Some thoughts on success

 

I see success as something that takes effort and persistence, although to be fair some folks seem to be better at it than others. The attempt to try to succeed, without a safety net can be a harrowing ordeal, for instance.

But here are a few things I agree on the topic of success:

-Success doesn’t happen on its own. Success takes some effort on your part, but also opportunities must be also be in place to take advantage of them. How to find those opportunities? Put yourself out there- meet people, go places (writer classes, workshops, or conventions). And be prepared for when those opportunities present themselves.

-Success requires failure. This sounds like it goes against the concept of what success is about, but every great idea, great book, or whatever, took its turn at failing. Just look up the number of times the famous authors endured rejections. They could have just as easily quit then, but they didn’t. They showed persistence to find their goal.

-Success can also be unexpected. In other words, you can find in success in goals you don’t even know you have in the first place. I never really thought of success in regards to my writer’s group, but its been going strong now for years, with members who enjoy and find the meetings offer them something of value- so that is a success of mine I never really set for myself.

-Success comes easier if surrounded by encouraging people. It helps they are also successful, to help guide you along or set you back on course if you stray too far. You can find encouraging people in writer’s group, meetup groups, churches, community groups, etc.

-Success often holds a different meaning to different people. For some, success ties into money and income or fame. Other people, writers specifically, might find success in completing a novel, publishing a short story or article, or gaining subscribers to their blog. Its up to you to define what success means to you.

What do you think? What does success mean to you? Do you follow the dictionary definition- a favorable outcome of something attempted- or does it have another meaning for you? What goals and success do you  hope to achieve as a writer?

Technorati Tags: goals,success,writing,novel,fiction,authors,blog

 

Motivation versus Resolve

While perusing the Internet this morning, I happened upon this article on GoodLifeZen.com. Want to Establish a Good Habit? Use This Secret Mental Force, by Mary Jaksch. As one always seeking the ‘secret trick to motivation’, my interest was definitely perked.

The author makes a very good point with the difference between motivation and finding resolve. Motivation tends to describe our state of being. We already have the motivations inside of us, so the time this wanes, where we don’t feel motivated to write, for instance, motivation isn’t there. Resolve, on the other hand, provides a means to understand that you need to write anyway. If you want to reach the goal of a published work, or even a completed novel, you have to write regardless of the motivation there or not.

I realized this works with many other areas of my life as well. Exercise is a great example. I don’t feel motivated to workout regularly, but I think I can find the resolve. I can accept that I don’t like to sweat or get sore, or make that effort, but the resolve to get fit, to feel more energy, to lose this stupid weight, then I accept those terms.

So I resolve to write regularly. I don’t have to have motivation, or even write well. I just need to write. I also resolve to workout. I don’t have to like it, or do it well, but darn it all, I will do it if I want to reach my goals.

Technorati Tags: resolution,goal,success,habit,writing,author,tips,mental,motivation

 

Writer’s Resolution Planning

I’ve been thinking lately about what my goals as a writer will be for 2011. When I look at the pitiful list of 2010 resolutions that are woefully remiss of resolving, I must remind myself that change can’t happen until I’m willing to change what’s on the inside.

Basically, I procrastinate. I put things off. I drag my feet, figuratively and literally, in doing things, that I end up accomplishing very little.I hang my head in shame.

I can offer any number of excuses, but seriously, its all about my own needs and wants and the expectations I put on myself.

First, you should ask yourself why you want that particular goal in the first place. Because you think its an expectation of a writer isn’t a good enough answer. Remember, this is your journey- not anyone else’s. You’re only competing with yourself.

Will this goal make you a better person? Will it improve your life? How clearly can you see your goal? Do you feel you deserve it? Is it a realistic goal?

Asking for the meaning and worth of a goal can help explain to the inner self that doesn’t want to do the goal in the first place, sort of like the child within. Inner child doesn’t want to write every day, or set word counts, or work through writer’s block. Inner child wants to watch YouTube videos, play games, and do anything to avoid the work.

Inner child can be a brat too, so this is why we must embrace the inner adult in us and sit inner child down with a serious talking and figure out why we need goals and why they’re important to reach.

Do you want to write? Do you want to be published? That takes work, inner child! So stop being such a baby and get serious about writing goals!

