Let’s Try This Again

By Mike in Life

January 11, 2016

southernwriting

No, I didn’t keep writing here last week. Don’t judge.

After conversations I had over the weekend, I don’t think I’m the only one who considered the first week of 2016 to be a rough one. But, I am bound and determined to not let that set the tone for the year.

If I have to say that every single day of 2016 is my New Year’s Day I will do that but without the black eyed peas and collards. Don’t judge.

I really don’t want to rehash last week, but let’s just say that I didn’t make it to the gym and I didn’t keep up with the writing schedule I devised in December. More about that in a minute.

The week also meant the final clean up from the New Year’s Eve production which you are very, very, very sorry to have missed. It meant returning to the day job which, for multiple reasons, was particularly challenging. And it meant dealing with a financial situation that was a major pain in the posterior. Feel free to hit the tip jar on your way out.

So, instead of the “Fresh! Clean! New!” view of the New Year it was more like “ohfercryinoutloud, not this $#%& again.”

Enough whining. It’s Monday. It’s a new week. It’s a new day. And, if I want it to be, it’s a new year.

In all of that I’ve made some decisions, and have some news.

Last night I had my first rehearsal for “The Dining Room” with Huguenot Community Players. We open on February 19.

I’ve decided on a different schedule to get to the gym. If it works this week, I’ll let you know. But I now belong to a gym that’s open 24-hours. My intent is to hit the bike and/or the pool after rehearsals. I’ve done this schedule in years past, and sometimes it’s easier to do than to get up and out the door in the mornings, particularly in the winter. That’s in part because my morning routines include some reading and writing (at least 1,000 words a day).

I’ve scaled back on the writing goals. In December my starry-eyed plan had me running four different blogs, writing 1,000 words a day (which I’m doing), finishing the novel, and working for my paying clients.

That might be possible if I didn’t have a day job, or have to eat, or never needed to take a shower.

It was a lofty goal, but unrealistic.

Derek Halpern wrote last week about going all in. In talking about how people set as many as 3,4,5 or even 8 goals he said “If you keep that much on your plate, you’ll never get anything done. So, it’s time to go all in on just one of those things.”

Basically, new projects don’t get completed because you don’t go all in for one idea. Instead you try to balance too many projects. Wise words.

Halpern said not to give up on goals or your current projects, but to table some and go all in on one.

So, the writing is being refocused. I will concentrate on writing for my paying clients (I’m still available to be hired, so don’t read this the wrong way). I will concentrate on this blog. I will concentrate on, and finish, and publish, the novel.

When those things are under control, I’ll consider the other projects.

Basically, I’m maintaining my professional writing, maintaining this blog (setting three to the side for now), and going all in on the novel. I’ve talked about that for far too long. This year it happens.

In the meantime, I’ll be at the gym, I’ll be acting, and yes, I’ll be producing.

I for one am hoping that this week is better than last.

If not, we get another one in just seven short days.

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Let’s Try This Again

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