Sick Sickly + Writing Goals Down

Can you guess the 90s reference in the post title? I’ll give you a hint: he’s missing a “t.”

Unfortunately, I am currently drinking a lot of extra tea as I work through an unexpected cold. It culminated in a rough night’s sleep, but knock on wood, I think I am officially better this morning.

Not to worry – even a sore throat couldn’t stop the glory that was Thursday night’s Packers game.

Yes, I was the person who pushed pause to take these pictures.

The guys in green and gold had me screaming at the top of my lungs on almost every drive. This is likely why I woke up with an even scratchier throat, but it was worth it for the win.

One good thing about having some extra time at home this week is that I’ve been able to crank out another 8,000 words. Since I returned home on Labor Day, I’ve made it a goal to write at least 2,000 per day (sometimes more) now through the end of October. If I am successful, I will likely have a finished first draft by the end of next month.

A finished first draft by the end of next month. It bears repeating, mainly because I’ve been dreaming of finishing a novel for years and now it’s actually within reach. It’s still hard for me to conceptualize, but just like building a house, a spaceship or even a 5,000 piece puzzle, if it’s broken down into parts, it is guaranteed to come together over time.

I know that there will be days where I feel like the words coming out onto the keyboard aren’t right. There will also be days where I have to go back and re-read (for the fiftieth time) what I’ve written so far, to get myself in the groove before I can add more.

But even on my off days, this is what I will tell myself to remember:

A finished first draft is a finished first draft. No one – not even you – can take that away.

So what if it’s far from perfect? So what if I’d be laughed out of every agency and publishing house if it was left as is? Being able to write “The End” on a manuscript will be one of my biggest accomplishments in the literary world to date, even if no one ever reads it.

I’ve got nothing but time to review, edit and make changes, but I have to get to that stage in the game first. I can’t write my ending before I get to the end.

What about you? Are you, like me, ever guilty of focusing so hard on the end goal that you lose focus on the small pieces of the process along the way?

My advice – for what it’s worth – is to determine a goal for a certain date in the future. Write it down, but then make sure to also include weekly, daily or even hourly action steps, no matter how big or how small, that will help get you there.

Focus on those action steps instead, and the enormity of the end goal will suddenly feel a lot more manageable. Focus on those action steps instead, and you may realize one of your biggest dreams is closer than you ever thought possible.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! What are you looking forward to?

I’m off to a wedding tonight – my first one of the year, if you can believe it. I love weddings and, sick sickly or not, am looking forward to celebrating the happy couple. Congrats, Bob and Emily!

Abrazos,