Getting Back on Track

Starting over after you’ve lost your way.

How many of us have lost our motivation? I’ve been unmotivated, but after a few days fighting through it I was back on track. My engine just needed a little rest.

Now how many of us have gone completely off track? The engine derailed, fell down the mountain side and ended up in a raging river carried away over a waterfall. That’s where I’m at. It’s my own fault. I’m a creature of habit and this summer I let myself get derailed. Here’s what happened:

I work a full time job. I’m up at the crack of dawn and I’m done at five in the afternoon. It’s a long day. My wife works second shift. She drops off our daughter at the sitters before work (during summer break) and I pick her up. Family is the most important thing in my life so I spent the evening with her. After she goes to bed, and before my wife gets home, I have two hours to dedicate to writing. I’m able to focus on the story with no interruptions.

My wife had a day off in June, just before school ended. Our daughter was playing with her friend on her trampoline and my wife thought it would be a good idea to show them how to do a back flip.

“Don’t do it,” I said. “You’ll break your leg or sprain something.” She gave me an annoyed look and walked over to the trampoline.

When she came back I asked her how she felt. She told me she landed funny and heard her knee pop but otherwise fine, until the next day. I woke up for work and she was up already.

“Don’t gloat,” she said.

“About what?”

“You were right.”

“I’m right about a lot of things,” I told her. “What specifically?”

“I think I hurt my knee more than I thought.”

To make a long story short, she had a small tear in her MCL and was off work for two months. This is where I let myself get sidetracked.

For the first few days it was nice having her home in the evening. She made special dinners and we watched movies together as a family. I had just finished writing my second book and thought it would be a good time to take a small break and relax.

Before I knew it, I let a few days off turn into weeks then months. Now I’m looking around wondering why I let myself get to this point. Again, I take full responsibility. The problem now is I’m having trouble getting back on track.

This brings us to the present. I recognize I have a problem and that’s the first step in fixing that problem. But how? I’ve done some research and found a lot of good advice about getting back on track. Reevaluating my goals, defining my purpose, better time management just to name a few.

In the next few weeks I’m going to be implementing these ideas and get back to where I want to be. At my desk writing my next book. I’ll be documenting this so if anyone else has fallen and think there’s no way back, there is. It’s not going to be ease, but nothing worth doing is.

If you found this helpful or know someone who might need this, please like and share. I would really appreciate it. Indie authors, like myself, need your support. Without you we’re just writing books for our own bookshelves. Thanks again for all your support.