Harnessing the Unlikely Power Of Quitting to Achieve Ghostwriting Success

Procrastination is the key to becoming a prolific and crazy successful writer

Well...it's to procrastinate quitting.

Here's a story from a fellow writer. Let's just call her "Marge."

In the middle of a lousy week, Marge was not feeling it. Not feeling like picking up her pen. Not feeling what she says is her passion. Just not feeling being a writer anymore.

She sent me a text, and it simply said, "I'm gonna quit, Rick. This kinda sucks."

I replied, "Cool, sounds like a plan. But wait until you at least knocked out 200 words today. It would be lame not to get that little project done for me as you said and leave me hanging"

She agreed to do those silly 200 words.

Here's the thing, because once she finished those 200 words, she didn't want to quit anymore. She wasn't feeling as beat down after that. And that seemingly endless feeling of dismay she was experiencing had, well, ended and been surmounted.

Marge didn't quit.

She moved on to the next day and the next project on her calendar. She woke up, pulled on her big-girl writers pants, and knocked it out one more day. Then another day...another...you get the hint.

What was the key?

Quitting later.

Our brain's panic response is often the reason we give up on our goals. When we face a difficult challenge, our brain panics and wants us to leave the situation because it seeks to avoid difficulty. And what that means is that we should wait until later to quit.

Let me say that again because it's important: Wait until later to quit.

Procrastination can actually be a powerhouse of progress toward success if you train yourself to use it the right way.

Give yourself permission for not quitting at that moment in time when your brain is telling you to give up. Allow yourself the luxury of taking some time to think about it, and then, when you're in a better frame of mind, decide if quitting is really what you want.

Procrastination can be the key to becoming a prolific and crazy successful writer!

So if you're feeling like giving up on writing, or any other goal for that matter, just procrastinate quitting! Give yourself one more day, one more hour, or even one more minute at a time. You might not feel like it now – but by the end of the day, you'll be glad you did.

Procrastination can be one of the best tools for becoming a prolific and crazy successful writer.

Remember one of the most important phrases of powering through and becoming prolific: This, too, shall pass.

If you can just weather the storm for a few minutes, it is likely the worst will be over, and your brain will calm down and stop telling you to quit.

So, when you feel like quitting - in a workout, on your diet, or on a writing project - just quit later.

You don't need to commit to finishing the entire goal and never quitting. That can seem too daunting at times. Instead, tell your momentarily weak brain: "Fine! I'll quit...but later. After this set. In an hour. After a night's sleep. After 200 more words. Next week."

When you reach your agreed-upon quitting time, odds are, you won't feel like quitting anymore.

So here are three main reasons to NOT quit now:

1. Resilience leads to success: One of the key characteristics of successful people is resilience - the ability to overcome challenges and setbacks. By procrastinating quitting, you're training your brain to be more resilient. You're giving yourself the opportunity to develop a habit of perseverance, which can be helpful not only in writing but also in other areas of your life.

2. Opportunities come to those who persist: Many writers experience rejection and failure before achieving success. By quitting prematurely, you might miss out on opportunities to improve your craft, build your network, or get discovered. On the other hand, by procrastinating quitting, you're staying in the game and increasing your chance of catching a lucky break. Remember, it only takes one yes to change everything.

3. Writing is a journey, not a destination: If you're only focused on the end result - a published book or article - you might be missing the joy and growth that come from the process of writing. By procrastinating quitting, you're allowing yourself to enjoy the journey, to learn from your mistakes, and to discover new insights along the way. Who knows, maybe you'll even surprise yourself with what you're capable of achieving.

So, the next time you feel like quitting your writing project, remember these reasons and procrastinate quitting.

Take a break if you need to, but don't give up. You might be closer to success than you think.

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