Are you a writer or author who feels overwhelmed, frustrated and bogged down by the process of writing? Do you often find yourself putting off doing work even though it’s something that you know needs to be done in order for your book or article to get finished?
Many people tend to struggle with setting goals for themselves and then sticking with them. Someone may decide they want to write 4 pages every day; however, these same individuals are likely to give up shortly after due to lack of motivation and/or focus.
Setting effective and realistic goals is an essential step towards being successful as a writer or author but staying motivated can be even more significant. If this sounds like something that would benefit you, keep reading!
Define your goal and create a detailed plan for achieving it
Defining and setting a goal are critical elements of success. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve provides focus, clarity and motivation to work towards it. Creating an actionable plan ensures that you have the steps needed, or at least an outline, to reach your goal.
Making sure that your goal is specific, measurable and realistic helps define each step so progress can be easily adjusted as needed.
Begin by jotting down all of your objectives for achieving the goal. Along the way, you’ll need to stay positive and motivated by reminding yourself why the goal is worth pursuing, so write down your “why” too – the reasons why you want to achieve this.
A strong “why” is much more motivating than the “what.”
Break down the plan into smaller steps to make it more manageable
For those looking to work towards a larger goal, it can be challenging to keep the motivation necessary to accomplish the task. One way to make these ambitions more refined and achievable is by breaking down the plan into smaller sections.
By isolating each step in the journey, it is easier to focus on completing each step one at a time rather than trying to tackle everything at once. Creating shorter-term goals can also help stay motivated and focused as they are often more easily attained.
With these ‘mini-goals’ set in place along with a view of the grand scheme, you will be better equipped to reach your goal without feeling discouraged or overwhelmed.
Identify potential obstacles and develop strategies to overcome them
One of the most difficult aspects of setting and striving for goals is proactively identifying the potential roadblocks which may await you and preparing to tackle them. These obstacles can range from distractions or lack of motivation to overwhelming amounts of effort or complicated logistics – or even a lack of time.
It’s helpful to start out by trying to anticipate any possible issues you could face, so that when they arise, you’ll have a plan already in place for how to proceed.
Procrastination can be a big problem, but knowing your “why” is a great antidote to the problem. Ask yourself why it is important to finish the task, and then remind yourself of this every time you start to feel overwhelmed or unmotivated.
Renew your motivation by seeking encouragement from those around you wherever possible. Constant motivation will help ensure that your goals are achievable and provide essential satisfaction when achieved.
Set realistic deadlines for each step and follow through on them
Setting reasonable and achievable deadlines is an important part of staying on track toward accomplishing your goals. It’s critical to be realistic; if you set a goal that is too hard to meet, it can lead to frustration and a sense of failure. No matter how strong your “why” is, attempting to reach a goal that is clearly impossible will instantly destroy your motivation.
On the other hand, it’s also important to challenge yourself; setting goals that are too easy won’t push you past your comfort zone. Breaking goals into manageable pieces means you can give yourself attainable deadlines for each step.
If your goal is a novel, break it down into chapters. If a chapter is still too large, break it down into scenes or sections. By simply writing a single scene a day, you’ll move closer to your goal, and thereby increase your motivation.
When you try to tackle the whole problem at once, the overwhelm you feel can crush you. Don’t try and be a hero – leave that to the characters in your story.
Find ways to stay motivated, such as rewarding yourself for reaching milestones or tracking your progress
Finding ways to stay motivated when setting and achieving goals is key for success. Whether rewarding yourself for hitting these smaller milestones, or keeping a record of your progress (perhaps crossing off days on a calendar), these methods can help you manage the process better and make it more enjoyable.
Celebrating even small successes can be an excellent motivator, while tracking where you are on your journey also gives you a much-needed feeling of accountability that will give you that extra push when finding motivation becomes challenging.
Motivation is key to sustaining momentum and with it comes the best reward of all – progress! Rewards don’t have to be something extravagant – something as simple as going out for lunch or taking a hot bath can go a long way toward reinvigorating oneself and providing an additional outlet of motivation.
By rewarding yourself after reaching your goal, you recognize the hard work you put in.
Setting effective and realistic goals and staying motivated to achieve them can be daunting but ultimately rewarding. If you plan carefully, breaking down big goals into smaller steps and creating a timeline for achieving them, you’re more likely to succeed. Just remember to stay focused, use accountability strategies such as setting deadlines or tracking your progress, reward yourself for reaching milestones, and celebrate every success!