How to Adopt an Identity that Gets Writing Results

Goals, aspirations, dreams, and visions represent results you want to achieve. However, getting writing results requires possessing the identity of someone who can create what you want—published articles and books and a career as a writer and author.

You must be the type of person who can take the necessary actions to create those results. If you aren’t that type of person now, you must adopt the characteristics of such a person.

How to Know if You Need to Adopt a New Identity

How do you know if you possess an identity that will help you create writing and publishing results? Look at your current results. Then, answer this question: Are your current results the ones you want? If not, you aren’t yet the type of person who can achieve them.

Also, look at yourself. Then, answer these questions:

• Are you currently showing up as someone who can get the writing results you desire?
• Are you doing the things that would create a career as a writer and author?
• Are you thinking and behaving as the person who consistently achieves your desired results—published articles and books?

If not, it’s time to change your identity.

What Happens When You Choose a New Identity

Once you choose an identity that helps you achieve your desired results, your mindsets and habits align with that identity. You do things and see yourself differently. In fact, your perspective and behavior change significantly.

That’s when your results change. They align with the new identity as well.

To get the writing and publishing results you desire, you might want to choose one or more of the following identities:

• Writer
• Author
• Marketer/promoter
• Influencer
• Journalist
• Blogger

How to Adopt a New Identity

Most people believe their identity is fixed. They know they have changed in the past but don’t see themselves changing in the future.

And many people think changing themselves is hard—or even impossible.

Developing a new identity is not as difficult as it might seem. And you can adopt a new identity literally in a moment.

Consider someone who decides to go from being a “night owl” to a “morning person.” They can accomplish that identity transformation in 24 hours.

The same is true of someone who chooses to become a “non-smoker” after being a smoker. Most people think this can’t happen overnight because smoking is an addiction. But a change in identity makes it possible.

And if you want to be a writer, decide that is who you are. Then do what a writer does. Write.

How do you recreate yourself as someone with the characteristics you need to succeed? Take the following six steps to become someone who can get the writing results you desire.

Choose a Desired Result

First, you must know what result you desire and why. Clarity is everything! You’ll struggle to get positive results if you are wishy-washy about what you want to create.

So, choose a desired result. Write it down. Be specific. For example:

• Result—publish an article in AARP magazine.
• Result—land a traditional publishing book deal by the end of the year.
• Result—have a self-published book released in 60 days.

Also, determine why you want to achieve that result. Get specific and clear.

• How will that result benefit you or others?
• How will your life change if you achieve that result?
• What will your life be like if you don’t achieve that result?

Identify Who Would Get That Result

Second, identify what type of person would get the result you desire. Are they smart, courageous, committed, a great writer, disciplined, prolific, a savvy marketer, an expert, a leader, a changemaker, committed, or trustworthy?

You must be able to describe such a person in detail. Answer this question:

What characteristics do they have that make it possible to get the writing and publishing results you want?

Describe this person in detail, listing their:

• characteristics
• habits
• mindsets

You may know someone who has achieved your desired writing results; if so, use them as an example.

Choose Three Words that Describe that Person

Third, review your description of the person who would (or does) have the ability to create the writing and publishing results you desire. Choose three words that best describe that person.

Think of these words as ones that accurately describe the person’s “needle-moving” characteristics. These habits and mindsets, or ways of being, allow them to succeed at getting results. For example, your words might be:

• courageous
• tenacious
• positive

Adopt that Identity

Fourth, decide to “be” like that person. Adopt the identity of someone with the three characteristics you chose in the previous step.

It’s simple. Take on the identity. Say, “I am now…” And then show up displaying those characteristics, mindsets, and behaviors.

Remind Yourself Repeatedly to “Be” that Person

Fifth, remind yourself repeatedly every day to “be” the person you described and that your three words describe.

The best way to do this is as follows:

• Write the three words on several sticky notes and post them strategically around your home, like on your computer display.
• Add the three words to your phone as reminders or alarms; name the reminder or alarm with the three words. So, when the alarm or reminder rings, your phone says something like “Courageous, Tenacious, Positive.”

Set these reminders or alarms to go off at least three times per day.

Decide to Be that Person Now

Sixth, every time the reminder or alarm goes off and shows you the three words that characterize someone who can achieve your desired writing and publishing results, answer these questions:

• Am I being “courageous, tenacious, and positive” right now? (Substitute your three words.)
• Have I been “courageous, tenacious, and positive” in the last few hours?
• How can I be more “courageous, tenacious, and positive” today (or tomorrow)?

Don’t wait until you have X, Y, or Z, like more money, time, or space, to be the kind of person who can achieve the writing and publishing results you want. Start being that person right now. From this moment forward, behave as if you are a person with all the qualities, habits, and mindsets (and circumstances) necessary to create the writing and publishing results you dream of getting.

Get Inspired Results

If you find it challenging to get your writing results despite your new identity, you might have chosen a result for the wrong reasons.

Maybe it’s a result someone said you should get. Or it’s a goal you dreamed of achieving a decade ago, but it’s no longer important to you. Perhaps it’s a result that you feel you need to achieve but don’t want to achieve.

If any of those scenarios apply to you, go back to the drawing board and determine what inspired result you would like to achieve. An inspired result is one that your soul guides you toward via intuition or a feeling of inspiration. If you feel a gut sense or you become inspired, that’s the result you truly desire—and one that is for your highest good.

With that knowledge, determine who you need to be—what identity you must adopt—to get desired—and inspired—writing and publishing results.

What identity do you need to adopt to get your desired writing and publishing results? Tell me why in a comment below. And, please share this post with a writer who might benefit from reading it.

Photo courtesy of vadymvdrobot.