Mastery: Victor Hugo And His Story Of Overcoming Procrastination

Issue No. 41 | October 9th, 2023 | Read Time: 3 Minutes

Happy Monday Everyone!

Born in 1802, Victor Hugo was a renowned writer who even drew the attention of King Louis XVIII. 

By the age of 32, Hugo had published more than four novels and five volumes of poetry. 

But in the summer of 1829 he had promised his publisher another book within 18 months. 

And as any famous young man would do, he spent 12 of those months partying, entertaining guests, eating lavishly, and ultimately putting off the very thing that helped him achieve all of that. 

It wasn't until the summer of 1830 that Hugo realized how little time he had left to finish his next novel. 

He had six months left to meet his deadline.

Now aware of his problem with procrastination, he decided to do what no author had done before.

He asked his assistant to lock all of his clothes in a chest except a single piece of clothing: a large shawl.

This way, he would no longer be tempted to leave his home and party with his friends. But that wasn't all he did.

He had his assistant bring him food directly to his office and locked himself in with the goal of not leaving until his novel was finished. 

Day and night Hugo worked on his novel, and for six months he refused to leave his home in fear of postponing it anymore. 

And on January 14th, 1831, Victor Hugo delivered the finished novel to his publisher. Two weeks before his deadline on February 1st, 1831.

Hence the story of how the great American novel

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

was born.

I believe there's a lesson we can all learn from Victor Hugo.

That even the most successful writers, entrepreneurs, CEO's, and founders struggle with procrastination. But what separates them from the average person is their willingness to create a plan to push past it.

I'm not saying you have to lock yourself in your room for six months, but overcoming procrastination first starts with the

acknowledgment

of it.

From there, you must remove anything that has been pulling you away from your work. In Hugo's case, it was his clothes as it's what encouraged him to go to parties, host poetry gatherings, and spend time with his friends over lavish dinners.

For you, it could be a gaming console, an app on your phone, or even a friend. But the good thing is, it's only temporary.

As long as you dedicate yourself to your craft and work every single day, you'll eventually earn the right to bring it all back.

And I have no doubt in my mind that Hugo suffered throughout those six months. But remember that pain is temporary.

But suffering is worth it once you tie a meaning to it. Then it's no longer called suffering, it's merely a sacrifice. 

So sacrifice what you want to do for who you want to become. And once you make that choice, you'll be surprised what you can achieve in six months.

Until next time,

Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I'm Currently Reading -

Right now I'm in the middle of reading

The Ultimate Sales Letter

by Dan Kennedy, a guide on copywriting and how to attract customers to boost your sales. 

• If you'd like to see my notes on any other book I have previously read, then check out my websiteisaiahctaylor.comto view my entire library of notes and summaries.

Quote Of The Week

• "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." — Steve Jobs