NicoleToday, I’m going to show you how to beat the “I’ll start tomorrow” habit and finally begin your writing—right now.
As writers, we’re no strangers to the feeling that we’ll “get to it tomorrow.” There’s always a chapter or article waiting, and often it’s the first step that feels hardest of all.
Yet, delaying often leads to more stress, more to-do’s, and that discouraging feeling of falling behind with your writing projects (yet again).
But there’s good news: with a few small actions, you can overcome this tendency to put things off and actually enjoy starting.
Sometimes, all we need is a small spark to move from “someday” to today. I love this quote:
“One day, or day one. You decide.” (Paul Coelho)
If you apply the steps below, you’ll find yourself creating small moments of victory, and seeing real progress. You may even have a major milestone completed by Christmas.
Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Post a Gentle Reminder to Yourself
- Take a sticky note and write down this quote by Paulo Coelho: “One day, or day one. You decide.”
- Put it somewhere you can see it first thing in the morning (bathroom mirror, laptop, next to your coffee machine).
This creates a subtle shift in mindset. It’s a small nudge that says, “You can do this,” without pressure.
For example, this week, I started a 30-day fitness challenge purely based on the fact that I happened to see this quote, rather than putting it off.
Step 2: Take 3 Micro Steps
When you’re ready to write, don’t start with writing. Start with these three small actions:
- Clear your desk
- Open your laptop (or journal)
- Set a timer for 3 minutes and begin with free-writing—no pressure, just words on the page, whatever thoughts come
With these micro steps, you’re warmed up to think about a small writing goal to tackle today.
Does that feel doable? You can do this today, and make it day 1!
