Moving the Goal Posts
I was lamenting to an author friend how hard “traditional” publishing success is to come by. While she agreed, she also cautioned me, not so much about my perspective of “success” (something I’ve learned must be different for each of us) but the dangers of how we always seem to move the goalposts.
Think about it: at first, you’re happy you’ve made time to write. Success! But it’s not enough; you want more. That’s okay; it’s good to challenge yourself. So you set the bar higher. My goal is to finish my manuscript. And then, with perseverance, effort and hard work, you do. But there’s more. I’ll get it published. Not easy, not by a long shot. When you do, whether it’s traditional publishing, hybrid or self-publishing, there’s a new goal. If I can only sell one copy (to someone not my family or friends!) And then you do. You get more than one sale, maybe even a hundred. But that’s not enough; could you sell a thousand? More?
Ambition isn’t bad. Strive for the stars! But when you haven’t yet met the ultimate goal (ahem, Stephen King success, or something like it), remember the goals you have met. Instead of moving the goal posts, celebrate the ones you’ve mastered. Then you can add new ones.
Given that most people who say they want to write don’t even get to the point of picking up a pen, I’d say you deserve to celebrate.