Do you reward yourself?

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kaitie

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I went to a conference this week, and one of the presentations was about goal setting and motivation. One of the interesting points it brought up was to reward yourself when you actually reach a goal. I'm pretty good about goal setting and self-motivating in general, even if I don't always make the goal, I am always working toward it and am generally relatively close. I'm getting ready to start submissions, and I'm thinking of actually doing the reward system. In a way it makes me think of being five, but in a good way. :) I always loved getting stickers and what not. So maybe I'll give myself a piece of chocolate whenever I have a partial request, or something along those lines.

I'm just wondering if anyone out there actually does self-rewards as a way of keeping up the motivation. If so, what do you do, and how has it worked for you?
 

Libbie

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Yep, I reward myself. Usually the reward is a new book. :D Recently, though, when I finally finished my manuscript (or so I though...) I took a trip out to Yellowstone and Driggs, Idaho, where I grew up. Spent a week out there. It was nice, if a little snowy.
 

The Lonely One

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Like Libbie I think my reward would have to be publishing my stories/books. That's reward enough, though I constantly indulge myself with things I don't deserve if that counts.
 

Judg

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I wouldn't reward myself for something outside my control, like getting a partial request. Those things really are their own reward. But for reaching a certain word count, or sending a certain number of queries, or some other thing that depended only on me, that would be a great system. I'll have to come up with one.

For a while, a writing buddy and I went out for lunch every two weeks. If either of us hadn't reached our writing goals, she had to pick up the other one's tab. That was fun.
 

kaitie

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My thinking is if I get a request it means I managed to write a good query. ;) Though mostly I'm just trying to think of ways to offset the rejection aspect. I always try to look more at the positive than the negative, and this just seemed like a nice way to focus on the positive. :)
 

Jamesaritchie

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I've always rewarded myself for sales by buying something. I've been doing so for thirty years, and it's worked well. My wife and I have always had this agreement that I could buy anything I wanted, no matter how expensive or frivolous, if I earned teh money from writing.

But I have to earn several times what I wish to spend. The amount I have to earn in order to make a person purchase changes each year, depending on how solvent we are at any given time. Sometimes it's four times more than I want to spend, sometimes it's up to ten times as much as I want to spend.

If a thousand dollar fountain pen grabs me, "all" I have to do is earn ten thousand after agent, after taxes, bucks from my writing, and I can buy the pen.

I've always loved the process of writing, but while it may sound strange, but this has always motivated me more than anything else where the business side of writing is involved. It's really a mental game that works.
 

Judg

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Actually, I was planning on something similar. Seeing as writing income would be a second income for us, and we're surviving without it, 10% of what I earn will be mine to spend on whatever my little heart desires.

OK, now I need to go out and find myself a big, fat contract.
 

NeuroFizz

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When did the pride of achievement slip so far down on the self-reward list?
 
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When did the pride of achievement slip so far down on the self-reward list?
This.

Sure, I treat myself to Colin Farrell DVDs and paperbacks and new pens and nice things, but...to be honest I'd buy those anyway. I'm just looking for an excuse.

Not published yet, but I'd trade...maybe not my Colin Farrell DVD collection, but something important...to once more experience the 'first time' feeling.

Sure, I've written books before, but they were, let's make no bones about it, shite.

The one I finished in April of this year (first draft at least), damn near pulled my heart out of my chest. But when I got to the end and burst into tears, I didn't know why I was crying - and so hard!

Took me a while to realise - it was pride. And you can't put a price on that.
 

Bubastes

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My rewards are pretty modest.

Sparkly stars on my calendar for hitting daily word goals.

Ice cream for milestone word goals.

Sushi or Indian buffet for big goals.

Yes, the pride of achievement is a great reward in and of itself, but it's nice to have a few extras to look forward to as well.
 

willietheshakes

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Groupies.

Wait, what was the question again? Rewards... Ah.

Well, I'm about to finish the whopping big manuscript, and I'm buying myself the Miles Davis Complete Columbia Recordings set off Amazon. If/when I get a movie deal, I plan on signing the contract with a Pelikan Majesty.

But mostly groupies...
 

icerose

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I've never rewarded myself for making a goal really but I did reward myself for the first thousand dollars I made with my script writing I bought a laptop and at my 5k mark I went out to dinner with my hubby. I plan to do the same at the 10k mark next month.
 
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Dicentra P

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When did the pride of achievement slip so far down on the self-reward list?

Pride of Achievement only works on the days I love my WIP. On the days I hate it I need to do something to keep slogging and pull it together.
 

CaroGirl

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I've never rewarded myself for making a goal really but I did reward myself for the first thousand dollars I made with a laptop and at my 5k mark I went out to dinner with my hubby. I plan to do the same at the 10k mark next month.
You made money with a laptop? :tongue
 

icerose

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You made money with a laptop? :tongue

Yeah it's really nifty you put these word things on your laptop and send them out and like people pay you! hehe

I meant to say with the 1st thousand I made writing scripts I treated myself to a laptop.
 

NeuroFizz

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Pride of Achievement only works on the days I love my WIP. On the days I hate it I need to do something to keep slogging and pull it together.
Pride of Achievement comes from slogging through those tough days and rising to meet a significant challenge. If a goal can be met without much effort, that goal is not much of a challenge and probably does require some bauble or taste treat to make one feel good about oneself.
 

icerose

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Pride of Achievement comes from slogging through those tough days and rising to meet a significant challenge. If a goal can be met without much effort, that goal is not much of a challenge and probably does require some bauble or taste treat to make one feel good about oneself.

That's very true. I'm much more proud of myself when it was tough and I did it anyway.
 

Libbie

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Like Libbie I think my reward would have to be publishing my stories/books. That's reward enough, though I constantly indulge myself with things I don't deserve if that counts.

Actually, I meant that I buy myself a new book (as opposed to buying one at the used book store!) I don't have any books published yet. :D
 

Namatu

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Pride of Achievement comes from slogging through those tough days and rising to meet a significant challenge. If a goal can be met without much effort, that goal is not much of a challenge and probably does require some bauble or taste treat to make one feel good about oneself.
I'm on board with this. I write slowly. The milestones are few and far between the long slog. I'm just happy to finally stand on top of the heap o' words triumphant (at least until I edit them). :)
 

geardrops

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My friend and I go for high tea when one of us has finished (a) a novel first draft or (b) have started the query process.
 

Judg

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When did the pride of achievement slip so far down on the self-reward list?
Who said it slipped anywhere? One doesn't negate the other.

Most of the time, just seeing that I'm on schedule (when I am) with my word goals gives me enough satisfaction to keep going. But it's fun to have something concrete to aim for sometimes too.
 

Bubastes

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Who said it slipped anywhere? One doesn't negate the other.

Most of the time, just seeing that I'm on schedule (when I am) with my word goals gives me enough satisfaction to keep going. But it's fun to have something concrete to aim for sometimes too.

This.

I run half marathons, and finishing is rewarding enough, but I still like getting that shiny medal at the end too. Same thing with my writing. As Judg said, one reward doesn't negate the other. The mature side of me can bask in the glow of a job well done, and the little kid in me gets an "ooooh, shiny!" treat. Everyone's happy.
 
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