Stickk it for Parker, Goal #2

So, I met that last goal. 

I think this way of committing myself is helpful for me.  I don't know if it's the money itself, or the humiliation of losing money in this way, or the public declaration of the goal, but somehow these things all combine to keep me focused.  For several days I had been struggling to work on my project, but setting that goal energized me and got me track. 

I feel ridiculous for having to do my work this way, but maybe I just need to accept that this is my nature.  I have always been motivated by deadlines.  I pulled many all nighters through high school and college and never once submitted a paper early.  Sometimes I have had to plead for extensions because I find that I can't pull it off at the last minute, and it is embarrassing to do that at this stage of my professional life.  This is a bad way to work, not only because the work suffers for being all rushed at the end, but also because I get very anxious during those days and weeks when I know I should be working on something but can't seem to make myself do it. 

I need to work more steadily and happily, and the way to do this is to meet sequential, intermediate goals along the way to the big goal.

At stickk.com, I am committing another $200 to my next goal, which is to have a complete draft of my project by April 1st.  This draft has to be at least 13,000 words.  Not just any 13,000 words, mind you but the right 13,000 words. That is, it has to be reasonably good.  For this goal, I've decided to enlist an old grad-school friend to be my referee.  I will send her my draft by the end of the day on April 1st and she will do a word count and judge it.  If it is at least 13,000 words and at least B-quality work, then I will have met my goal.  If not, then I will have failed.  She will verify whether or not I met the goal with Stickk.com.

If I fail, Parker gets $200.

Comments

[Lavenaub]

thats it, brother