Your article has given me some brain comfort as I have been trying to reach attainable goals placed into unreasonable time-frames. Reassessing my goals for the year, I would like to improve my writing and time management abilities on a daily basis, always taking a step forward and never backwards.

Furthermore I also really enjoyed the portion regarding the difference between goals and expectations and if I can I’d like to eliminate all expectations I have and focus entirely on reaching those goals then maybe I can look back on my life and be proud of what I was able to accomplish.

Your article has given me some brain comfort as I have been trying to reach attainable goals placed into unreasonable time-frames. Reassessing my goals for the year, I would like to improve my writing and time management abilities on a daily basis, always taking a step forward and never backwards.

Furthermore I also really enjoyed the portion regarding the difference between goals and expectations and if I can I’d like to eliminate all expectations I have and focus entirely on reaching those goals then maybe I can look back on my life and be proud of what I was able to accomplish.

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And now, suddenly I find myself hesitating to finish. It as though I am scared. Because once it is complete and I start looking to a few friends for their opinions then it will be out there and if it is rubbish – I think I will cry. I still find the idea of showing people my work very hard; I actually think I would be happier for them to see me naked than to read my work. Which kind of contradicts my dreams of seeing my novel on the shelf of my local bookshop.

So to procrastinate and put off the necessary completion of my work I have been writing short stories like there is no tomorrow. I have been writing some days until 6am at which point my eyes feel like they are full of sand.
I have even started a second blog. (http://16leggednightmare.blogspot.com/)

So I think that I really should consider my goals and my expectations and possibly even get a little self belief.

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I do think expectations are a different critter. If they shackle you, bind you and keep you from doing what you like, or if they inevitably provide a basis for your disappointment then toss the damned things.

Give yourself permission to play free and loose with the system.. Work on doing the writing, do what feels right in your heart, and you’ll rarely go wrong.

Cheers!

George

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1. I think you make an excellent distinction between goals and expectations. I never thought of it that way, and I think sometimes I don’t aim as high as I should for fear of being disappointed. But if it’s a goal — not an expectation, so what.

2. I think what you’re saying applies to life in general and reallly any discipline, not just writing.

Thanks for the pep talk.

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@Crowth If your assumptions are based around your writing being rather spiffing, you’re very much on the right track.

@Zoe Absolutely – we all need some sort of structure to work either to or around. It really does free us up to concentrate on other things – like creating stuff.

@Joanna Yep, I think most of what I’m saying in this post relates to writers who want to, or do work professionaly. That said, the ‘aim high, expect nothing’ princple can apply to hobbyists too. In fact, it can apply to almost anything, I think.

@Jude You’re right, there’s more to writing than simply the act of putting pen to paper (fingers to keyboard). I actually quite enjoy the necessary admin work (like writing this comment, I suppose!).

Brilliant advice.

What can you expect anyway? Many people are successful in their own lifetimes only to go on to obscurity after their deaths. Many others only achieve the recognition they deserve after their deaths (the author of the novel Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates, is a great example.)

So I’d go further and say aim to do your best and enjoy every minute, because the doing is your ultimate goal. Winning prizes and accolades and being financially successful are ultimately irrelevant to your daily work and often prove to have negative effects in the long run. Fame and/or financial success should be perks, not goals.

The best advice I could give to any writer though is to schedule your days. You have to compartmentalise socialising (which includes talking about writing with other writers) and the actual work of writing and its attendant disciplines. I also think that the actual writing is a tiny part of being a successful writer. I’ve had to learn/am still learning the following skills which take up a far greater part of my work day than writing: marketing, web design, book cover design, html and css coding, typesetting, presenting, blogging, networking, business.

Last year I spent 3 months writing a novel. This year I’m aiming to finish all the other work so that writing can take priority again between March and June. This is why I think scheduling, timetabling, wall planners and lists are vital.

Look at the time. See? I’m 20 minutes late for work. Naughty me

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