Writing professionally and getting published is a tough gig, even for DIYers. When your best efforts don’t pan out – your book doesn’t sell, your online ad doesn’t generate traffic to your website – it’s easy to start feeling that outside forces are aligned against you.

That way lies madness.

Many events are beyond our control, but if you made a list, you might be surprised at the number of areas of your life that are completely in your hands.

Today, start a habit of accepting responsibility for what you can control and adjusting your choices so that you obtain better results.

To get you started, play a word association game with the following words. Say each word and take notice of the first thing that comes to mind. Take some time to consider those associations and why you hold them.

  • Choice
  • Control
  • Fate
  • Destiny