12 Rules I Live By As An Author
12 Daily Rules
I’ve been trying to get a bit of routine into my life, create a few daily rituals. The idea is that these rituals will help me be more productive and a better person. Here’s what I’m up to:
1. I go to bed and get up at the same time 7 days per week (9. 30 p.m. and 6.30 a.m.) I do not deviate from this schedule unless it is due to an important (and this word is not used lightly) work or social function.
I stick to a diet of whole, natural foods, avoid caffeine after 1 p.m., and avoid alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime. I’ve given up a lot of sugar and surprisingly I feel clearer in my head and I’m sleeping better.
2.I write for at least 60 minutes every morning; before 9am.
3.I do not check email before 9 a.m. I don’t need to take somebody elses monkey on so early in the day.
4.I do not talk on the phone early in the morning unless it is a scheduled interview or conference call. Being an Aussie I do occassionally break this ritual for my American friends when we do a Zoom interview.
5.I create a to-do list at the end of every workday and I follow that to-do list starting first thing the next morning. I don’t leave my house until lunch time so that I can be fully focused on my tasks at hand. My productivity is through the roof.
I also perform my daily readings at the end of every workday, and I write in a gratitude journal. I am thankful every day and make a recording of this for ‘some dark days’. (and yes they do come)
6.I do not engage in confrontations with anyone, in-person or online. This is a waste of time and energy.
If I have caused harm, I apologize and fix the situation. However, if someone simply doesn’t like something I have done or something that I do or disagrees with me, that is fine, but I’m not going to get into an argument about it.
For any confrontation-like situation, I simply take a deep breath, relax, breathe out, and re-focus my efforts back on my work and goals.
7.I am guided by these two phrases: a) “Nothing matters.”
By this, I mean that arguing on the internet changes nothing, I can only work towards the major, massive goals that I have set for my life…that I have a vision of helping others, and there is no time to let petty arguments stand in the way.b)
“It will all be over soon.”
This serves me in both good times and in bad.In hard times, such as bad days or troubled times, I know that it will all be over soon.
In good times, I will remember that life is short, and I must make things count now, and no matter how good things are going I must never let myself become soft and lazy, because I have too much to accomplish in such a short time.
8.Everything that happens to me – good and bad – is my personal responsibility. I blame no one but myself. These are the choices I’ve made – this is the life I’m living. I will accept the consequences of my actions.
9.I will not stop until I have placed my books into the hands of one million + readers.
10.I will not be a person I don’t want to be. I will not be petty, jealous, or envious, or give in to any other of those lazy emotions.
11.“I will always keep the child within me alive.” – Frank McKinney. I will laugh every day. That’s not hard when you have the people I hang out with. And if they don’t make me laugh, there’s always Rohan Atkinson – ‘Mr Bean, Johnny English’
12.“I will write with honesty and feeling.” – Ted Nicholas. I’ve long since giving up caring about how others choose to judge me.
There are only a few people whose opinions I truly care about and 99% of them are family.
I think I’m making progress.
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