When we first start a new endeavor, our ultimate success or failure is often even odds. Tipping the scales in our favor comes from putting our best effort towards our goal.  A dogged determination helps us through setbacks and challenges, and an optimistic attitude keeps our spirits lifted.

If we are fortunate, help arrives when we flounder and mentors who have traveled a similar pathway offer guidance allowing us insight with the journey along our chosen path. Setting and striving for a goal, giving it our lazar focus, our finest effort is noble. By doing the best we can we become a better, more confident, and we never need to wonder “what if”.  In life, daily work improves us and defines success. Look around and admire the fruits of your labor.

How can you do your best today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I guard my seconds, stick to my schedules and attempt to squeeze every ounce of productivity possible from my workday. Likewise, I construct my playtime around the activities I enjoy. They revitalize and recharge my batteries and prime my creativity pump. The horror comes when my time is hijacked and those diamonds Horace Mann refers to, evaporate into thin air.

If you woke to discover your stash of flawless jewels stolen, you would call the police, file an insurance claim and offer a reward for their return. Yet when your day filters away, lost forever, we shrug our shoulders and forget about it. Are those moments any less valuable than diamonds?

There are days when we know we will confront unavoidable downtime, waiting in Dr. Offices, at the auto repair shop, or the DMV. A little planning can help. When I expect I might have to wait, I bring a book to read or plan other small tasks. I write using my phone. It’s funny if I have work to complete, the delay is short, and I never even start.

How do you protect your time?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

We waste precious time and energy worrying about events which never happen, opinions that don’t matter, approvals we don’t need. Our imagined fears are a dog pile of a thousand tiny terrors and a hoard of gargantuan doubts. They stop us before we begin. We must confront our paper tigers, name them for what they are if we want to succeed.

Fear is a mechanism that evolved for our safety. But Saber-toothed tigers and Mastodons became extinct ten thousand years ago. To move forward, we need to determine if our concerns have any validity. What would happen if our worst thought stood manifest before us? When we consider them, most worries are dismissible, while a handful may require mitigation. Then we are free to grab our heart’s desire and prepare for an amazing ride.

What fears are stopping you?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I have a monthly ritual. I analyze my word counts, compare totals against my goals, and I set my schedule for October. During my most recent review, it shocked me to realize less than 90 days remain. The countdown stands at 78. It’s a source of distress for me. Normally, those numbers have little impact, but we are talking about the year’s end. It means a reduction in time available to complete my work.

Holidays, like today, Columbus Day are the culprit.  Celebrations, family obligations, and traveling, cut my normal scheduling availability by another ten days. Suddenly, it appears my daily averages will drop. I am not willing to accept an avoidable disappointment and returned to my agenda to make a few adjustments. There is still a way to reach my objectives. By picking up small additions over the next two weeks, everything should be fine.

How do you plan to reach your goals?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer