Years ago, I read an interesting story about Fyodor Dostoyevsky. In the book “The 33 Strategies of War”, author Robert Greene describes how Dostoyevsky narrowly escaped execution in prison, only to become one of the most important writers of all time.
Once released, writing and publishing became Dostoyevsky’s top priorities. However, at home, he was constantly bombarded by distractions. Remembering the fragility of life in prison and the moment he was nearly executed, he came up with a extreme solution: he gambled away all his money. This forced him to focus entirely on writing, as he needed to survive through his work.
History is full of examples like this (if we exclude the fabricated ones). Writers retreat to cabins to finish their books. Monks live in isolation on remote hills to contemplate. Entrepreneurs sleep in their offices, and athletes train in the same gyms where they live. A recurring theme emerges: living minimally, often alone, studying and grinding, and avoiding anything unrelated to their ambition.
Would you be willing to give up everything to release your product, lose the weight, learn the language, become the best writer, or achieve whatever goal you’re chasing? How much do you truly want it?
Because time is ticking.