How do you set goals and track your progress?

When I wish to finish a manuscript I set a date (usually 2 months out) and set the word count goal accordingly.

More often, though, I keep a daily to-do list and refer to it throughout the day. Because knocking items off the list is fun. Also, I give myself rewards for reaching goals. Also, mix it up with other tasks--reading, map art, etc, to keep from burn-out. Also, listen to my brain fatigue. Also, accountability buddies (like the 'write every day' thread.)

Morgan_R said:

Should I have a higher goal, even knowing I'm not going to hit it every day?

Click to expand...

^I'd say avoid that. Why set yourself up for failure? Most people I'm aware of who have a writing habit observe what they do, then set a target they know they can hit, something on the low end of it. Then, if you go beyond, you end the day with a feeling of success, rather than a feeling of failure.

I'd suggest that if you don't have anything in particular that has to be done after 'writing goal', just keep going. 'Writing goal' being a minimum.
Unattainable goals are just going to bug you. And, at your next writing session, do you start counting that day's count right away, or do you have to 'make up' the previous day's 'loss' first? It's a losing game, don't set yourself up for feeling like a failure.

If you are spending more time goaling and tracking than writing, possibly ease up some.
If some minor visible reward would help, how about that kindergarten favourite?
Stars! A small calendar or journal- every day you do your regular amount, you get a coloured star. Every day you go over and above - gold star. It gives you a small reward, even if you just do your daily session. But, no writing at all, no star. It's weird how that empty spot on the calendar can rankle.

I love Pacemaker for its ability to vary the daily goal -- I particularly like the Mountain Hike option, where you start with a low amount of words, peak with a high goal in the middle of the month, and then get to roll downhill with less goals. I also like their option to frontload certain days (like weekends) when I know I'll have more time. The variation of having to check in every day to know what my wordcount goal is keeps me on my toes and generally encourages me to write more.

However, I admit I'm much more a hard starter than a hard stopper -- once I actually start writing, it's more likely than not I'll pass goal and keep going until real life drags me out of the zone, as it so inevitably does.

I think Frimble's suggestion of giving yourself stepped goals, like a a gold star for "over and above" days, would be my suggestion as well. If stickers aren't your thing, maybe something else -- a fancy box of chocolates, and you're allowed one every time you go over goal, for example. Or seven days over earns you a day off. Whatever works for you.

Good luck!

ETA:Another thing to think about might be why you're stopping as soon as your minimum goal is met. Too many other fun things to do afterwards, that you're thinking about when you're writing? Too many potential distractions? Not much energy?

Things I've done to help me get in, and stay in, the writing zone include distraction blockers (like RescueTime or installing Forest on my phone); a short meditation session before I write to clear my head; and finding the optimum time to write... for me, that's usually morning, before all the Stuff of the day has had time to pile up in a distracting heap, so I get up at six to maximize that premium writing time before work. But everyone is different.

I saw you mention willpower. I've had a chance to get a different perspective on willpower and it has helped me a lot. Willpower is (IME) something that can mislead us. Willpower tends to be about forcing ourselves to do something. If we force ourselves we can do more harm than good. Many people are willing to talk to themselves and treat themselves in ways they would never treat another person. *If* one can succeed with that model, is the result worth it if one is miserable? Everyone I know who is successful and happy has a combination of relaxing and taking it easy, doing things that they enjoy, so that their body and minds are able to keep up the work even when their moods and circumstances are 'off'.

oooh, I like the ideas on this thread.

Morgan, FWIW I do have one friend who says he likes to set outrageous goals and not meet them, because he still gets further (writes more) that way than by setting the goals he knows he will achieve.