In a previous edition of Words Into Works, we met author Steven Pressfield, who went to extraordinary efforts to write a novel. But we didn’t discuss what happened after—after Pressfield had said no to everything else.
One morning over coffee, Pressfield shared with his friend Paul Rink, a fellow author, that he had finally finished his book. “Good for you,” Paul replied. “Start the next one today.” [1]
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It’s tempting to bask in the glory of our successes, to reward ourselves for doing the very thing we set out to achieve. Kelly McGonigal describes this phenomenon, known as moral licensing, in her book, The Willpower Instinct.
In her words,
When you do something good, you feel good about yourself. This means you’re more likely to trust your impulses—which often means giving yourself permission to do something bad.
Celebrate your wins, of course, within reason. Especially the tiny victories. But then get back to work. Pronto. The next book. The next workout. The next chance to inch closer to where you want to be. Success is built sequentially, remember brick by brick. One action at a time.
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