The secret to starting

How do you leave? When you leave your desk, how do you leave it? When you leave your computer, how do you leave it? Let me tell you a secret. Learn to leave well and your effectiveness will take off.

Look at it from a different perspective and you’ll see. What’s the first thing you see when you sit at your desk in the morning? What’s the first thing you see when you open your computer? What you see first directs you. If you don’t do this on purpose you’re going to go in the wrong direction. What direction do you want to go?

Let’s work through some examples.

Do you want to write? Leave well. Open your text editor before you close your computer for the evening. The blank page can be ruthless. Leave a prompt or start writing the first sentence. Unblank the page. When you open up your computer the next morning you will write. This is how you become a writer.

Do you want to draw? Leave well. Set your notebook and pencil on top of your keyboard before you go to bed. The blank page can be ruthless. Make a single line or scribble. Unblank the page. Know exactly what you’re going to draw. You will draw before you open up your computer. This is how you become an illustrator.

You get the picture. What are you going to become? Learn to leave well.