They don’t make excuses.

Every time I see an article written by someone, I instantly become skeptical. They claim to have written an article daily for 1,000 days in a row. Meanwhile, they are also working a full-time job, raising three kids, remodeling their 100-year-old farmhouse, and making their own clothes.

I’m exaggerating. I’m also channeling my inner Jennifer Lawrence from the Hot Ones episode. In that episode, she says, “What do you mean?”

As in, I’m finding this really hard to believe.

And then I begin looking inward. I’m not consistent in my writing life. I don’t do the hard stuff of getting my butt in the chair to write on the days I don’t feel like writing. 

I simply don’t write. One day turns into two. Then a week goes by. You get the idea.

I’m so envious of people who are working a 9–5. They then figure out a way to write for 1–2 hours each day. They still figure out a way to thrive in their social life as well. And I’m over here doing this:

I’m scratching my head. I’m thinking these people must be vampires and they just don’t sleep. I’m thinking a lot of things that sound just like excuses.

Oh wait, they are excuses.

Getting beyond the excuses.

“An excuse is nothing more than a self-imposed roadblock.” — C.C. Chapman

When I’m making excuses, it truly is setting an obstacle in my own way. It’s self-sabotage. It’s blocking me from the goals I have for myself. 

And why?

Because doing the work is hard. As entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuck puts it, “You’ve gotta love the dirt.”

Gary emphasizes the dirt is where you start. It’s where you put in the hard work, and it’s where you start to find success. The minute you stop working the dirt is when success begins to subside. 

Occasionally, I get in the dirt, but I don’t stay there. I don’t really dig in to get my hands dirty consistently. 

I write an article or two and then I stop. I tell myself I’m too busy after work. I claim to be too tired while sitting on the couch, scrolling through social media or watching TV. 

I do the mindless stuff to relax rather than get excited about writing because it’s hard work.

Duh!

Of course it’s hard work. Of course it’s going to take writing on the days I don’t feel like it. 

Anything worth doing takes time and effort over a sustained period of time.

Once anyone gets too much in their comfort zone and coasts is the day they start losing ground. 

In Conclusion.

So, how do people publish daily?

The answer is pretty easy. 

They get dirty. They put their butt in the chair to write daily. They don’t get paralyzed by perfection. 

They understand that not every piece is going to be a masterpiece.

And they publish anyway.