Goal Buster. Don't Go There.

I had such a great response on the PFS site with this blog, I decided it needed to be posted again here.

It’s a new year and if you’re like the majority of the human race you’re planning to set goals for 2010. You have a burning desire to tackle an area where you think you need to improve yourself or your life. You visualize where you want to be in a few months or by the end of the new year or even years down the road. Come midnight on January 1st, you’re totally focused. Your jaw is set and you’re determined to meet those goals until ...da, da, da! …your first set back.

If your goal is to get up earlier, the set back will be the morning you oversleep. If your goal is to lose weight, your set back will be the first cheeseburger or candy bar you’ll gobble up. If your goal is to write every day, the setback will be the day life took over and you didn’t have a minute to boot up your computer or grab a pad and pen.

It’s important to keep in mind when working towards your goals that there will be setbacks. As sure as the sun will rise in the east, there will be setbacks. They happen. How you handle them will determine if you will make your goals.
Like a cowboy who gets thrown off his horse, you need to get off your butt, dust yourself off and get right back in the saddle. Like a ball player who gets thrown a third curve for a strike out, you need to shrug off the disappointment, study the pitcher and stand up to him again. Like the chef whose cake falls, you need to start over. I could go on with the analogies, but you get the picture.

Hints for making your goals for 2010.

1) Make your goals reasonable. Something you can control. And be specific.
Ie: (Non-writing related) I want to lose twenty pounds in 2010. (Writing related) I want to write my next book- 375 pages.

2) Write the goals down. Yes you can have more than one. Excelling at one might help your determination to do better at achieving the other. Post the goals where you will see them every day.

3) Break the goal or goals into manageable bits.
Ie: (NWR) I want to lose five pounds by March. Five more by June and the final ten by the November 1st. (WR) I will write 10 pages a week.

4) If you’re the type of person who needs to report to someone, an accountability partner, find one and set up a schedule to report. IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep in mind there will be weeks, maybe several in a row, when you are the one having trouble making your goal. Remember that cheeseburger. It’s okay. There will be weeks when you will shine.

5) Don’t get depressed when a mini-step toward the goal is not met on time. Life happens. Computers crash. Kids get sick. Husbands come home with candy hearts. Enjoy life. A happy person is more productive.

6) Mondays are the first day of the week for many of us, probably because of the business world, and the day of the week we seem to be most productive. It’s a mind thing. If you have more time to exercise or write on the weekend, try thinking of Saturday as being your first day of the week. Make a calendar labeling Saturday as the first day of the week if that will help you. Again, it’s a mind thing.

7) For the most part, we know our schedules for the week. Plan the minutes or hours you’ll work toward your goal out.

8) Make a list of things that have stopped you from making your goal in the past. Post that list too and don’t go there. Ie: Television, email, over volunteering, buying junk food, over stocking the pantry.

9) Remember the old adage. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

10) Remember this saying: Just do it. It says it all.

I hope my list will help you make your goals in 2010.

A Holiday Stress Free Mom

Holidays are a time for family and friends, but with all we seemingly have to do it seems we have little time to spend with the family and friends. Let me tell you a secret, one that will help relieve the stress your feeling. The family and friends will never know or notice what you didn’t get done. They will see all that you did do and will rejoice in your efforts.

So this year, I’m baking a limited amount of Christmas cookies and not the piles I normally do. There are always so many left over and I’m the one who eats as many I can before feeding the rest to the birds and deer.

Gifts are numbered this year too. Everyone will get a wrapped gift so they get that feeling of opening a surprise package but the rest are going into bags or card gifts.

Christmas breakfast will be a crockpot quiche (recipe given to me by a friend) which is made the night before and cream chipped beef which can be made days before. Christmas dinner went from sit down to buffet, again with many dishes prepared day before.

I’m actually thinking making it a ‘Come home in your sweats or PJ day’
My family will be fed and have gifts and non-stressed mother.

So do you have any time-saving hints or recipes for this holiday?

Preparing To Meet Your Destiny

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You're excited. You're going to a conference. Yeah! I love networking.

Are you prepared? I’m not talking about what do I pack or what type of clothing should I wear? That is a no-brainer. Business casual. I’m talking about how do you prepare to make the most of the experience?

