Let’s face it. We all do it. We need, desire, crave a more promising and satisfying result for our efforts.  Yet we go through the same internal checklists and corresponding motions wishing, hoping, even expecting a different outcome.

We rationalize. I’m so tired when I get home from work. I’ll finish that short story on my next day off. I’ve got to go through the mail, pay some bills and check my email. Then, I’ll work on my novel.

We spend our day off cleaning house, running errands, mowing the lawn and fall into bed. Exhausted.  Too tired to finish that short story. We fill the recycle bin with most of the mail, reduce the balance in our checking account, delete the spam and while we’re online check Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, click on a few websites, notice the late hour and go to bed. Novel ignored.

Process preserved. Outcome the same. Satisfying result? Not so much.

Nora Roberts a.k.a. J.D. Robb has written 214 books. How did she overcome life’s diversions and break this loop of procrastination?

“Stop whining and write. Stop f**king around and write. Stop making excuses and write.”

That’s my screen saver.