What Stephen King and Your To-Do List Have in Common

Ever wonder how Stephen King manages to churn out bestseller after bestseller? It’s not magic—it’s his relentless commitment to one simple principle:

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”

Now, what does that have to do with your to-do list?

Everything.

Most of us understand the logic behind breaking down work into manageable chunks. We expect our workflow to look like this:

But in reality, a realistic workflow looks more like this:

And here’s the thing—most of us try to fix this by forcing more discipline. But it’s not about discipline; it’s about understanding your reasons.

As humans, we don’t do anything that doesn’t benefit us in some way.

“Ah, come on, Jason, how could procrastination possibly benefit me?”

Well, let me tell you.

• I used to get an adrenaline rush from finishing a paper just before the deadline. I

• I got a sense of significance when everyone else gave 110%, and I could slide by with 60%.

• Not putting myself out there? That protected me from criticism.

• Doing half-assed work meant that if I failed, I could brush it off—“It’s okay, I didn’t really try.”

If you’re willing to take an honest look in the mirror, you’ll find your reasons for dragging, too.

The only way this changes is when your reasons for taking action outweigh your reasons for holding back.

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself:

1. What are you missing out on by playing small?

2. Who else loses when you play small? Your family? Friends? Future clients?

3. Who do you become if you face what’s difficult?

So, the next time you find yourself hesitating, remember that the reasons you’re holding back are often just fear disguised as logic. Flip the script. Focus on what you stand to gain, not what you’re afraid to lose.

As Stephen King says,

“Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy”

It’s time to stop waiting and start doing—one task, one action, one step at a time.

Because your story is worth telling, and it’s time to get to work.

Cheers,

PS - Wanna tiny-winey bit of help growing your audience without relying on social?