Writing in a Rut? Slow Down to Go Faster

Last month’s post about faster, clearer writing, generated a fair amount of feedback. Several readers asked how to get started when you’re staring at a blank screen or simply dreading the process of “putting pen to paper”?

We get this question often during the Dog Days of summer because everyone’s on vacation, thinking about vacation or about to go on vacation. It’s hot and humid and now we have the looming recession, bear market and rising interest rates to further dampen your enthusiasm for doing anything extra, like being a thought leader.

 

Basketball legend, Julius Erving (aka Dr. J), once said: “Being a professional is doing the thing you love to do on the days you don’t feel like doing it.” I know what you’re thinking. You don’t love writing. But you’re a professional. Sooner or later you’ll have to publish something under you own name for your clients, staff, prospects or industry peers. So, yeah, you’re a writer.

 

Don’t beat yourself up

 

I bring this up because this up because late summer is when my own creative juices aren’t flowing like they normally do. Outside of the office my workouts and race results are also slower than at any other time of year. Projects around my office and my house tend to get delayed if not ignored.

Acknowledge that these speed bumps in your productivity are seasonal, not permanent. Most of us don’t have the luxury of folding up the tent until Labor Day when full energy resumes. Instead, slow down and set reasonable seasonal-adjusted goals during the Dog Days of August so you can hit the ground running in September.

·         If you normally call 10 prospects a month, cut back to five or six, but make those calls impactful.

·         If your firm normally does four blog posts a month, dial that back to two or three, but spend the time to make them poignant.

·         If you normally fly two or three times a month to see clients, maybe cut that back to once a month and fold a vacation into the trip.

Tips for slowing down to speed up

1. What are you really trying to say? Before you write Word One, ask yourself: “What is the single most important thing I want to get across to my audience?” Ask yourself that question out loud and when you have the answer, dictate the answer on your voice recorder or write it down on a white board for everyone to see. This makes the messaging real and you might want to revise it before blasting it out for public consumption.

2. Don’t let your keyboard get in the way. Just tell a story by using any “thought-capturing” means you prefer. Some of you are more comfortable with a legal pad and a pencil than with a computer screen, especially when you can go outside and compose your thoughts to “write” on a favorite deck chair or hammock. The key is to slow down and find a quiet place to think.

3. If you can say it you can do it. A few of you are natural writers, but many of you are more comfortable dictating into a voice recorder while stuck in traffic. Some of you are great presenters and PowerPoint whizzes, but freeze up at the site of a blank computer screen. If so, try recording yourself on video, or having a colleague or close family member record you. One of our clients “dictated” two entire books to us using nothing but his best slide presentations and lecture notes.

The key is to slow down, compose your thoughts and tell your story in your natural voice so it comes through loud and clear.

Most of you are established professionals and thought leaders. You have a great personal story to share and it’s probably more interesting than you think. But if you don’t sound like you believe your own story when you tell it, then how do you expect your readers and followers to buy it?

Still not convinced it’s worth slowing down? Well, a Harvard Business Review study of over 300 businesses showed that companies that took adequate time for deliberation and planning averaged 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating profits over a three-year period.

I’d love to tell you we have “6 Easy Steps” or a magic formula for making the writing process easier. We don’t. It’s a personal battle between you and your subconscious. To win that battle you have to slow down, be brutally honest with yourself and go back to basics. Get crystal clear about what you’re trying to convey to your audience and how can they use it in their day-to-day lives?

As always, we’re here to help.

Conclusion

Here’s more about busting through writer’s block and procrastination. As French philosopher Voltaire famously said, “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.” Just take your time and be prepared to revise, revise and revise. Still not sure what to write about?  .Ping me any time. I’m happy to help.

#effectivewriting, #thoughtleadership, #practicemanagement

Consistency is not boring

On more than one occasion, my wife has accused me of being the most boring man in America.

I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day. I drink the same brand of beer every night. I wear the same five outfits to work (one for each day of the week). I’ve worn the same brand of running shoes for 30 years. I feed my dog the same thing every morning and night, including the people food she mooches from me.

 

I’m not comparing myself to Steve Jobs, but there’s a reason he always wore the same black turtleneck, jeans and sneakers every day. Work attire was one less decision he had to make and he felt he ought to project a consistent brand image for his own personal identity. It was also part of Jobs’ daily routine for getting hyper-focused so he could get out there and change the world.

 

As a distance runner and triathlete most of my life, consistency has been a key to my identity. One foot in front of the other. Get your workout in whether it’s raining, snowing or broiling hot. Don’t let flight delays or work demands get in the way. Never skip workouts unless seriously ill or injured.

 

Legendary track coach Art Gulden used to bark at as in college: “Anyone can run fast when they’re feeling good. We’re going to teach you {expletives} how to fun fast when you feel like crap.”

That philosophy got me through four separate startup companies and several tours of duty in high-pressure newsrooms.

 

As many of you know, we have regular Gut Check™ accountability calls with our clients at the same day and time every week. The calls only last about 20 minutes, but they go a long way toward making sure nothing slips through the cracks and they ensure that clients (and we) are following through on their respective deliverables.

Clients who make at least 75% of their weekly Gut Check™ calls, have a 10X higher likelihood of a successful engagement with us than clients who make 50% or less – or who constantly reschedule. Clients who post or publish on a consistent basis (weekly, biweekly, monthly) tend to get more views, shares and client leads from their content than clients who post or publish sporadically.

 

NFL quarterback Russell Wilson says: “don’t get bored with consistency. Basketball legend Julius Erving (aka Dr. J) liked to say: “Being a professional is doing the things you love to do; on the days you don't feel like doing them.”

 

Hmmmm.

 

Motivational speaker Rob Cressy, said the most successful people he knows, have three traits in common (video):

1. They’re committed to excellence; they show up every day and get the work done.

2. They do same thing (very well) over and over and over again.

3. They cherish their morning routine (reading, meditating, visualizing and journaling, working out and practicing gratitude). Same thing every morning. Day after day. Year after year.

 

According to Cressy, consistency I snot sexy. “The results don’t show up immediately, but you’re planting seeds for the harvest.” In his book The Power of Consistency Weldon Long argues that you need to remind yourself constantly about what you want and what you’re trying to accomplish. It’s about getting deeply emotionally committed to the plan and taking consistent action toward implementing the plan for improved performance.

 

The Dog Days of summer are here. Everyone seems to be on vacation, about to go on vacation, or recovering from vacation. It's easy to lose your focus when the temperature’s up and OOO (Out of Office) replies are dominating your inbox. DON’T.

 

Now’s the time to hit the ground running when your rivals have checked out and are asleep at the beach. Winners know they can’t wait for ALD (After Labor Day) to get back on track, because by then, the train has already left the station.

 

“Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” -- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Don’t agree? Tell me why.

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#contentmarketing, #thoughtleadership, #practicemanagement