Time for Action
My husband announced that it was time to stop talking and to start producing – and by that he meant it was high time my words began to produce some change (the clinking kind). March will mark my “do or die” deadline, but I know he wants me to make a difference now instead of then.
I have talked for years about building a successful writing career. I have planned for years to build a successful writing career. I have written words that share the ideas and the plans for building a successful writing career.
I just kept missing something, and it was that something that was keeping me from hitting the target.
I posted a while back about the adjustments I made during the 2014 National Novel Writing Month. I tried to carry those over into the rest of my year, but I once again I allowed excuses and squirrels to derail the cart. It only took a couple of weeks, and I was back to missing the target.
It dawned on me that the reason I am not getting to that desired success is that I am not GOING towards that desired success. I talk about the desired success. I plan for the desired success. I even map out the desired success.
I HAVE TO DO!
I set up a great white board design showing my main goal (which has to be measurable to be effective). I included a description of where I am right now and where I want to be. I mapped out the different ways that I could reach the goal and broke those down into actionable steps as well (the more detailed the better). I took the time to explain to my husband the what, the why, and the how (he even took a picture of the white board so that we will have a record in case something happens).
“But this,” He pointed to the white board, “has to become something that makes money – at least enough to pay for itself.”
It was not a negotiation but a reality check.
I implemented the plan and within a week I saw a difference. Life happened and things came up and I started to slow down. I deserved to slow down because of all that I had accomplished.
A friend challenged me to set my theme word for 2015, and I settled on DILIGENT. I added that to my white board map in bold letters at the bottom. The goal is on top and it is anchored by diligent.
That motivated me to get back in line and go again. It is not a one shot deal. It is not a one day event. Building my desired success takes daily effort – persistent and determined to the point that “they” will not block me. All the talent in the world is wasted if it is not backed by the actions required to highlight that talent.
So I keep doing, until I am there. It seems too simple to be true, but in the end it is all as simple as that.
Be blessed,
