8 Comments

  1. Great post. I agree that the whole dream vs goal argument is just a distraction. Whatever we call them: dreams, goals, aspirations, callings . . . they are important.

    Here’s a few more tips that work for me:

    Make it a Game: Come up with a point system and keep track. Download some cool pictures of badges, print them out, and work for them just like you would in a game. When you earn the badge proudly tape it where you can see it.

    Get Accomplices: Find others who have the same or similar goals and hang out with them.

    Competition: Some people like it, others don’t. If competition drives you then have a race with your accomplices to earn your badges and get points.

    Rewards: I know you mentioned this, but at some point in accomplishing our dreams we’re going to have to do things we don’t want to do. It’s not all roses, but that doesn’t mean we can’t turn them into roses. Hang cool prizes on the hard stuff. Then while your slaving away, keep your eye on the prize.

    Thanks for the great article.

  2. Stephenie

    I was thinking of making up a fake cover of my current WIP (not spending tons of time on creating it, of course) and then cutting it into puzzle pieces, enough for each 2000 words or each chapter. Then, as I finish each smaller goal, I can put one puzzle piece up on the back of my office door.

    Another idea was to put up a reward (like when I bought a Kindle when the manuscript was done and accepted by the editor) in the same way. Cut a picture of a Kindle into puzzle pieces and put it together as the wip sections get done.

  3. Stephenie, those are terrific ideas to keep track of making the smaller goals toward the larger. I’ve been wanting a prayer bench and I’m going to try it…make a puzzle of it and earn the pieces with smaller goals. Thanks for the fun suggestion! I plan to have badges and puzzle pieces soon :o)

  4. Harry

    Great advice on goal setting.

    You may want to check out http://www.GoalsOnTrack.com, a very nicely built web app designed for tracking goals and todo lists, and supports time tracking too. It’s clear, focused, easy to navigate, worth a try.

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