On setting goals....

I really enjoy Penelope Trunk's blog. She's a refreshing change from most career bloggers, is blunt and smart, a very nice combination.

This is an especially good post. Basically, it says that your goals have to be about process, and that process has to be to find ways to spend your time doing things you like to do. That's how you create energy and flow, and, ultimately, a happy life. "Take action where your passion lives, and the rest will follow."

This is a very good and inspirational post with lots of good ideas.

It brings up another interesting idea that I have been toying with, which is that there is usually a sweet spot of all these philosophies of life...a point of moderation where there really is energy.

For example, while I wholeheartedly endorse the idea of building your life around what you like to do, shouldn't some of your goals be designed to force yourself to do things you don't like to do? Covey once wrote that "successful people do what unsuccessful people don't like to do."

The difference is more perceived than real. You will note the importance of obsessive practice in the Trunk post, and Covey always talked about aligning your life to your mission.

Still, it is hard to give up all the old "grim duty of life" metaphors we got from Little House on the Prairie. Here's another sweet spot, though, because Trunk's post sounds like of 1960's-what-color-is-your-parachute.

One last thing. We're not moving widgets here. And, in knowledge work, I think what Trunk is talking about is key. The inspired and energetic and the ones that dig out the new inferences and relationships that create not just home runs, but a steady stream of singles and doubles.

Writer's routines shines light on BEING creative as opposed to FEELING creative

I have been writing a little bit about being creative as opposed to feeling creative, in conjunction with Merlin Mann. It has been important to me in helping me think about doing things very big, and actually DOING, not looking for tips on doing, or avoiding facing failure by re-organizing your life every ten minutes.

This post is on the daily routines of writers, and it makes a very clear point.

They were successful writers because they wrote. How much they wrote each day was variable, but they consistently produced words every single day, and they did it on a fixed schedule, regardless of how they felt.

We tie ourselves up in our feelings. We gotta do more, feel less.

Wordle

This is pretty cool. Wordle lets you make a word/cloud diagram of the words on your blog (or any other set of words, for that matter. Here is what came up when I did this blog.

It blew me away, really. Here's a fascinating snapshot (and pretty accurate) of what has been going on in my mind. There's happy words, scared words, sad words, struggling words. Very powerful visual view

Doing better

I'm doing a little better. The first couple days were not easy, all this darkness, and it was hard to find a way to get myself out of bed. But, I'm feeling better, making some progress at work, and feeling a little less blue. I don't know exactly where I am yet, but it is a little better.

A day of struggle

It was a day of struggle. Not that things didn't go well, because they did. But, I started to feel like maybe the novelty was wearing out on all this. I started to feel depressed and like the whole thing is pointless. I started to feel like me being alone was, you know, a little sad. Trudging.

Secretly, I had always kind of looked forward to my time alone. I got to cook something fun, and some time to do what I wanted....watch what I wanted on TV, etc. Football season is over, so I started my movie-watching regimen tonight.

Well, this is no time to fall down now. I am getting up the mountain. I think part of it is the winter blues, and I need to try and find a way to get some exercise. Part of it is just an expected trend. You don't sail along forever.

So, I have to struggle. I will not succumb. This will be an enriching year.

Interesting Question

A major part of my recovery program has been to be positive. You know, remain upbeat, positive. Not feel sorry for myself. I'm not a victim.

It seemed like a healthy thing to do.

A friend of mine asked me how I was (via text). I said I was fine.

And she told me that I didn't have to be brave and strong for everyone.

I didn't know what to say. I was a little hurt. It almost felt like I needed to be miserable to meet someone else's expectations.

Like everything, it made me start to doubt myself. Am I papering over real feelings? Am I putting coping ahead of healing? Am I avoiding the real struggles?

I really don't think so. But, this is my story to write...no one else can speak the words that are on my lips. And I'm going to stay positive and upbeat, even if I might be papering over things.

Here's why. I feel like I'm flapping in the air. And if I stop flapping, I'm going to crash. I have been here before, and if I let myself use depression as an answer, I'm going to go down and I might not get up. I don't know if I would get up.

There is only one road forward. Be positive. Be upbeat. Be practical. Flap hard, and use your falling momentum to generate that upward thrust.

There is only one way.

Things OK

Something good happened today.

I wrote a note on the list to a person who was having trouble. I included some words from a post I linked to here, that went like this:

My mom: First, make yourself a cup of tea. Things are better with tea.

Me: I can’t make tea.

My mom: Why not?

Me: Because I’m in a ball on the bathroom floor.

My mom: Well then, the first step is to get off the floor.

I really like that exchange. Well, I posted it in one context, but another person read it on the anniversary of her Mother's death. She said the practical advice reminded her of her mother...and that it helped her get through the day.

Nice thing for today.