read Mental Boundaries: Who’s in Charge Part 1 and Emotional Boundaries: Who’s in Charge? Part 2.)

By now, you’ve changed your thoughts and your attitudes. However, in the final analysis, taking charge of your writing life comes down to taking action.

Are you actually writing? Have you developed the Seven Habits of a Highly Effective Writer? 

3. Actions

Taking action involves substitution. You are replacing unhelpful actions damaging to your writing with productive actions. As Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits says, it’s much easier to break bad habits if you simply replace them with good habits or good goals.

Doing the action of the good habit should be your focus, not “breaking” the bad habit. Good actions will crowd out the bad ones. You won’t have time for both!

Do you have the committed attitude talked about in Part 2 of the series? That committed attitude will make choosing your actions easier.

Commitment and Choice-Making

When you’re willing to do whatever it takes to revamp your personal life so you can write, the choices become clear. You will do things like:

• choosing to write before doing the dishes, even though it bugs you to leave dirty dishes in the sink.
• choosing to write for an hour instead of watch TV or talk on the phone.
• choosing to have that lower carb/higher protein lunch so your writing energy is high all afternoon.
• choosing to retire at a decent hour so you’re alert to create the next morning.
• choosing to make quality time with your family so you can write without feeling guilty–and without being neglectful.
• choosing to set goals, write them down, and even make a poster for your wall so you’re staring at them daily.
• choosing to settle family quarrels and resolve conflicts partly because NOT doing so saps all your writing energy.

You will make choices in all areas of your life that will support your writing instead of making it more difficult. [If making these choices is difficult, you might find help in my Boundaries for Writers e-book.]

Each time you come to a fork in the road, make a choice to be in control of your writing. Each choice might look small, but these decisions add up to your life. Do find that freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself–and thus, your writing.

“If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.” —Napoleon Hill

As I mentioned before, I’ve been working hard myself to improve habits in all areas of my life, including the writing. In the last year, I’ve found these books especially helpful.

• The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success
• The As If Principle
• The Power of Full Engagement
• Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits