While it is great and important to have goals and plans to actually accomplish them, the hardest part is yet to come. Actually doing it! One of the things that has really made an impression on me was when I was just starting out as a writer. It was hard. I never seemed to have time to write and my skill at combining words into readable sentences was lacking. I thought about giving up so many times. So what changed?
The number one goal made by the population in the US is lose weight. I know it is on my list of goals, maybe it’s on yours too! If you went to the gym just once a month you would not make very much progress. If you did not occasionally eat a salad, or at least pay attention to what you put into your mouth, you would similarly not have a lot of success. If we want to make progress on any goal you have to be consistent. We have to do it more than a few times a month or even a week. I mentioned the diet and exercise goals because it is commonly preached as a lifestyle change. We are encouraged to eat healthy not for one meal but for all of our meals (and skip the yummy, yummy deserts and candy). We are encouraged to not just go to the gym but to park further away from doors and walk up flights of stairs. It’s a combination of little things and big things that make the difference. This is something that can be applied to most goals. Small changes that go along with the big goals.
This begins by carving out some time in your life to do the things you love. This meant the I had to set aside time to write, even just a little bit, every day. I took up archery last year, I had to set aside time to work with a coach and get in practice time. This usually meant having to play fewer video games or watch fewer Netflix shows. For me this was not an easy sacrifice but it one I would willingly do again. I get much more satisfaction from telling stories, or practicing my aim then I got out of sitting on my butt for hours each day to watch TV. Protect your time and using it wisely! We only get so much each day.
Wise use of time does not mean working every single hour of the day. as with most things in life there is a balance to be achieved. I do not write for 5 hours each day. I have thirty to sixty minutes set aside and if it takes up more space than that, great! But I am not going to turn my passions into another job to slog to. I try to keep it fun and enjoyable as much as I can (yes even through editing and rewrites)! The goal is to make your time productive but not oppressive. You might be doing this the rest of your life (who knows, maybe you will like it!) so it is important to protect yourself from burnout and keep your productivity sustainable.
Turning your goals into a habit could be the difference between achieving your dreams or setting the same goals year after year. You don’t have to go huge, just start off with what you can handle. Use your five, fifteen or twenty minutes to work on your dreams, then go out and look at the sunset, eat something weird, or be with friends. Every little bit of progress counts! If you find yourself going over your time limit, make it longer! You won’t build your dreams all at once, you must do it brick by brick.