Writers need long term vision and short term goals. Writing a book is a grind. When you think you’re done you’re usually 50% done. With the right tools an author can stay on track and on deadline. The following is a list of the best writing tools for authors, business leaders, and anyone else that wants to be more productive.
This company has been around for years and offers some of the most comprehensive planners available today. This really could be your one stop shop for all things task, benchmark, and goal related. Most importantly though, Best Self’s products will help you train yourself to build consistent daily writing habits. Finishing your book, blog, press release or project with Best Self.
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Habit Roadmap
$14.99
Set goals for 6 months and track your ability to complete them every day. This amazing tool gives you a no excuses look at why you're hitting your goals or not. It will inspire you to keep going as well.
SHOP NOWThe Habit Road Map is a visual way to focus on habits you can stick to. This specific offering includes a two-pack of 3-month roadmaps. Begin by setting up your next 6 months by filling out your goals for next quarter. It is a calming process that is a lot of fun and quite inspiring. It removes the overwhelming feeling of not knowing what is going on or getting done too.
With a section to track everything you do, you will no longer need to worry about if you’re doing what it takes to accomplish your goal. This is exactly the kind of tool that the book Checklist Manifesto suggests using.
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Project Action Pad
$19.99
Write out the steps and execute one at a time. This tool is perfect for big and small picture accomplishment. See what the end result is, what it will take to get there, and what to do next.
SHOP NOWProject Action Pad is a project management blueprint that helps you break down a larger goal into accomplishable benchmarks relieving the overwhelming feeling of what to do, which is common when there is too much to do.
Ideal for outlining a specific chapter or point that you want to make and breaking it down into manageable sections. You need to finish the chapter, but this tool will help you focus on a specific part that must get done today. So long as you follow your plan, the book will get written. Stay on track and get the writing or project done on time. This is the exact kind of planning that is recommended in the book Traction.
At 7” x 11.75” this full size paper allows for maximum space to spread out ideas and planning. With 52 templates included you can use it all year or throw away a sheet and start over at will. Lastly, the paper selected is printed on fountain pen paper.
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Win The Day Pads (3 Pack)
$12.00
A fast & effective way to increase motivation, track daily performance towards goals, monitor professional growth, and stay focused on the most important things in just 5 minutes a day.
SHOP NOWWin The Day Pads is a handheld daily notepad for reflection. Writing out the wins and losses from each day allows a calming reflection upon what you were able to do. If not, you’ll know that you need to refocus on the most important thing, as the book The ONE Thing suggests.
They are not all good days, that’s why it's called work. If you’re having a bad day, this pad will allow you to look back on the most recent days that were better and remember that things will get better. It is an easy and fast way to reactivate your motivation, monitor your writing accomplishments, and celebrate your life’s wins in less than 5 minutes.
A simple way to boost motivation, track personal growth, and celebrate life’s meaningful moments [big and small] in just 5 minutes a day.
This product includes a three pack (90 day supply) of spiral-bound pads that fit easily in your hand. Solidify feelings of accomplishment and fulfillment by tracking wins.
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Self Journal
$31.99
The perfect journal for goal setting. This item is set for a 13 week plan. Quarterly planning is the best possible way to accomplish goals and this journal is structured perfectly to help you breakdown each step in the path and make sure your get things done.
SHOP NOWThe Best Selling Self Journal - With nearly six thousand 5 start reviews this journal is a proven hit! It has a foundation of science and psychology at its core and is built for accomplishing goals in 13 weeks. The idea is to write out the goals and break down the steps it will take to get there in very specific ways. It’s like drafting your own blueprint for accomplishment.
S.M.A.R.T Outcome Goal - For years books like Think & Grow Rich, E-Myth, The Great Game of Business, and many more have touted the power of writing down your goals. This section will help you outline your S.M.A.R.T goal. Something specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. Otherwise known as a BHAG "Big Hairy Audacious Goal" in the book Built To Last. Setting this goal is key, but the “Why” behind your goal is more important than anything else according to the book GRIT.
Progress Milestones - Here we need to define the things that must be accomplished in order to achieve our S.M.A.R.T goal. These are not tasks, they are made up of many smaller tasks that mean something is finished. Trackable and clearly defined by something being done/achieved or not. You can either check them off or not.
The Critical Drivers - This section aligns well with the book Perfectly Confident. Sharing the importance of focusing on the smaller actions that lead to success if we are to achieve our goals. AKA, stop thinking about the mansion and start thinking about the cold calls you’re going to make.
Accountability - Promising yourself that you will do something is one thing. Writing it down is another. If accountability is the key to succeeding then this is the section where you define what you are going to do and promise yourself that it will get done.
There is also a weekly and daily planning section. This allows for planning, action, and reflection. This process begins by defining three weekly objectives that, when finished, check the box of achievement for the week. This could be chapters finished, research done, social media posts, etc. As we know from Book Yourself Solid, free time has a compounding negative impact.
Finally there is a reflection section for the end of the week. As we learn in the book Nudge, without feedback we never know what change is needed. There is an area to copy your “Win The Day” and “Plan to Reality” scores from daily pages to more objectively reflect on the week. There is also a great place to include Bucket List benchmarks that were completed. This is ultimately about celebrating wins, identifying losses, and reflecting on both to improve your writing process.
If you’d like a longer timeframe than 13 weeks and heavier focus on planning than goal setting, try the Best Self Planner. Very similar to the Self Journal, but with a 6 month accountability timeframe.
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BestSelf Planner
$15.99
This 6 month journal is built for goal setting, task management, efficiency improvement, and much more. The most successful people in the world are successful.
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