The Insights I Gained on Physical Activity Through Writing Practice
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Kate M. Colby, a published entrepreneur and writer of multi-genre fiction and creative nonfiction, is embarking on a new journey - one of physical fitness. After graduating summa cum laude from Baker University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Sociology, Colby found success in her writing pursuits. However, her connection with physical activity took a backseat after a negative experience in freshman volleyball and a broken arm while horseback riding.
Now, Colby is determined to apply a similar weekly system for exercise as she does to her productive writing sessions. She believes that patience, commitment, and a positive attitude are key to achieving goals, whether in writing, exercise, or other dreams.
Colby's writing journey is still ongoing, but her physical fitness journey is just starting. To stay accountable and motivated, she finds encouragement in having a partner for both writing and exercise goals. This approach, she explains, fosters a sense of identity, commitment, and social motivation, which are crucial for success.
In her guest post, Colby emphasises the importance of labeling oneself as a writer. This self-labeling, she argues, helps internalize the role, making the act of writing a consistent part of one's life rather than an occasional task. This self-identification strengthens dedication to writing pursuits.
Similarly, partnering with someone for accountability provides external motivation and support, encouraging regular writing habits through mutual encouragement and shared goals. This approach, Colby explains, mirrors the benefits of accountability partners in the realm of physical fitness.
Colby keeps track of her daily word counts in a spreadsheet, just as she applies the same system of scheduling, planning, and focus to her gym sessions. She finds exercise more motivating with specific, health-related goals, much like setting specific, short-term and long-term goals helped her finish a novel.
In both her "health" journey and her "writing" journey, Colby identifies a parallel. She admires a middle-aged man named Stair Master Guy who consistently exercises at the gym, much like she admires the discipline and dedication required to be a successful writer.
Colby's approach to fitness and writing is not unlike that of writer groups and accountability partners discussed in the community. These groups boost productivity by creating a supportive environment and celebrating achievements, which aligns with Colby's approach. For instance, the "Charmed Writers" Facebook group motivates each other to write consistently and rewards progress with small tokens, enhancing motivation and accountability.
In conclusion, the combination of personal identification as a writer and external accountability partners creates both internal and social incentives that increase focus, consistency, and ultimately success in meeting writing objectives, and Colby is a testament to this approach.
- Kate M. Colby, as she applies the same system of scheduling, planning, and focus to her gym sessions, finds that exercise becomes more motivating with specific, health-related goals, much like setting specific, short-term and long-term goals helped her finish a novel.
- In her guest post, Colby emphasizes the benefits of partnering with someone for accountability in writing, explaining that this approach fosters a sense of identity, commitment, and social motivation, which are crucial for success - a principle that she believes also applies to physical fitness.
- Colby, just as she admires the discipline and dedication required to be a successful writer, is inspired by a middle-aged man named Stair Master Guy who consistently exercises at the gym. This shared dedication to self-improvement in both writing and health-and-wellness sectors is a testament to Colby's belief in the interconnectedness of personal growth, education-and-self-development, and fitness-and-exercise.
