Thursday, October 22, 2009

Impossible Things Are Really Freaking Hard

Unlike most people I've heard mention such things, I do not use statcounter. However, I use blogpatrol, which is basically the same thing, so I'm no better, even in the addiction department. I choose to control the urge to check by limiting myself to just checking on Saturdays.

Now, I don't know if statcounter does something similar, but blogpatrol has a very cruel feature that informs you, not only how many people have checked your blog that day, but also how many people it expects will check it that day. As far as I'm concerned, that's just pain-inducing. "Dear you, yes, only five hits today. Don't worry, we don't expect more." And somehow, it manages to be mute and use a stereotypical witchy cheerleader voice at the same time.

And mine likes to be completely unreasonable. At the very beginning of a Saturday, it's initial estimate for the day is often 48 hits. I can tell you right from the get go, not gonna happen. But it likes to say that anyway, just to taunt me. (Yes, I take it personally.) I'm all for reaching for the stars, but even I know when something is a pipe dream.

Why do I mention this? Because, after all my yammering about goal setting, it seemed important to mention setting reasonable goals.

Before we go any further, I wanted to say that I do believe in doing impossible things sometimes, and that, yes, I am listening to the Rogers and Hammerstein song write now. But that's not the point. Because while I do believe that sometimes the impossible can be achieved, achieving it is really, really hard.

So while I would never tell someone to give up on their dream -- I want to be a published writer. I officially have no right to call someone's dream crazy -- I would advise people not to bite off more than they can chew.

I am the queen of biting off more than I can chew. I am currently burning the midnight oil trying to keep up with my 2000 words a day goal. It's not easy, but I'm trying to stick to it. But I'm always wondering about my goals and trying to make sure that I'm not setting myself up for certain failure.

Because, yes, if you try to take on too much at once (i.e.: learning to fly by this time tomorrow) you're doomed. That's why you've got to break things down, take them one step at a time.

Impossible things can be achieved, but it takes hard work, dedication, and a willingness to tackle the possible first, with the hope that the impossible can follow shortly after.

How do you feel about attempting the impossible? Do you tend to bite off more than you can chew?

6 comments:

  1. To answer your question, yes yes yes! Besides my blog, I have a full time job, and I also have other writing that I like to do. I started off with the unrealistic goal of posting something to my blog every three days. Entirely unrealistic! I've since allowed myself a more realistic window of one week, although at times I feel that even that is pushing it. But knowing my OC self, I probably won't be able to talk myself into anything more flexible than that. More than I can chew, sometimes... definitely!

    Nevine

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  2. Nevine -- The only advice that comes to mind is what I do when I find I've been off more than I can chew. Chew very slowly. Sort of one day at a time. Good luck. :D

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  3. I've recently bitten off more than I can chew, and my teeth hurt! I'm trying to revise (rewrite) a completed manuscript by the end of this month so I can participate in NaNo next month. I got all the way to the last chapter, and realized something major that needed changing, so I had to start over. I'm on chapter 3. :( I'm thinking I won't do NaNo. I wouldn't be so stressed if I let that go.

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  4. Forget the impossible, I'm still fascinated by the blog tracking sites you mentioned. How did I not know about these sites? :(

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  5. I think that we're proof that impossible things happen all the time. Hard work and determination kick impossible's ass.

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  6. Susan -- You have my sympathies. I hope this next round of revisions goes more the way you'd hoped.

    KAH -- I found out about the one I use when someone mentioned it on a blog. I didn't even know about statcounter until about last month. You should be able to find either one of google.
    If you click on the blogpatrol box at the bottom of my page, it should take you to their homepage. I think statcounter can be found via google.

    LnL -- "Hard work and determination kick impossible's ass." I like that. I think it should be written on bumper stickers and t-shirts.

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