Day 14: Writing Outline? Just kidding!

Well, I was all set and primed to start my outline goal today…But, there is a gigantic problem. Actually, there are two problems, one of which is gigantic. The first problem, the small one, is that I don’t think I can attach an outline document here as though I were attaching a document to an email. I never considered that this wasn’t an email, but now I know. Sure, I could add it as an image or project. This seems like more work than it is worth.

Plus, upon further consideration, I don’t think that an outline matches the #My500Words challenge. The point of this challenge is to build a habit of writing everyday. I might incorporate an outline into my next challenge, but as Henry Miller commands, I cannot start a new challenge until the task at hand is complete.

I tend to deal with this shiny object syndrome. I don’t know if it is a personality trait or merely an unfortunate habit I have picked up. In any event, I can get in over my head sometimes, committing myself to too many things and losing focus. I had a practice for a while (that I try to continue still) where I wrote down my goals every single night. I would remark on my progress towards each of these ends and whether any of my goals were reached and could therefore be replaced. This REALLY helped me.

I love to learn, and I can get so excited by new possibilities that I overdo it. My enthusiasm for life and possibility is one of my favorite things about myself, honestly, so I would never want to squelch that. However, I would like to harness it better than I currently am. I have done this before, and it has been PAINSTAKING. While I worked my way through college and graduate school, I cried and felt spiritually and creatively oppressed. When I finished, I felt directionless and without purpose.

The best course of action for me is to write down all of my ideas when I have space for a new goal or project…then write them down each day of the week that follows…hopefully losing a few. Those that are left at the end of 1 week get into consideration mode. In consideration mode, I have to come up with a plan of what achievement means and how I plan to do it. In addition, I need to come up with my REASON for wanting to do it. This final list, those that are in active consideration mode, have to be said out loud to a third party. Hopefully, the act of planning it out and reasoning the action to a third party will allow for greater clarity. In addition, this process will hopefully allow me to have a greater “why” to come back to when the going gets difficult.

Shiny Object Process:

1. List all ideas out
2. Write them each day of the week for 1 week.
3. Cross off ideas that have lost luster over the week.
4. Come up with a plan and a reason for each idea. Write out.
5. Vocalize the list along with the plan and the reason to a third party.
6. Decide.