Take the next few weeks to seriously think about what you hope to accomplish for 2011. Be clear and concise. Be realistic with your goals. Make sure the goal(s) becomes clear in your mind’s eye.

We’ll be talking more on this closer to New Year’s, so do your homework- inner kids.

Technorati Tags: writing,goals,resolutions,success,failure,author,blog,publishing

The importance of making mistakes

Dawny_sky

I only recently discovered that making mistakes is not only a part of life, in many aspects, screwing up now and then is essential to our overall development. Not only did this lesson seem like an epiphany for me, its really opened my eyes to other aspects of my life and the fears I previously allowed to hold me back.

I’ve encountered a number of writers who admit to having blocks and hesitations to writing because of the fear of all the mistakes they’re likely to make. Perhaps they can’t work out the issues of plot, or what if a character ends up too 2-dimensional? What if they made a mistake?

The beauty of many mistakes is that you can fix them. Power lies in the revision stages of writing, that no matter how bad your first rough draft might be, you can change it! Whatever mistakes you make can show you what not to do. You’ll learn and evolve.

Its when you don’t learn and evolve where mistakes can be a bad thing. If you stubbornly refused to learn from mistakes, you’ll just keep making them. Accept you’re a flawed person- like everyone else on this planet- and move on, because you have one thing many don’t have and that is the willingness to presevere despite the mistakes.

My biggest concern with mistakes is having to face the criticism and sometimes ridicule of my errors. My family can be very severe in that regard, where so much of life I wasted in allowing the fear of mistakes to control me. I didn’t do many things I should’ve dared to do. I also found my voice to tell them to knock it off; I’m allowed to make mistakes, no one is perfect, and their words are hardly helping my situation so would you so kindly shut up (or stfu).

Without trying, and taking the risk of bngle or gaff, you’ll miss so many ‘what if’ opportunities. You might even miss a way to learn from mistakes so you can finally succeed at what you want to do.

Just because you make mistakes doesn’t mean you are one.

~Author Unknown

NaNoWriMo: Success or failure?

The other day I faced the real possibility that I might not finish the 50,000 words. Three days ago I should have hit the 50% mark, but instead only today, three days later and almost 5,000 words behind, have I reached the goal of 25,000.
Deadlines- the very word carries a certain level of ominous tone. Now under the pressure of nearing the end of the month, I face the questions of why I joined in the first place, where I’m going with this, and what have I gained by the experience.

I joined mostly for the experience, but I also hoped to have a full novel completed by November 30th. This is doable, but made tougher by the fact I had a few days where I didn’t reach my word count. Now the pressure is on. I have to write even more to reach my goals.

Where I’m going changes from day to day. Some days I hope to have a book to publish, while other days I wallow in the experience. I worry about not finishing, but bear in mind that well over 50% of NaNoWriMo participants do not finish. Even upon completion, what is gained? From the contest you earn a graphic and some recognition. But I’ve also found a few aspects that I gained, even if I don’t finish.

The amount of writing I’ve accomplished in a single day surprised me. I had no idea I was capable of that. In reality, this also says I can still reach my goal of 50,000 by November 30th. I also recognize that being able to write so much in a single day also shows me the amount of writing I can produce for actual publication.

The support of family and friends surprised me as well. My spouse respects the closed door, as does my seven year old son. The time I’ve shut myself from the world provides me the necessary boundaries to concentrate on just writing. Friends often ask me how I’m doing, which also adds to the unspoken encouragement of getting it done.

Deadlines suck. Yep, I definitely see that now. The pressure takes the enjoyment out of writing for me. I also find forcing myself to write, despite my creativity or inspiration can produce quite a bit of crap. The idea is you edit later, replacing the crap with more inspired words, but my thought is why not do that in the first place? (and enjoy the process?)

I find that the experience has certainly provided me with insight on my own skill, and willingness to see things through. If nothing else, the choice I’ve made on the novel also provides a background story to another story I’m working on. Even if I don’t get published, there is gain in that.

I won’t be doing this every year. With family, work, and other obligations, forcing out a novel is just not something I want to do so close to Christmas. After this, I intend on focusing on writing and publishing.