Recently I wrote an article describing my goal to reach 10,000 subscribers by the end of the year. It's a very tall order but one I feel I will reach. I honestly don't know how I can do this I just feel it. That was around 15 days ago and I still don't know how I am going to reach that figure. When I see that I have only added around 100 subscribers in two weeks I was starting to think 'I think I might have made a bit of a fool of myself by stating my goal of 10,000 subscribers'. As soon as I started thinking that my passion for the blog and writing diminished a little. Now that I have caught that thought I put even more effort in.
I have written a guest post for Lifehack.org, Zenhabits and DumbLittleMan (2 have not been published yet). I have added new features to this blog, which may or may not work, I have banished the Google ads and have just bought the Thesis theme to make the blog more simple in style (don't know when that will be ready as I am still working on it).
My thoughts are now firmly on writing and over the last two weeks I have written over 10,000 words in posts, produced two videos, tweeted my little beak off, set up a facebook profile, a youtube channel, sent off an article as a freelancer, and joined a forum for A-ListBloggers. My thoughts are all on writing just now and reaching that goal, it's a hunger from the minute I wake up, even when I am at work I am thinking 'oh, that would be a great post' and I get it down on paper before I forget it.
What has given me the drive?
There are 3 things that are driving this passion right now
- A big hairy measurable goal
- A passion for writing
- The avoidance of pain (being made to look stupid if I don't reach my goal of 10,000 subscribers)
5 ways to inject some passion into your goals
Have a goal in mind
You can't have passion in your life if you don't have a goal or goals. Try and make your goal measurable so you'll know that you've reached your goal at the end of all your hard work.
Reach out
Reach out to other people who can help you reach your goals even your competition. If you see someone you are competing with and they are doing well, look at what they are doing, break it down into little pieces and emulate each piece. There are always people who are willing to help you if they feel your passion and hunger so ask other people to help you, if they say no, then move on to someone else who can help but always make it a win-win so you both gain out of the partnership.
Small changes
100 incremental changes can make a huge difference on your goal whereas 1 big change might not make that much of a difference. You find out what works for you, throw away the bits that don't and keep improving bit by bit.
Obsess about it
I can't believe how obsessed I have become about writing over the last two weeks. At first i thought 'I'll write a few guest posts, get some guest writers for CYT and write a little more for the blog' It's nothing like that. It's like 'I want to write the best post ever, every single time, I want to write it now and I want to find a way to write in my sleep.'
Think about your goal often and every single day. Have a picture in your mind of you reaching your goal and the rewards it will bring. Do this especially when you are feeling a bit down and things aren't going quite the way you planned. It's a hunger, a drive you need to reach that goal no matter what.
Speak about it
I have spoken to my wife about my goals for the next five months and she has asked some great questions one of them being 'What are you going to get out of it?' honestly I don't know I just know I have to do it. So if you have friends and family who are willing to listen speak about your goals or join a forum who have people with similar goals to yours. Small goals can be a one man show, big goals need an audience.
What are your goals?
What are your goals right now and how are you injecting passion into them? Why not share your thoughts with the readers and help them out.