How to Stay the Course

I stay the course by realizing I fell way off it and need to take a step back. For me, I realized my blog had a tone I did not like so I am thinking about starting a new one with a different focus. The trick for me was realizing I got too far from my original purpose and that I needed to take an honest look at it.

I put one foot in front of the other, each and every day:) Cheers! Kaarina

Hi Erin

I think we all get drawn off course at times.  Deciding what options you have if you don't stick with what you are trying to accomplish.  If the consequences are not that big of a deal, we will be more inclined to take the easy route and abandon goals.

I find that if I don't stick with what I am trying to accomplish, the outcome will not produce anywhere near what I want in life.  Got to try staying focused for the long haul.  But I do think it is good to take a break away from the strict plans we have for ourselves.

Very good thoughts.

Mary

I almost didn't stay the course over the last few weeks. I questioned a lot of things to do with my blog but by doing that it actually helped me get over it and move on.

I have some long terms goals but I'm not taking things too seriously at the moment. I have other things I need to be doing offline so whilst I want to move forward with my blog, I also need to be realistic.

My family is really the reason I stay the course, without them I probably would have veered way off course by now.

Having a vision is key! Last summer I allowed myself to get sucked into the snarkiness of the popular crowd online and I wrote some blog posts that strayed from what we're trying to do at Spin Sucks. I really regret that, but it allowed me to focus on the vision. Every time I sit down to write, I think, "Does this get us closer to our vision?" If the answer is no, I don't write it. Sometimes that means people don't agree or they criticize, but I know what we're doing is right so it's easier to stay the course. Much easier.

Damn good question! Tough one to answer. 

I try to surround myself with like-minded people and find the answers I need in talking to my friends. My negativity bubbles to the surface occasionally and when that happens I take some time to fight it back down before moving forward. Accountability is as much a crutch for me as it is a motivator. There have been times where I have had to move on and stopped myself because I felt accountable to someone or something which has held me back. Perspective, seeing the options and weighing them against what I want to achieve, usually gets me going in the right direction.

On the lighter side, a good mantra for knowing when to get moving is when you find that you are the smartest person in the room you need to find a new room. Ha, ha!

Thanks for sharing.

Really good coffee (or green tea if I've already had my two cups), really good friends who kick me in the ass, and my own reminders not to let negative self talk get in the way. Of at lease, to recognize it when it's here and kindly wait for it to leave. :)

Staying the course can be difficult. Each day I try to move forward, if only a little bit.

My goal is a successful writing career as a novelist. This means writing, editing, arranging for covers, publishing, and then marketing the books. The fun part is the writing. The other task are just as important and sometimes I find it a chore to make myself put down the pen (metaphorically speaking) and work on the other tasks.

Still, I tell myself that if I can get a little bit done on one of the tasks I don't enjoy, then I've made great strides.

I guess I better go do some editing, because now I've made myself feel guilty...which is a good thing.