Build Confidence, Not Delusion: 2023 Recap
One of my favorite quotes from 2023 was from Alex Hormozi:
“Confidence without evidence is delusion. You don't become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are. Give yourself so much goddamn proof that you are the version of yourself want to be, and you'll become them. Outwork your self doubt.”
One of my primary goals for 2023 was to take a more detailed approach to tracking my writing. At the end of every day in 2023, I asked myself the following questions:
Did I write?
If yes, what did I write?
For the types of writing, I had five options and each had a designated color. These options included:
Writing
Editing
Agent submissions (I’m trying like hell to get this manuscript published, you guys)
Blog Stuff
If I answered “yes,” I would then color in the day on my planner’s calendar.
Sidenote: Because I know some of you nerds may be wondering, I Moleskine’s 8.5” x 5.5.” Weekly Planner. I like this one because it comes with extra writing space in the front and back, as well as lined pages next to each week (where I write my action items).
Anyway! By paying closer attention to the days I had colored in, I learned why I was (or wasn’t) making progress with my creative goals. For example, at the beginning of the year, I was on a reading tear and so I was dedicating a lot more time to writing book reviews here on the blog. Fast forward to June, I had a writing deadline to hit for the Locale: An Anthology from Inked in Gray Press (coming out May 2024). So while I wasn’t writing a ton for the blog, I was busy editing that short story. The rest of the summer was spotty though, so it’s no surprise that not a lot of progress was made on my creative projects and there wasn’t a lot going on the blog either. But now fast forward to November when I participated in NaNoWriMo and it’s clear I was on a mission. I wrote every day and the momentum I gained from NaNo gave me the push I needed for December as well to finish a short novel I have been working on for a little less than three years.
Looking back on 2023, I’m proud of my outputs. Plus, I now have data I can compare against 2022 and keep in mind throughout 2024. But more importantly, I have an undeniable stack of proof that if I put in the work I can hit my deadlines and goals. Will I be perfect this year? Of course not. No one is and, let’s be honest, perfection is a creativity killer. But we also can’t just fly aimlessly in the dark. We need an accountability system.
This system works for me because it’s simple and, like the 5-year-old I am, I enjoy coloring. Finding the system that works for you may take some time, but if your goal is holding yourself accountable and working toward long-term goals, I would say it’s worth the effort.
Q&A
Do you have a progress tracker or system? Tell us about it in the Comments Section below 👇
