Ever have a pig-out weekend with a wake-up call on Monday morning? I did yesterday. After reading a few motivational articles online for getting myself back on track, it struck me that getting fit and getting published have a lot in common.

The Writing-Fitness Team

The problems that derail our writing goals and our fitness goals (and the solutions proposed by the “experts”) can almost be interchanged!

• For example, if you want to lose weight and get in shape, fitness experts say that a support system of some kind is necessary. (Writers need it too.)
• Interval training is recommended for fitness–short bursts of focused work, then lighter periods for recovery. (This works best for my writing schedule as well.)
• Fitness experts recommend keeping track of your calories consumed and miles run. (Writers recommend keeping track of words and pages written.)
• Certainly to succeed in both areas, you need daily disciplines (consistency).
• And in both arenas, “slow and steady wins the race,” rather than days of self-torture followed by taking several weeks off.
• Both fitness experts and published writers recommend journaling, both for dealing with emotional issues that can throw you off your goals, as well as “before-during-after” journals for dealing with special blocks and temptations.
• Fitness gurus tell you how to deal with those loved ones who (perhaps unconsciously) try to sabotage your weight-loss progress. I’ve written about that issue myself, pertaining to writing.
• Fitness experts talk about the changes you need to make daily, and how you must think of them as “lifestyle changes” if you want to be successful. (Writers, also, must make changes in lifestyle that need to be permanent instead of lasting only until a deadline is met.)
• Diet instructors caution against using your calories on junk food and feeding the body little nutritional value. (As a writer, we need a variety of “nutrient dense” reading, not just fluff.)
• To be successful in either endeavor, you need to stop those negative, defeatist thoughts and be optimistic.
• There are also times to deal with where you do everything right but get disappointing results (follow your food plan and exercise daily, yet gain a pound–OR write daily and submit, yet get rejected.)

I realized today that if I can master these general habits and mindsets, I can conquer all my fitness issues AND my writing issues! How do I plan to do that? My tried-and-true mini habits.