A
friend of mine said to me in an email:
“Clay… have you got any
tips for me, on how to be diligent enough to finish a book? I’ve started, but
have allowed myself to get sidetracked for long periods of time.”
I
wrote this response and thought it worthy enough to pass on to everyone:
“I don’t know if it will work for you; but here’s what I know to
be true and what I have found out personally.
·
If a person can just have the discipline to
develop a habit of eating an apple each day, they can do anything!! (I try to eat an apple every day some days I
miss but almost every day!)
·
If you determine that come hell or high water, you will eat the
apple each day, then you would have the discipline to eat healthy that day. (I
eat healthy every day. I am 5ft 9in tall
and weigh 170 lbs and have 33 inch waist and I take no medications of any kind;
at 58 that’s pretty good results from that good habit I started 30 years ago)
·
If you can eat healthy and make it a habit then you could/would
have the fortitude to add another habit (or discipline) to that first one.
I added saving money. If you can eat an apple a day, you can make yourself save
10% of your income. (We save 10% every month. That’s where the money came from
to start the Kentucky Opry; this month is our 21st anniversary.)
·
If you can eat the apple, and save 10%, you can add another
discipline. I added a daily
morning devotion. (I have been doing the morning prayer-time, and Bible reading for
several years now…and it has changed my life.)
·
I you can make yourself eat the apple, save the 10%, and do your
daily devotion, then you can add another discipline; I added exercise.
(I try to exercise 3-4 days per week about 20-30 minutes at a time. I use an Ab
Lounge 2, an Ab Doer Pro model, A Nordic
Track Ski Machine, a Nordic Elliptical,
and also 10 lb weights)
·
If you eat the apple, save 10%, do a daily devotion and exercise,
then that would give you the confidence to add another discipline, I added
writing. After going to my first writing class at the Wizard Academy 7 years
ago, I read the book Bird by Bird. It’s all about the discipline of daily
writing.
·
Next I had a story. I had a story I really wanted to tell.
The story of my extreme poverty as a child and how I overcome the odds to
become almost famous. And how I used to be sinner and God changed my life. The
story of me hitch hiking from Missouri to California when I was just 16. The story of a bankruptcy and two divorces
and on and on…
Now here is my point: one good discipline leads to another, and also…one lack of discipline leads to another.
Now, I just wrote to you about 480 words (not counting
these added words) and if you would just write 480 words each day, for 45-50
days, you will have your book!! It all starts with an apple a day.
You can do it! I’ve never seen a determined woman that could not get done what
she disciplined herself to do. You can do it. (I will help you through if you
want”
Benton Kentucky
270-703-2700
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