“Building Your Future Now”
Dear Writer, I hope you enjoyed your New Year and had a chance to dream, think, and pray about your audience and the people God has called you to reach! Now that we’ve discussed what you are writing and for whom, it’s time to get down to the practical. Like choosing when, where, and how often you write. Because here’s the thing…
It’s difficult to develop a writing habit without establishing a writing rhythm. And here’s the exciting part: your rhythm can look as unique as you do! The most important aspect of any writing rhythm is consistency.
But before we begin exploring let’s look at some others whose rhythms and habits created space for their success…
Rhythms and History
Albert Einstein is a good example of man who knew and embraced his rhythms. A brilliant scientist and physicist, Einstein used regular rhythms of rest and work to fuel his creativity. For instance, Einstein insisted on 10 hours of sleep a night. He also often took regular naps while holding a spoon to awaken him the moment he fell asleep as it dropped from his hand. This peculiar method of napping gave him all the benefits of rest without causing sleep inertia, a sluggishness that comes from napping too long.
Though those habits were unusual, Einstein knew these particular rhythms kept his mind sharp and at maximum capacity for the intensely creative and calculated work he was pursuing. Einstein’s adherence to these rhythms fostered and maintained the mental acuity and clarity that produced his ground breaking discoveries. Discoveries that changed the face of science forever.
You see, writer, our body has natural rhythms. Often our most fruitful writing will come from developing rhythms that leverage our physical strengths and weaknesses.
Rhythms and the Bible
Jesus is a shining example of the power of rhythms to shape a life. As chaotic as His day-to-day activities may have seemed, Jesus regularly found times, both early and late, to retire from his disciples and the crowds and spend time in prayer with His Father. Those times of divine solitude were the fountainhead of His strength in His abiding relationship with the Father.
Jesus could declare with confidence that He did only what He saw the Father do and spoke only what He heard the Father saying because of those consistent rhythms of fellowship. This is the very same consistent fellowship He invites us into for rest, strength, wisdom and confidence today. And here’s the thing…
Sometimes life is busy, writer. But you’ll notice that, while the timing and location of Jesus’ retreats varied, the activity itself was a non-negotiable. For some of us, our season of life will demand flexibility, and sometimes the when and where of our rhythm will often be best couched in weekly terms or by being coupled to other consistent activities. For instance you might determine, “Before I watch TV on the weekend, I will write for an hour.” Or, “After I go to the gym, I will write for two hours.”
Rhythms in Life
I first developed rhythms as a newlywed, while learning to maintain my home. At first, it seemed like an uphill battle to keep my 1,080 square foot house clean—even though I worked part-time from home and had no children. As I strove to conquer my mountain of mess, I learned that, for me, getting up early enough to do some housework every morning was a critical part of my daily and weekly rhythm. And here’s the interesting thing…
Those rhythms not only helped me clean and maintain my house, but they positioned me to be ready for the opportunities God was bringing into my life and, in time, to help others gain the same freedom to pursue God’s call.
Rhythms in Your Life
Discovering your writing rhythms is half about your design, half about your discipline, and all about your calling. It’s about merging that calling with your unique wiring and season to create a repeatable pattern that adds wind to the sails of God’s plans for your life. Let me show you…
- Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. – Proverbs 19:2
- By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. – Proverbs 24:3-4
- The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. – Proverbs 12:24
- For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” – Hebrews 10:36-38
You see, writer, we often begin writing with passion but very little planning, and when things become difficult or life overwhelms, we are tempted to give in to discouragement. But here’s the lovely thing. While writing may seem at times like a heroic effort, true fruit comes from consistency.
Establishing a writing rhythm is about taking what we know about ourselves and our life and prayerfully marrying it with what we know of God’s call for us. And as we do, that consistency not only helps us write, but it paves the way for God’s greater works in and through us!
Where to Start with Your Rhythms
So are you ready to begin prayerfully considering your own writing rhythm? Here are some questions to help you begin…
- Assess Your Productivity. Take stock of your own design when it comes to productivity. What times of day are you most energized and creative? How long do you work before needing a break? Some people are more creative in the morning and some at night some in the middle of the day. Some do best working in short spurts, others in large block of time. You may not always get to write at your optimum times, but taking your needs into consideration helps you make the best choices to set yourself up for success. Whatever your personal rhythms are, keep them in minds as you consider…
- Assess Your Season of Life. Are you currently working a full time job? At home raising kids? Newly retired? Trying to make it through college? Whatever your season, there is always a way to move forward with God’s call for your life. I encourage you to review the major responsibilities of your current season and schedule and determine what are non-negotiables and what are optional. Using an hourly weekly planner or monthly calendar to overview your “model” or typical week can be very helpful for this. Take some time to prayerfully assess and identify times where you can write. Don’t be afraid to use your creativity here!
- Consider “Zeroing” out Fluff. If you’ve completed the steps above and still can’t seem to find time, prayerfully review your life to identify any current habits that may need to be eliminated or “zeroed” out of your life. Sometimes, there are activities in life that seem immovable, but the simple fact is…we just never considered doing things differently. I encourage you to ask God for His wisdom and creativity to approach your life from a fresh perspective. Sometimes, a solution is right in front of us, but we simply didn’t know how to look for it.
- Ask God to Clarify Your Calling and Identity. Throughout the process of exploring re your personal writing rhythm, I encourage you to prayerfully review God’s call for you as a writer and what He’s asked you to do. Does He have you in a season of growth and preparation? Has He already asked you to begin? I encourage you, if He’s been calling you to write, to write down that call as clearly as you can and any verses that go with it. Then put them in a place you will see them every day. Because here’s the thing…
If establishing a writing rhythm is about consistency, that consistency, in part, will always spring from our identity. You see, we always act in ways that are consistent with who we believe ourselves to be. So part of establishing a writing rhythm is learning to continually see yourself as the writer God called you to be. After all, Einstein was a failing student who was told he would never amount to anything, yet he developed habits to pursue his dreams because he believed there was greatness to be discovered and that he was one to do it. I created routines as a newlywed because I believed the mess in my home had no place in my future. Jesus guarded His time with His Father based on His true identity as the Son of God. And here’s the beautiful thing…
You are a son or daughter of God, too. And if He has said you are a writer, you don’t need to delay any more in building a rhythm that will prepare you for the future He’s already written. Often He’s just waiting for us to partner with Him to seek His wisdom to apply His creativity to the life you have now. And here’s the wonderful thing…
Building our writing rhythm is a way we exercise our faith—faith in His calling and in who He’s said we are—as we begin to strategically and consistently move toward His promises for us. It is also the place He most refines and prepares us for the life He’s called us to. Just like Einstein’s rhythms readied him to see and articulate realms of reality never before conceived. Just like Jesus’ communion kept Him in the center of His Father’s will and sustained Him all the way to the cross. Just like my rhythms freed me to serve God and to free others too.
So, I encourage you today, if you’ve not done so yet, to prayerfully explore your writing rhythms with the Lord, rooting all in His identity and call for you, and grounding it in His wisdom to fit this season of your life, while keeping an eye on what’s beyond. Because here’s the real deal. Establishing a writing rhythm is about learning to open the door to God’s future for you in everyday life. As you do, just like Einstein, Jesus, and me, you’ll begin to unlock the future of others, too.
#rhythms #growth #vision #identity #EveryWriterWriting
