Hey, What Happened?!!

By Susan Goodsell - Nov 02 , 2009

If you happen to be British, a diversion is, a detour on a highway or road. In military terms, the definition is, a feint intended to draw off attention from the point of main attack. According to dictionary.com, a diversion is, the act of diverting or turning aside, as from a course or purpose: a diversion of industry into the war effort.

And, most humorously, as defined by my 16-year-old daughter, Kelsey, “A diversion is, when I tell myself stuff that’s complete balogne, like I can’t do my physiology homework because I have to chill first. Then, eight episodes of Scrubs later . . . .”

As writers, what diverts us? It’s important to our success to give this question some careful thought.

In the interest of self-awareness and in my belief in the necessity of living life with a commitment to education, last weekend I was in Capistrano Beach, California, at a Productive Learning & Leisure seminar called “Diversions.” Expertly led by Executive Coach and trainer Susan Mayginnes, sixteen of us spent two full days exploring why we have goals, yet may often end up someplace else, wondering, What happened?!!!

A diversion is any distraction from our goal or purpose. You may not be able to totally stop your diversions, but recognizing your patterns and being aware of what’s lacking and why we may be operating unconsciously is 99 percent of the battle.

Here are some dangerous potholes in the road to success for book industry writers and tips to stay on track so we end up exactly where we intended to go:

1. Yes, I WILL write 1000 words today and I WILL—–oooh, look at that pretty yellow bird!

You know who you are—you’re on track until something prettier/shinier/newer/more exciting comes along!

You need to have an accountability partner or a system of self-checks to keep you focused. The best system of accountability? Whatever you will consistently do!

2. I’m feeling too upset/tired/frustrated/worked up to write right now!

Feelings don’t live in your mind, they live in your body. It’s important to drop out of the story and pay attention to the sensations in your body.

I made a commitment to doing a body check a few times a day. Just 30 seconds of quietly checking to see if I’m clutching the steering wheel as if my hands were talons, breathing shallow rather fully filling and emptying my lungs, slouching over my laptop rather than sitting up tall with my shoulders back. This exercise is giving me amazing insights into my “feelings.”

3. You’ve started a book (or two or three) but keep hitting the wall, unable to finish or even make much progress.

Are you clear to yourself about your expectations? According to Susan Mayginnis, “You’re either telling the truth and are willing to face the positive and negative consequences of that, or you are withholding and manipulating.” Susan insists that 99% of your life will change if you commit to three things:

• Tell the truth to yourself and others
• Feel your feelings
• Keep your agreements

So be clear about your goals and expectations of others and yourself as a writer. Feel what you feel and own it, but don’t be diverted by it, and keep the agreements you make with yourself, your editor, your publisher, and others.

4. You have a passion for period romance novels—–but find yourself writing technical journals.

This diversion could be the seduction of money or the fear of failure or a reflection of what was missing in the life of your younger self, any of which prevents you from following your true passion.

If you’re rationalizing, you’re not telling the truth to yourself.

The bad news is that the reason for many of these issues is most likely not on the surface. The good news is that PL & L’s amazing trainers will take an issue that is initially clear as mud and turn it into Waterford crystal in one short class!

(DISCLOSURE:  PL & L is not my company, so there are no ulterior motives or referral fees involved, here—–just some honest words from an excited learner who encourages writers everywhere to never give in to diversions and to never, ever, ever quit learning !)