Sorry for Telling You This, but There's No Habit of Writing
You're only getting used to starting but not doing the writing itself.
There’s no habit of writing.
There’s no habit of reading.
There’s no habit of working.
That’s all bullshit.
Everywhere you look, people are talking about habits.
“Build a habit of writing!”
“Create a habit of reading!”
“Master the art of habits to achieve success!”
And they’re not entirely wrong. Our lives are shaped by the choices we make and the habits we develop over time.
But here’s the reality: not everything is a habit.
My Struggle with Writing
Last year, in 2024, I was just a regular writer, constantly searching for motivation and passion.
I thought, “If I can just find my love for writing, everything will fall into place.”
But it didn’t.
I pushed myself to love the work. I tried to force passion. But instead of getting better, I burned out.
Writing felt like a chore. It feels like a pointless task that drained me over time.
So, I stopped.
I took a break for 2 weeks, thinking that if I waited long enough, passion or motivation would return.
But guess what? It didn’t.
Starting Small: A Temporary Fix
Eventually, I tried the “start small” method.
I wrote just one sentence a day. It worked for a while. Writing felt less burdensome, and I managed to get back into the momentum.
But deep down, something didn’t sit right.
“Two years ago, I had motivation. Why don’t I have it now? Writing one sentence a day? I’m a failure!”
It’s Not About Habit
That’s when I had an expensive lesson.
Some tasks, like doing the dishes or washing clothes, aren’t driven by passion. You don’t wake up excited to scrub plates or do laundry. These are obligations, not passions.
And writing?
It’s similar.
Not every writing session will be fueled by creativity or fun. Sometimes, it’s just about sitting down and doing the work.
This taught me a valuable lesson:
Habits only get you to the starting line.
What keeps you going is discipline.
The Truth About Writing
There’s no such thing as a “habit of writing.”
What you’re really building is the habit of starting:
Sitting at your desk.
Opening your laptop.
Loading Google Docs.
But the actual writing? That’s not automatic.
Writing demands effort. It requires conscious thought. You’re fully awake, crafting each sentence intentionally.
What Keeps You Going?
Here’s the hard truth:
Motivation, passion, and habits are fleeting.
Laziness, procrastination, and self-doubt will always show up.
What separates the doers from the dreamers is one thing: discipline.
Discipline is showing up even when you don’t want to. It’s writing that article, cleaning those dishes, or finishing that task. It’s not because you’re motivated, but because it needs to get done.
It’s not about “love” to work. It’s about love to start the work.
How to Get There
What I learn and practice along the way leads me to where I am right now. And I want you to learn a thing or two from what I learn. Hopefully, it could help your writing journey.
And here’s how to practice it:
Practice Starting: Build the habit of sitting down to work.
Forget Motivation: It’s unreliable. Don’t wait for it.
Embrace Laziness: Expect it, and work through it anyway.
Do the Work: Even if it’s messy, even if it’s hard, just do it.
As Miyamoto Musashi once said,
“It may seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first.”
Final Takeaway
Building the habit of writing is bullsh*t.
What is not bullshit is building the habit of starting to write. That is what the real habit of writing is. And my newsletter and articles teach you that.
I don’t want you to be dreaming about “passion” or “love” to write.
It doesn’t work like that.
So stop chasing motivation. Stop searching for passion. Just start — and keep going.
You’ll find that the journey itself is worth it.
Habits help you start, but discipline helps you finish.
Consistency helps you show up, but love is what helps you stay.
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Essential Resources for Your Journey 📚
Take your growth to the next level with guides, courses, and tools designed to help you build strong habits and level up your life.
✅ The Habit of Reading
A Step-by-step Guide to Building Your Reading Habit from 0 to 1
✅ The Mastery of Reading
A Step-by-step Guide to Mastering Your Reading Habit from 0 to 100
✅ Life-changing Blueprint
How to Change Your Life with Implementation Guide
✅ My Booknotes
Understand What You Read with Implementation Guide
✅ More resources to help you grow!
All in one place on the link and free to access.