Marcus Lopés

Author

Writing Life

Writing Sober: Two Years On

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This week marks an important milestone for me because two years ago, on 17 January 2020, I stopped drinking. Cold turkey. No weaning myself off it. No crisis forcing me to. Just a desire to change my life.

Then, as now, choosing sobriety is a part of my journey to become the best version of myself. In her book, The Wisdom of Sundays, Oprah Winfrey writes: “All of us are seeking the same thing. We share the desire to fulfill the highest, truest expression of ourselves as human beings.”[note]Oprah Winfrey, The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations, Flatiron Books, 2017, p. 8.[/note] That’s why I’m choosing to stay sober. I want to live my best life. [Read more…] about Writing Sober: Two Years On

The Inside Scoop Behind My Social Media Blackout

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At the end of 2019, I took a break from social media. Overwhelmed and approaching burnout, I needed to take charge of my daily schedule. And, most importantly, I wanted to stay focused on what matters most: writing. Not just that. I realized I spent too much time reaching for my phone, scanning the headlines on BBC.com, checking the likes and comments on Facebook posts, or my blog stats.

blackoutOn 1 December 2019, I began a social media blackout. I deleted the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram apps from my phone. I used Freedom — an app that blocks distracting apps and websites — to restrict access to social media and news sites between 12:01 am and 8:00 pm daily. Why did I choose that time frame? As a morning person (rising between 3:30 and 4:00 am), it was crucial that I didn’t have access to the sites and apps I wanted to avoid as I started my day. And I’m usually beginning my bedtime rituals around 8:00 pm.

How we use the time gifted to us is our choice. Going dark reinforced that for me. [Read more…] about The Inside Scoop Behind My Social Media Blackout

Off the Grid in 2020

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2019 was a year of personal growth and reflection. I understood, finally, what it would take for me to get to where I want to go — and what I must do to get there. Commit to learning more about Amazon ads and other book marketing strategies. Reintroduce a dedicated writing time into my day and stick to it. Run early in the morning … before the sun rises. Take time off to play and rejuvenate. Not be so hard on myself. Some of those won’t be easy or comfortable. Some I don’t really want to do. But sometimes changing your life means changing your habits, and that’s downright scary. [Read more…] about Off the Grid in 2020

Going Dark

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Crossing the finish line of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2019.

This year has been about living my best life — doing what I love and staying focused on what matters. It challenged me to push myself beyond what I thought I was capable of and step outside of my comfort zone, when going dark and off the grid was what I often craved.

The Struggle and the Prize

It wasn’t always easy. There were times when writing Broken Man Broke almost ‘broke’ me. Training for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, I didn’t always feel like running — especially when it rained or when the temperatures soared to 40°C. Some days, trying to be the best version of myself meant fending off the doubt and negativity that battled for dominion. But I didn’t give up, wouldn’t be beaten. I kept my eye on the prize and pushed on to live the life I imagined for myself. [Read more…] about Going Dark

The Homestretch

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Temperatures dip consistently below zero. Black Friday sales ads dominate the airwaves. The sun rises later and sets earlier. And soon, if you haven’t heard them already, Christmas songs will bombard us everywhere we go. Sure signs that we’re in the homestretch as 2019 winds down.

The Beginning

At the beginning of 2019, I started off pumped. This would be a year of transformation and personal growth. I took it seriously, too. Devoured books on productivity, leadership and high performance (High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard; Company of One by Paul Jarvis; Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt; The Latte Factor by David Bach … to name a few). Set goals — actually wrote them down and reviewed them daily. Enrolled in online training and attended webinars. Published a book. Trained for, and completed, a marathon.

It’s mid-November, and I’m still pumped. I’ve pushed myself beyond what I thought I was capable of. I’m not the same man I was when the year began. I have been transformed. And that has me asking several questions. One in particular…

Am I Headed in the Right Direction?

homestretchAs the year draws to a close, something about my accomplishments feels hollow. Don’t get me wrong… Running a marathon and publishing a book are huge accomplishments. Instead of just talking about doing something, I showed up daily to do the work — even when I didn’t feel like it. Looking back on this journey, I realized that I was, in part, chasing someone else’s dream. I was no longer certain that I was headed in the right direction.

After reading so many books and completing various training courses, processing so much information on how to become more efficient and productive overwhelmed. I devoted too much, perhaps, time to figuring out the processes and hacks that would potentially make me more productive — elevate me to that realm of high achiever — than actually doing the work I love. Even more time spent watching and helping others realize their dreams than building my own. As they entered the homestretch, I still hovered around first base. I knew something had to change.

The Homestretch

In these final weeks of 2019, I’ve turned my focus back to the things I love to do: writing, running, cooking/baking, reading, visiting museums, et. al. I’m showing up to be present in all that I do instead of being overly concerned about how to do these things more efficiently. Really, who was I kidding? Trying to become more productive is like binge watching Amazon Prime. Watching every episode of Jack Ryan (John Krasinski and Wendell Pierce excel in this series if you haven’t checked it) is just another way to put off doing the work.

We each have our own rhythms and processes that energize us in the homestretch. What works for one person may not work for you or me. And I’m okay with crossing the finish line at my own pace and in my own time. Because it’s all about the journey.

And now I know I’m headed in the right direction.

Do you spend too much time planning than working on your goals? Are you happy with what you’ve achieved so far this year? What can you do differently in the next six weeks to ensure your continued success? Click Reply to let me know. I love hearing from you!