Week One Reflection: Goal Setting "Should Atlas shrug?"
No, do not shrug your shoulders Mr. Atlas as Ayn Rand suggests, even though she is my fav fav fav author- if I can do it, you too can do it. Mind you, the first and second days I set rather lofty goals for where I actually was with this section- I set the goal of "finishing this section" both Monday and Tuesday without realizing what that actually entailed. Diving into the section, like an Island of Dolphins, I realized what the contents of the water actually held and what I was capable of during my first few steps back into the oh so fun activity of dissertating. Like a Wrinkle in Time, I tesseracted and quickly arrived at a place where I could set realistic goals for the day-- Wednesday through Friday I accomplished everything thing I set in front of me for the day and some days just a bit more!!!!
How have I learned from my comrades? You were not throwing pearls to swine with me.
What has really seemed to help me was taking cues from others in the room and outlining my goals for the day in very specific ways. Besides seeing it all laid out in front of me to accomplish, like the introductory narrative text rolling off into the distance in Space Balls, it feel darn darn darn darn good to literally cross things off the list, with my mighty pen as the sword, I slashed the items off my list- like any good diplomat - instead of speaking softly and carrying a big stick- I speak loudly and carry a fountain pen. Even after Dissertation Camp ends, I will continue to make a list of goals before I launch into the day's writing. So thank you!!
Great attitude! I agree, tracking the progress you've made does increase your level of confidence. I often worry if I will have the determination to continue writing everyday when the camp is over but making SMART goals may be the key.
ReplyDeleteI am horrible in tracking my goals and planning my goals. I would rather spend time writing. I think I definitely need to learn from you and my fellows on how to better manage my schedule. However, I feel happy about my current progress as I can spend at least four hours on writing every day. It may not be the most efficient way to write if you don't have specific goals but it is the most productive way I have so far. Keep fighting. :)
ReplyDeleteI am horrible in tracking my goals and planning my goals. I would rather spend time writing. I think I definitely need to learn from you and my fellows on how to better manage my schedule. However, I feel happy about my current progress as I can spend at least four hours on writing every day. It may not be the most efficient way to write if you don't have specific goals but it is the most productive way I have so far. Keep fighting. :)
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