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How I Wrote 4 Books in One Year and How You Can Too

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I wrote 289,755 words in the last 365 days. A good business book is around 60,000 words, which means that in the last year I managed to write 4 books. Here’s the catch – I did this by committing to only one easy and simple action each and every day.

A little more than a year ago, I decided to become a writer. I knew that becoming a writer was a hard mission and that it wouldn’t fall from the sky – I had to earn it. So I studied what the biggest writers of the past and present did to become great writers. And there it was, a single habit that all of them shared which made them great.

Every single day, no matter if it was raining or snowing, cold or hot, traveling or at home, they wrote at least 500 words. A habit of writing at least 500 words daily made those people and all I had to do to become a great writer is to do the same. No matter how much it took me, if I just made it a priority of writing those words daily, I would become good enough. So that’s what I did for the past 365 days.

I wrote at least 500 words a day and it accumulated to 289,755 words in one year.

This writing brought me to Addicted2Success, Lifehack.org, Goalcast and many other platforms where my work was seen by hundreds of thousands of people.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to become a great writer:

1. Rely on a system and ignore motivation

Let’s say you want to write 500 words a day and you skip the first 3 days, thinking that you will cover it all on Thursday. That means that on Thursday you need to write 500+500+500 from the previous three days +500 more for that day. That is a whopping 2000 words that you have to write that day.

Now, if you rely on motivation to keep you through this, you will fail. You will probably write inconsistently as motivation is simply unpredictable and we can’t base our lives on it.

In order to truly succeed, you need a system. So ignore the fact that you are not always motivated to write and simply just write. Even the greatest writers don’t have the motivation to always write, but they still did it because they made it a habit.

2. Do the work

Today’s world is all about the next new hack such as how to make a 10-year vision come true in 6 months. However, writing is different. No matter what kind of a teacher you have and what kind of tips and tricks they teach you, it still requires hard work.

You can learn about great writing from books like On Writing by Stephen King or by William Zinsser On Writing Well, but you will never become a writer by only learning about it. You need to do the work and there is no going around this. 500 words a day is simple to do but it’s also simple not to do.

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.” – Thomas A. Edison

3. Resistance will always be there

There is this notion that the better you become as a writer, the easier it is to simply sit down on your laptop and churn out a War and Peace. Well, the fear you feel when you sit down to write for the first time is the same fear Stephen King, Haruki Murakami or Neil Gaiman feel when they sit down to write.

It doesn’t matter if it’s your first blog post or your 47th book you are writing, you still feel the fear. It’s so strong and pervasive that it was immortalized in a book by Steven Pressfield called The War of Art. This fear got a name in the book – Resistance – and it’s the main culprit for things like writer’s block, lack of ideas and topics to write about, not knowing what to write about, etc.

Resistance will always be there, every single day, looking at you and trying to fight you off from the goal you set out. But the best way to defeat it is by doing the one thing Ernest Hemingway said will make you a writer: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

4. Quality comes from quantity

Henry David Thoreau wrote seven different manuscripts for Walden. Hemingway wrote 47 different endings of “A Farewell To Arms.” Jack Kerouac wrote “On The Road” in 3 weeks but then spent 7 years editing the piece.

“The only kind of writing is rewriting,” was said by Hemingway and Stephen King added “To write is human. To edit is divine.” All of this teaches us that even the big wigs in writing spent time getting better. Because of this, they achieved that quality of work by the quantity of it.

The first thing you write is usually called “The shitty first draft” (quote by Anne Lamott) but you can’t edit a blank piece of paper. That’s why you need to write a lot and then from all of that writing and rewriting, good third and fourth drafts will appear which will be a great foundation for an amazing 7th draft and the 8th published draft.

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” – Stephen King

If you want to write quality, you first need to go over quantity. Nobody gets better by just picking up writing – it takes consistency, time, and effort. By simply writing 500 words a day, you can become like that. Remember, all you have to do is sit every single day and, as Hemingway said, bleed on the typewriter. Or just write 500 words a day and you will get there.

Have you tried to write before? Let us know in the comments below so we can all help one another.

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

Bruno Boksic is an expert habit builder who was covered in the biggest personal development publications like Lifehack, Addicted2Success, Goalcast, Pick The Brain. If you want to build life-long habits, Growthabits is the first place to visit.

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Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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