Going Pro – contracts with yourself

Do you have goals or contracts?

Steven Pressfield makes an excellent point in his book ‘Going Pro’- that he professionally incorporated his own name. Steven Pressfield llc.

This wasn’t a branding exercise but a way he recognised that he was now a professional, and a pro doesn’t write when they feel like it, they write because they’re obligated to.

Do you have a goal of writing 3 times a week, and you rarely hit it? If you paid a writer to do this would you renew the contract? Absolutely not.

Let go of quality a little. Ship. Words are more important than inspiration.

Some contracts I’ve made with myself this year are

• Turn up to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 3x a week
• Publish a daily blog

Both of those contracts don’t have any other ask than to turn up, to ship. They’re both contracts of ‘the practice’. Quality and craft will come, but they won’t if I don’t turn up.

Contracts. The practice. Not the outcome.