It seems most of us are under some sort of pressure in our lives. Maybe it’s our jobs or it could be issues going on with our families. We all have some obligations that we would love to get away from, and some we would never consider eliminating from our lives. A close friend recently asked me why I’m trying to learn how to format my own books. I didn’t tell her I am also studying the ins and outs of uploading my books to retail platforms and trying to learn more about marketing. And in between, I try to find some time to write. (I’m not what you would call computer savvy, but I’m learning) I thought about what my friend asked and came up with three reasons why I keep pushing forward: In order to publish my books, I need to learn and understand the process. I’ve heard from other writers that the more you do yourself, the better off you’ll be in the long run. The second reason is that I’ve put a lot of work into my books and it doesn’t make any sense to quit now. The third, and most important reason, is that I simply love to write. I’ve heard some writers talk about their book and it sounded like they were talking about their baby. It got me to thinking about that concept and I came up with a few similarities. As new parents, we learn how to take care of our child and gain the knowledge to do so, mostly on our own. We know from the moment our children are born, how much work they are, but quitting or giving up on them isn’t an option. We do it because we love our children and want them to be the best they can be. I don’t like being under pressure, but I know anything worthwhile usually involves a certain amount of stress. The next time you feel a little pressured by the things going on in your life, try and focus on the big picture. Remind yourself what your goals are and aim in that direction. Who knows? Maybe a little pressure is the push you need to get over the finish line.