Why Self-Discipline is Important for Writers

Do you find that you have a knack for writing, but can’t seem to access your full potential? You have every desire to expand your writing capabilities, but things just keep getting in your way. Trust me, I’ve been there…but you’ve come to the right place! This is when self-discipline steps in, kicks down all those barriers, and brings out the best writer in you.

Why Self-Discipline is Important to Achieve Focus

Self-discipline helps to silence distracting thoughts

We’ve all came to a point where we’re trying write an article or blog, but we notice that we’re staring at the page without any progress being made. Why? Because we’re simply too busy thinking! All our attention becomes geared towards the mindless thoughts and the distracting chatter in our head which leaves us unable to focus on the task at hand.

Yet, when it’s time to write, having self-discipline tells your distracting thoughts to be still and hush up. This much needed silence creates an empty space in your head for high quality and intentional thinking to come through. No more fussing and having a cacophony of thoughts distracting you; self-discipline puts those thoughts in their place and gives you freedom to write efficiently without interruption.

Self-discipline creates complete awareness

Whenever I write, I sometimes catch myself freely typing away and my mind dozing off to a different place. When I finally come back to reality, I quickly realize that my words are just an incoherent chaotic mess! Due to the frequent number of times this has happened to me, I had to come to terms with the fact that I had a self-discipline issue.

Self-discipline puts a leash on that wondering mind of yours and tethers it back down to reality when it begins to doze. When self-discipline aligns your mind with your body to write, it allows you to become completely present in your work. As every part of your being is focused, it creates a heightened sense of awareness that leads to more purposeful and meaningful content than a wondering mind could ever achieve.

Why Self-Discipline is Important to Create Consistent Mental Patterns

Discipline trains your brain to continually write

Have you ever exercised for the first time after months of not working out? You quickly realize how unconditioned your body feels, and you notice that what used to be easy is now extremely hard. Yet, as exercising becomes a consistent routine, the workouts feel less painful; you can move with more ease; and you can even increase the weight or time. Writing skills work in the exact same way!

Having the discipline to write each day rewires your brain to focus and simply write. It might seem tough in the beginning, but as you practice writing consistently, content creation will eventually begin to flow with ease.

It brings forth something to the table

Bad content is simply better than no content. This flow achieved from disciplined writing does not guarantee good content all the time, but it does guarantee that something is always being done to develop your writing skills. So, if you ever find yourself consistently getting after that article, blog, and etc. but feel like most of your content is not quite up to par, don’t get discouraged! It will get better.

Consistency eventually leads to high quality content

So now that you’ve got the flow and are continually bringing some form of content to the table, you’ll eventually begin to see a tremendous growth in your writing. No longer do you produce good content only when sudden inspiration strikes, but you notice that higher-quality content comes about more consistently rather than sporadically.

That’s the beauty of having self-discipline as a writer; your consistency develops your writing skills maturely and tastefully like an elegant fine wine. All that time, determination, and effort spent self-improving eventually translates into the content itself. See, I told you it would get better.

Why Self-Discipline is Important to Help Shift Your Mindset

It overcomes feelings of procrastination, laziness, and distraction

Sometimes, our natural tendency is to run away from writing because it can be very overwhelming; so, we prolong the start of the writing process by distracting ourselves with other mindless agendas.

However, having self-discipline as a writer overcomes such feelings as it strengthens us to face and take charge of the challenge ahead. Self-discipline forces you to take that daunting first step (whether you like it or not) which always kickstarts the task’s eventual completion.  

It silences the inner critic

As writers, we are faced with a whole world of blogs, books, and articles and it’s easy to think “There’s no way I can write as good as this author!” or “I need to be like that blog in order to be successful”. So, if you’re like me and often to compare yourself to other writers, then it can be very difficult trying to create and publish any content.

I’m a perfectionist at heart; but over the years, I’ve often found that when I strive for perfection or a certain standard, I don’t really accomplish much in the end. My mind becomes so fixated on absolutely creating no errors that I stun myself from making a move. So how did I fix this? Self-discipline!

