Really, Leah

Hello, there,

I hope never to overwhelm you with long letters that keep you from actually doing the work. I know the thrill of more information can cause procrastination, and we never get anything done. So, although this letter is lengthy, it is for a good reason. You will recognize it as you read.

As mentioned yesterday, victorious, prosperous, happy people are not thrown off by the inevitable, nor should we. Emergency situations happen, but we will not be moved, at least not for long. What we can do is create systems or a plan that will enable us to stick to our purpose, come what may, including the forces of hell meant to kill, steal, and destroy us. 

Success, completion, and validation depend on our decision-making. Will we endure hardships and emerge with a phenomenal overcoming story, or will we get stuck in what we could have achieved had this or that not happened (to us)? One perspective is a path to victory, and the latter is not.

As creatives and entrepreneurs, I already know the path you have decided to take because we are the same type of people. We have gifts and talents that the world (or at least our community) needs to see, taste, touch, and experience. We know that bumps in the road are a part of the journey. 

So, let us not be weary of doing well with our writing or innovations. God, who I believe controls the universe, has given the world a new year in which to reset and start again with whatever it is we already know we should be doing or completing. Today is our day, and as a recap from yesterday, we are to do it now.

NOW is No Opportunity Wasted. Every opportunity brings with it something to learn. The lesson may be for us, alone, or for someone else. Therefore, one of the first things our mentors do to stay on task is to acknowledge that LIFE will happen. 

Yesterday, I also asked two questions: (1) What are you doing today to create a better tomorrow? (2) How have you stayed on task in tough times? 

I asked because successful creatives make plans—success-sustainable plans. Therefore, we need one. We need a system that outlines our strategy for achievement. That plan includes knowing what we will do toward our goals and how we will stay the course despite misfortune. 

For example, I’ve provided my answers to both questions in a smaller font.

My Answer to Question 1:

For me, it’s spending time doing edits. For you, it may be creating a list of potential clients to call, or for another, it could be spending time at your desk developing a new product. Whatever your “it,” you need to work on it every day.

Question two focuses on how we can remain consistent even when the bottom falls out. What proactive stance will we take in tough times? We need to have one because if not, we will be subject to someone who actually has a plan. 

My Answer to Question 2:

When I cannot write at my desk due to an emergency, I will take notes or record notes on my phone, even if this means doing so in the bathroom. Why the bathroom? Because even in an emergency I still have to go! And since writing is cathartic, it will help me relax and find peace. My other option is to find some time before bed to write. I’m an early morning writer so if I can’t do it then, I will do it later. That’s what I “plan” to do. Of course, neither may happen; I may be too shocked to do either, but the likelihood that this will be my default action in an emergency is increased just by having a plan. 

Simple plans help us regain our power, show our commitment to getting our work done, and stick with the process. As successful creatives and entrepreneurs, our number one plan is always to keep moving toward the prize. When we plan, we commit to overcoming stormy weather or any external factors that might otherwise keep us stuck where we are.

Before this opportunity to practice what I’m preaching slips by, I want you to set a firm date and time to work on that project you need to start or complete. 

Go ahead. Pull out or open your calendar and block off the necessary time each day to reach your goal. 

Don’t overthink it, either.

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” –Henry Ford. 

Just do it. Say, “I am going to consistently work from this time to this time on these days to do this because this is my time, and the time is now.” You determine your “this” and “these.”

Lastly, to be proactive and accountable, I want you to share your schedule with your close friends and family. Do this before anyone calls on you to run here and there and everywhere. Take time to share your new and improved 2025 work schedule. Give as little or as much detail as needed. The bottom line is that other people’s agendas are surefire ways to spoil your plan. You will avoid hurt feelings by telling them upfront that you have a strict work schedule. You will find that the people who most want you to succeed will have no problem with the new boundaries you established to live your dreams.

All of this will take you no more than twenty-five minutes! So please create a plan.

If you like pantsing, and I do, you may find planning too rigid. I assure you it is not. Flying by the seat of our pants is for trapeze artists and is fine and fun when we are already working within our schedule. However, when we come out of that flow and down to earth, we still need a plan to:

If you have anything to add to success-sustainable planning, please drop your comments in the section below. My plan, ha-ha, is to share how I structure my limited time to work. It is also the process I used to write a novel in less than four months. The system will help with any passion project you may have, so keep checking your emails. 

Wishing you the absolute best. Really,

Leah