Treat This Like a Trip to the South Pole

We took a writing retreat to record this book’s content. However, we had the benefit of prior experience. Many first-time authors would be overwhelmed and burn out if they tried to do nothing but write for an entire day.

The alternative is to spend time on your book regularly. Writing in irregular spurts is natural. And so is gradually writing less and less often. If you only write when you “feel like it” or “have the time” you will likely never complete your book.

You need to treat this writing journey like a trip to the South Pole. I (Caleb) use a daily planner called the SELF Journal. At the beginning of the journal is an explanation of the “20-Mile March.” Here’s what it says:

To reach greatness you must focus on consistent and long term personal performance. In the book Great by Choice, author Jim Collins shares the story of two explorers, Amundsen and Scott, who led separate teams on an expedition race to the South Pole in 1911. The journey there and back was roughly 1,400 miles, which is equivalent to a round-trip from New York City to Chicago.

While both teams would be traveling the same distance as each other through extremely harsh weather conditions, each team took an entirely different approach to the journey.

Scott’s team would walk as far as possible on the good weather days and then rest up on the bad days to conserve energy.

Conversely, Amundsen’s team adhered to a strict regimen of consistent progress by walking 20 miles every day no matter what the weather. While on good days Amundsen’s team were very capable of walking further, Amundsen was adamant that they walk no more than 20 miles each day to conserve their energy.

Which one succeeded?

The team that took consistent action.

By taking consistent action everyday with the 20-mile march rather than spurts of inconsistent action, they made it to the South pole on schedule. Scott’s team that only travelled on good days ended up dying on the journey.

Work on your book consistently—every day is best. March just 20 miles regularly, and you’ll be at the South Pole of book publication in no time.