Speedbo Countdown! Getting Yourself to The End with a "Quick Win"

Here we are, only a few days before March’s book-in-a-month Speedbo challenge ends. Where did the time go?

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If you participated, right about now you’re probably feeling one of the following:

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Triumphant: Woo hoo! Things are going great beyond your wildest dreams!

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Enjoying Yourself: You’re not quite “there” as far as meeting your goal, but you’ve made respectable strides and, above all, you’re having a little FUN!

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Sorta Enjoying Yourself: This was harder than you imagined it would be, BUT you’re making some progress that feels good. Most days, anyway.

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Not Enjoying Yourself Much At All: You bit off more than you can chew by setting unrealistic expectations. So no matter what progress you’re making, you find yourself comparing it to the original (maybe misguided?) goal--which steals away your sense of accomplishment no matter how far you’ve come.

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Bottomed Out: Anything that could go wrong, went wrong. Kids (or you) got sick. Day job overtime skyrocketed. Your computer caught a virus. You wrote yourself into a story corner and can’t find your way out. Or you stumbled across a published book with a similar storyline and the other author wrote it far better than you think you’ll ever be able to.

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Maybe you’re feeling a combination of ALL of the above!?

So, with just a few days of March remaining, how can you end the month on a positive note no matter where your feelings are at the moment?

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Putting things in perspective is a given. The world doesn’t end on March 31. But what if you haven’t even come close to where you’d hoped to be and feel as if you’ll be limping across the finish line? Or you’ve ALREADY thrown in the towel?

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That’s where establishing a “Quick Win” for these final days may make all the difference in how you feel about this month’s efforts.

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Yeah, “quick wins” are customarily established at the beginning of something—say, for a new employee or a new project to get things rolling on a positive note. It serves as a motivator and fends off frustration. But there’s no law that says that even though you may be weary and even a little bit disappointed in your progress that you can’t set a “quick win” here at the midnight hour.

Time’s limited, of course, so it’s important to be level-headed. No letting your eyes get bigger than your stomach stuff. You need to rationally pick a realistic mini-goal that you know you can complete, one that will energize you. One that is FUN. One that no matter how successful or less than successful this month’s efforts have been, it’s something that will leave you crossing into April with a smile of satisfaction.

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As Seeker Tina always points out “What have you done TODAY to make your dream come true?” What’s a dream “quick win” that will spark your imagination and energize you for the final days of Speedbo?

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It may—or possibly may not (GASP!)—be related to your original goal.

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It could be pushing on to write The End. Or skipping ahead to write the First Kiss or The Black Moment or the final scene. Maybe it’s drafting a query letter to an editor or agent. Maybe it’s writing a back cover blurb for your story—just for fun. Maybe it’s polishing up that first chapter. Or brainstorming titles. Or…or…or….
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It’s up to YOU. Will you slink out of the month…or gallop into the next?

Please share with us today where YOUR feelings are about the past month. What is a “quick win” you plan to apply to the remaining days of the Speedbo challenge? Any advice you can offer to those who are feeling discouraged about the level of their own progress? Any ideas they could apply for a “quick win”?

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If you’d like to be entered in a drawing for a copy of my next Love Inspired, “The Nanny Bargain,” mention it in the comments section, then check the Weekend Edition to see if you’re a winner!

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Glynna

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GLYNNA KAYE treasures memories of growing up in small Midwestern towns--and vacations spent with the Texan side of the family. She traces her love of storytelling to the times a houseful of great-aunts and great-uncles gathered with her grandma to share candid, heartwarming, poignant and often humorous tales of their youth and young adulthood. Her Love Inspired books--Pine Country Cowboy and High Country Holiday--won first and second place, respectively, in the 2015 RWA Faith, Hope & Love Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards. Appearing on the shelves later in April is “The Nanny Bargain” and in October 2017 “Mountain Country Cowboy.”

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The Nanny Bargain. Concerned for his orphaned twin brothers, outdoor-gear shop owner Sawyer Banks urges new employee Tori Janner to apply for the nanny position their grandparents are advertising…and spy for him. With plans to start over in Hunter Ridge and dreams of reviving her quilting business, Tori takes the job—but refuses to report to Sawyer unless the boys' welfare is in danger. But soon it's her own heart that's in jeopardy. Because after spending time with the committed bachelor, she starts to see the depth behind his easy charm—and begins to imagine herself as his wife. Pre-order HERE!