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The Middle 50% · The Daily Writer

• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: Hey my friend, welcome to today's episode of the Daily Writer Podcast.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever thought about why so many writing projects get started but don't get finished?
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, lots of people want to start writing a book, they want to start a podcast, they want to start a blog or build a writing business, but why do so many people stop short of actually following through and finishing those things?
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: Well, of course, the answer is pretty simple.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: The reason is that it gets hard and people give up.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: You've probably fallen victim to giving up as well.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: I know I certainly have many times over my career.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: You've started something, it gets difficult, and then you quit because it just wasn't as fun anymore.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Well, here is a simple yet effective way to ensure that you're going to follow through on what's important to you.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what you do.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Before you get started on something, make sure and commit to the middle 50% of the project.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: The first 25% of a project feels fun.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: You have a lot of enthusiasm and energy.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: People are cheering you on because you've announced it to people and they're they're supporting you in it.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: And the whole thing feels really new and really fresh.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: But from the 25% to the 75% mark of any project, it just simply gets hard.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: The enthusiasm wears off and you just got to stick with it.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: You're far enough away from the starting block that you've lost that initial excitement, but you're too far away from the finish line to see it.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got to manufacture your own enthusiasm and you've got to keep pressing on, knowing that the end will eventually be in sight.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: And when you get to that final 25% of a project, the excitement of finishing is going to pull you forward and it's going to give you a second wind.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe it's going to give you a third wind or a fourth wind or a fifth wind.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because, I mean, let's face it, if it's a long project like a book, you're going to need multiple wins over the course of the whole thing.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: But that middle 50% kills an awful lot of projects because it forces you to focus and be disciplined.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's why it's important to get those second, third, and fourth wins so you can press on and finish what is actually important to you.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: So before you get started on that project, make sure and commit to the middle 50%.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Here's today's question.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Think about your current projects.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Have you made the commitment to keep going in the middle 50%?
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for listening to today's episode.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: If you've been listening to this show for any length of time, you know that one of the four practices of a great writer is creativity.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: And in order to stay creative, you've got to have great input.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where writing prompts come in.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: A writing prompt is a sentence or two that helps you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Writing prompts are an awesome creative tool for journaling, storytelling, creative writing, stress relief, social media posts, and so much more.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: But the great news is that you don't have to create these yourself.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: We've put together an amazing package of 365 daily writing prompts.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: So every day for the next year, you can have a shot of inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: You can check it out at dailywriterlife.comslash writing prompts.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, and I'll see you tomorrow.