Butt In Chair Makes You a Millionaire - Or at Least a Successful Writer

I'm writing this article right after lunch. Before that, I sat at the computer from eight o'clock in the morning until noon and worked.

Today is a day on which I can work particularly concentrated because I have the plumbers in the house. I told them I was home because I do home office. I had no desire to explain to them that I am an independent author who writes books and articles.

In any case, the presence of the craftsmen ensures that I can sit at my computer without interruption. Just lying down for half an hour or watching an episode of my favorite series on Netflix would be embarrassing. I'm being watched.

Now, don't make a false impression. I'm pretty disciplined all the time, but today I'm going the extra mile. This is already the third article I am writing today. Thank you, dear plumbers!

Every day, at the same time, in the same place

People often imagine the life of an author to be exciting. You sit, a glass of red wine or beer in your hand, in front of your laptop and chew thoughtfully on a pencil with which you take important notes every now and then.

Then, after an hour or two, you sleep for a while or listen to music. Afterward, you go to a party where you meet philosophers, stars, artists and other interesting people. The next day, you don't get up till 11:00 in the morning.

A wonderful life. Unfortunately, this is nonsense because nothing could be further from the truth.

My everyday life as an author is more like that of an office worker. I sit at the computer between seven and eight o'clock in the morning and do the accounting first. Afterward, we have a small breakfast, and my wife says goodbye to go to work.

I then write on my current book or a new article until lunchtime. I'll eat something and sit back down. If I worked on my book before, I'm writing an article now and vice versa. Every day in the same place, at the same time, the same things.

Time works for or against you.

A book that is not worked on every day comes onto the market weeks later than it would be possible. No article written tomorrow instead of today can earn me money today.

As time goes by, the difference between someone serious about writing and someone who is not so precise becomes bigger and bigger. After one year, the one with the chair glue has over three hundred articles and six books that earn money for him and collect fans. The other might have two books and fifty articles. There should be no question as to who will be in a better financial position at the end of the year.

Habit makes it easier, not more boring

I remember my youth when I thought I could never work eight hours a day.

When I entered the world of work after completing my civilian service and studying at university, I suddenly did what I had thought impossible a few years earlier - I worked eight hours a day.

But I got used to it quickly and found that eight hours wasn't half as long as I thought.

I resigned after thirteen years and have been an independent author ever since. I knew from the beginning that I couldn't suddenly do less. Nevertheless, it was difficult at first to deal with the new freedom. I could literally do anything without anyone controlling me.

It would have been easy to give in to that. I'm glad I didn't because today it's easy for me to write for hours. I've got used to the fact that my everyday life consists of writing down words. I got used to my chair and my laptop and the same view from the window.

It's continuously easier for me to produce more and more. The more you do something, the easier it gets.

And now it's time for me to close the laptop by tonight and go running. You'll hear from me again tomorrow.