Three years ago today...

Wow. 

Three years ago today I quit my day job to write full time. Here are several things I learned: 

• Keep your overhead low.
• Ensure you have zealous spouse support.
• Better yet. Make sure the spouse can retire too.
• Write every day.
• Take the business side of authoring seriously.
• Help others with their writing and publishing.
• Increase your personal networks.
• Create an excellent writing environment.
• Create a Pavlovian association with writing and that space.
• Read a lot. Write a lot. Take lots of notes.
• Find inspiration everywhere. Music, art, TV, movies, nature.
• Focus on the positive things. 
• Ritualize things you love, like coffee.
• Make short and long term goals.
• Reward yourself when goals are achieved.
• Avoid topics and people that piss you off. It's wasted time, energy, and focus. 
• Don't sweat the small stuff.
• Don't use an alarm clock. Wake when you're rested, sleep when you're tired.
• Eat good food you love.
• Exercise even if it's just going for a walk. Take control of your health.
• Explore the world. Walks, road trips, travel, hikes, places in the world around you

I highly recommend it. Stop asking permission. You won't be sitting in a rocker at 99 years old wishing you had spent more time working for the man...