Stay on target. Stay on target.

By Mike in Featured

August 3, 2013

I have a plan. I’ve shared some of it, but not all.

Actually, there are two basic plans; One related to health. One related to finance/career. The first involves losing weight and getting into shape. The second involves building that writing career, selling that novel and managing, rather than crisis managing the checkbook.

A little help on the economy would go a long way on that last one, thankyouverymuch Mr. President and Congress. But, I digress.

I have goals. I have a place I want to be. And right now, I have another self-imposed deadline of 363 days. That’s when I could technically retire from the day job. Whether or not that’s a realistic possibility remains to be see.

The health and weight remains a permanent goal, but not the focus of this post.

One, day I will retire from that job and be a full time writer. That could happen. I am closer to that goal today than I was this time last year.

What I have to remember is that, even if the deadline moves, which is a very real possibility (thankyouverymuch Mr. President and Congress); I have to stay on target. I have to keep working toward that goal.

It’s not going to happen overnight. And its not going to happen if I allow myself to be distracted or take little side trips.

Over at Human Business Works, Rob Hatch writes:

We start to think that it won’t hurt to take a small detour here or there. It may even prove profitable in the moment. We take on a client that isn’t really a fit with our goals, but the cash looks good. We start something new, because it’s interesting and we’re eager for the excitement or the challenge. We start to rationalize, to make it fit, but it doesn’t and despite the short term “win” we lose something else.

One could argue that the acting I’ve been doing is a detour. Perhaps it is. My rehearsal schedule certainly has cut into time I could have been devoting to the novel. But I actually think it’s not a detour, it’s part of the package, part of the long-term goal.

Likewise, I’m spending a lot of time in design and graphic layout that could be spent elsewhere. Is that a distraction? Again, I think not.

I’ve changed my taglines and bios to read “Author, Actor, Artist.” It’s taken me 55 years to put the pieces together.

Now I just need to stay on target to make it happen.

As Hatch points out, “Each time we spend our time, money, and attention in ways that aren’t serving the plan, there is a cost.”

For me, the writing, the acting, the art, and even a lot of the time I spend on Facebook and Pinterest are serving the plan. They’re moving me toward that goal.

Granted, there are times when I could be a little more focused. That’s where the cost factor comes in.

But I see where I want to be, and I’m closer than I’ve ever been.

I’d better be. I need to do something significant because at 55, I’m too old to die young. But, while some may scoff at someone my age having this conversation, I’m not too old to dream, and to make plans. I’m not inclined to spend the next 20-30 years regretting not working toward my goals, even if it turns out to be only 20-30 weeks, or days.

Speaking of Facebook, this week I created my Facebook page where you can follow my writing, acting and design without all of the snarky political comments and the photos of the cat.

Go ahead, like my Facebook page.

It’s all part of the plan.

For now, I have to detour out and mow the yard.

Stay on target. Stay on target.

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