From observing other successful writers, I saw that they were easily able to produce content because they’ve learned to silence those negative and criticizing thoughts and channel a friendlier, more accepting version of themselves. They don’t sit around correcting their every move, but they go after each challenge because their self-discipline silences that inner critic and kicks it to the curb. Sometimes your biggest enemy can be yourself, so knowing how to control and quiet those pesky, critical little voices is an essential part of being a writer.

Imposter Syndrome

Additionally, imposter syndrome is a very common condition that many writers face. Imposter syndrome often stems from a perfectionistic mindset and includes feelings of estrangement and unworthiness due to inexperience or lack of skill.

With all sincerity, I’ve certainly had to battle my fair share of imposter syndrome in many areas of my life especially when it had come to writing; but as time went on and I continually practiced my writing skills with patience and acceptance, I saw that such feelings had gradually began to wane. So, if you think you might be experiencing imposter syndrome; don’t worry, it’s completely normal!

A piece of advice that was very comforting to me (which I still repeatedly tell myself today) was that the writer that you deeply idolize or admire had to start off from somewhere. It might look different from your experience, but they eventually reached where they wanted to be, and so will you. You will get there, so give yourself some grace.

Why Self-Discipline is Important to Create Feelings of Satisfaction and Fulfillment

Discipline establishes a fulfilling sense of accomplishment

At the end of the week, after all the time and energy spent working on my craft, I like to spend a little downtime reflecting on what I accomplished. I stare in amazement sometimes and think, “Oh wow…I really did that!”

That’s one of the many perks of being a self-disciplined writer. You get to look back on that article, blog, or book that you’ve done and take a nice deep breath knowing that you completed it. You breathe out all that stress and breath in that fulfilling sense of accomplishment which fuels you for the next project ahead.

Self-discipline brings forth motivation

After basking in the wonderful glory of your own achievements, it brings forth a well of motivation that gives you the endurance to keep on writing.

That’s why self-disciplined writers keep coming back. Writing is rewarding! If you take the time, effort, and the appropriate period to reflect, you get to the reap the reward of your own hard work.

Self-discipline unlocks this joyous and inspirational side of writing that many, sadly, don’t get to experience. Discipline is not this monotonous, strict cycle of boring habits but there’s a joy to it that keeps you on track and coming back for more.

Why Self-Discipline is Important to Build Power

Power over your circumstances

Now that self-discipline silenced those distracting and annoying little thoughts of yours, you finally have the power to write at any given moment and time. Knowing how to control your self-sabotaging tendencies is key to dominate any circumstance because your able to protect your writing skills from the vast and befuddling world.

Discipline develops this unshakable power that allows nothing to get in your way. Your mind becomes trained in such a manner that separates yourself from your surroundings. Your surroundings no longer define and determine your every move, but discipline gives you the power to define the way your surroundings influence you instead. So, ultimately, it’s just you and your words conquering the day!

Power translates into performance

This is the moment that we’ve all been waiting for… the power to perform! At this point, you’ve done all the hard work practicing your skills and getting your mind and circumstances under control, so all you have to do now is to go out there and be the best writer you can be.

Self-discipline builds a confidence in your own abilities because it prepares you with the appropriate skills to perform without hesitation. You’ve developed all the knowledge and experience that you need for the journey ahead, so you have what it takes to become a successful writer. Use that confidence for your advantage and write!

Power to help others

All that power and confidence you’ve formed from your journey of self-discipline has made you into a writing master, and you now stand strong and tall on your writing throne. However, don’t use such power and authority for self-gain but help your fellow writers out in becoming their best selves.  

Self-discipline gives you the competence and capacity for self-success, but it ultimately prepares you to impart your own wisdom and knowledge to build others up. You were once that small writer navigating through the big writing world and look at how far you’ve come! So, put yourself in other writer’s shoes and offer the guidance that empowered you to become the writer that you are today. Self-discipline is a powerful thing to wield and using such power for the good of others creates a revolution…and that starts with you.

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Summary

In summary, self-discipline is an essential part of the writing process as it instills all the atomic habits you need to become a successful writer. Talent can only take you so far, but self-discipline can build a firm foundation in your writing abilities that produces great content consistently with ease.