So I've been writing...
my daily efforts at creativity. If you've not been following along, I'm snippeting my efforts to write a novel in 30 days (or at least 50,000 words worth, according to the rules of the event, National Novel Writing Month). You can read what I've written in one of my other blogs, the one labeled "Homebrew" in the sidebar to the left of these posts. (The link labeled "With Hesitant Stride" leads to my other blog where I have the 21,000 words I managed to complete for last year's event. I hope to finish the novel next month.)
What a difference a year makes! I'm doing two things that I didn't do last year. First, I created, before the contest started, a chapter outline of my proposed story. Second, I joined a group of like-minded authors and we cheer each other to write our daily dose.
Having an outline gives my thoughts a structure, a framework upon which I can hang my ideas and words. It also gives me a constant reminder of what I hoped this book to say. And the same is true for everything we hope to accomplish in life. If we don't have a goal, a direction, a framework upon which we can place our actions, we flop around and wander aimlessly. Quite often, we never achieve our goals and we end up living a life that seems increasingly meaningless.
But just having a goal and a plan or outline isn't enough for most people. Because many times the goals we set are hard. They require effort, learning, resources and tools as well as time. Often the learning and gathering of tools and resources, as well as the marshalling of time to work on the goals can build frustration, which can lead to feelings of depression, loneliness and failure. Which is where friends and support groups come in.
One thing each person gains from a support group is a cheering section. These other people can give encouragement to the person to try harder, to recognize each step the person *has* accomplished, overcoming the person's own belittlement of such successes. The supporters also help the person to see others have experienced the slump and point out that working through the slump will reveal the nearness of the goal's finish line. And these friends and supporters will help the person by allowing the person to bounce ideas off them, giving feedback and suggestions, all of which will create a pool of synergistic energy that will help propel the person further and faster towards the goal.
I encourage you to use both tools in your own chest in life, plans and outlines as well as support groups. But even more, I suggest you buy a DVD, "The Secret", watch it regularly, and apply the principles on it every single day. I do.
The title to this post is linked to the website for "The Secret".
What a difference a year makes! I'm doing two things that I didn't do last year. First, I created, before the contest started, a chapter outline of my proposed story. Second, I joined a group of like-minded authors and we cheer each other to write our daily dose.
Having an outline gives my thoughts a structure, a framework upon which I can hang my ideas and words. It also gives me a constant reminder of what I hoped this book to say. And the same is true for everything we hope to accomplish in life. If we don't have a goal, a direction, a framework upon which we can place our actions, we flop around and wander aimlessly. Quite often, we never achieve our goals and we end up living a life that seems increasingly meaningless.
But just having a goal and a plan or outline isn't enough for most people. Because many times the goals we set are hard. They require effort, learning, resources and tools as well as time. Often the learning and gathering of tools and resources, as well as the marshalling of time to work on the goals can build frustration, which can lead to feelings of depression, loneliness and failure. Which is where friends and support groups come in.
One thing each person gains from a support group is a cheering section. These other people can give encouragement to the person to try harder, to recognize each step the person *has* accomplished, overcoming the person's own belittlement of such successes. The supporters also help the person to see others have experienced the slump and point out that working through the slump will reveal the nearness of the goal's finish line. And these friends and supporters will help the person by allowing the person to bounce ideas off them, giving feedback and suggestions, all of which will create a pool of synergistic energy that will help propel the person further and faster towards the goal.
I encourage you to use both tools in your own chest in life, plans and outlines as well as support groups. But even more, I suggest you buy a DVD, "The Secret", watch it regularly, and apply the principles on it every single day. I do.
The title to this post is linked to the website for "The Secret".
posted by Derek A Benner | 9:56 AM
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