So I’ve been NaNoing for the last four days (yes, NaNoing is now a verb. No, the dictionaries aren’t with us on this one). This was a last minute decision, and an attempt to avoid closing 2018 with the same (only) MS under my belt.

As in most cases, I jumped into my decision without a plan. As it turns out, I’m not burned out—yet. I rewrite chapter 9 of my MS on the train to work; steal 30-45 minutes to edit that same MS during work hours (no, I won’t hear your judgment); spend another hour editing as soon as I arrive home, and NaNo before going to bed. It is exhausting but it is working, so let’s agree this has been a success so far.

The title of this post was a warning though: today, I’ll preach (this is your cue to leave in case you dislike rants. No hard feelings. See you soon. It’s OK. Go!).

I’ve spent two decades on Earth, and after all this time, there’s only one thing I know to be the closest to an absolute truth: discipline is the key to most forms of material success (accompanied by luck, yes, but chance doesn’t seem to cross paths with those who are slacking on a couch).

I have to show up and put in the work, even (especially) when I feel like I don’t want to, or when I don’t think I can. I need to sacrifice. I must reign over my own mind.

There is never time to write (we all know that, there’s no use in whining about it).

Procrastination (my best frenemy) is part of the writing and editing process, so I try to make it count by learning about new random things, and getting inspired by whatever is entertaining me at any moment.

Life/people/commitments/day jobs get in the way of writing, but discipline can get in the way of every useless/non-urgent task or distraction.

In normal conditions, I can write over 1,6k words per day and thus reach my daily NaNo word count. Chances are I can also squeeze in an extra hour to write/edit every day (bad news: that’s an hour less of sleep. Good news: that’s enough time to write two drafts per year, at least). I can reach my goals, and I will—because I have stopped making excuses and, instead, I sacrifice, I stick to a schedule, and I’m starting to master self-discipline.