Well, first, relax. There is no reason to become stressed. Everyone going to the conference is riding the same wave you are. The ones who prepare will land on the beach more gracefully, that’s all.

Second. Determine what is your goal in attending the conference? Is it to learn about the craft of writing? Are you interested in learning more about the publishing world? Do you have an agent and editor appointment in hopes of gaining interest in your work? Are you looking to network, and make connections with other writers or industry professionals? Whatever your reason, you do need to prepare.
Third, HOW?

1) This item is important for all the reasons listed above. Business cards. You must have plenty of business cards. Atleast thirty. You don’t have to special order cards. You can buy printable business cards at Walmart. The cards should have basic information; your name, pseudonym, address, email address and phone number. That’s it. If you want artwork, fine. Just don’t let the artwork over shadow your name and make your contact information so small it will take a magnifying glass to see the information. Remember you want people to remember your name not oh, how cute the kittens were.

2)You’ve identified your purpose of attending and that is...

a)To learn about the craft. Conferences schedules are filled with valuable workshops. It’s like going to a smorgasbord of knowledge and we tend to say oh, I want to see this and hear her, and my chapter mate is speaking. The thing is, we can’t be everywhere and hear all. So you need to decide ahead of time, what are your writing weaknesses and attend specific workshops that will help you. Don’t worry what workshop your friend is going to. She might need help with POV. You’ve got that down pat.

Or if you’re craft savvy, attend the workshops which lay the industry out. Don’t burn yourself out running from class to class, because there is one. Which leads to the next reason. Networking.

b)Networking. Most writers are introverts. We spend long hours by ourselves. We like being by ourselves. Suddenly we’re surrounded by people. Remember they’re introverts just like yourself. Be yourself. Smile. Say hi. Start a conversation. Exchange cards. It’s that simple.

Note of common sense: When approaching people who are having a conversation, study their body language. If they open the circle to you, then they too are looking to network, but if they turn away, however slight, move on. Their most likely having a personal conversation that at that moment is not open to newcomers.
Ahead of time, practice reciting the blurb of your book. This is not just for the agent and/or editors. Practice conversations. What questions would you ask of an editor or agent or an author you adore? It’s easier to have a conversation with someone if you think about it ahead of time. If you don’t believe me, try it. Think of three topics to discuss with your spouse or a friend. Practice and then have it. You’ll see. The conversation will flow.
Over the years, I’ve made tons of friends. Each has brought joy to my life. So go get them.

c)Finally, the dreaded editor and agent appointments. Don’t sweat it. Practice your pitch. Know your book. Know your characters and relax. Editors and agents are just people. They’re there hoping someone will wow them. So do it.

Last bit of advice. Have fun.

Anyone leaving a comment will entered into a drawing for a 2010 Autumn Jordon Pocket Calendar, so please share.

An S Curve AT 100 MPH

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Have you ever gone on a ride through an S curve at one-hundred MPH?

Life can seem like that dangerous feat sometimes. You’re going along at a nice steady pace, the sun is shining on you, the temperature is perfect and, well, life is just grand. Then out of no where, others surround you. They’re passing you as if you’re standing still. They’re behind you, urging you to get out of their way. Naturally your instinct for self-preservation kicks in and like the blood rushing through your veins you pick up speed, ignoring the possibility you might make mistakes and put yourself in danger.

With fists clenched, you hang on as you sped forward, trying to keep up-get ahead. Realizing you’re headed in the wrong direction, your whole being quakes and you swerve to keep on track. You bump against others and the walls of kismet. You get knocked around and within a short time your ego is bruised. You’re battered. And the destination you were headed toward no longer has the sparkle it had when you started out on your journey. Slowly you make it to the sidewalk of life and stop. What to do?

First, realize getting off the fast track was the smart thing to do. Second, zooming is not meant for everyone. Third, taking your time doesn’t mean you will never make your destination. You will, and you’ll enjoy the journey much more if you strive toward it on your own terms. So relax, set your goal, work at it at your own pace, believe in yourself and enjoy the ride!


As a side note: My Ruby Slippered Sisters are blogging at http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com
They're offering great words of wisdom. Please stop by.