Dreaming big and setting small goals

I’ve started writing my seventh novel.

It took me years to write the first novel, and even when it was finished as far as I was concerned, a manuscript assessor explained that I had the bones, but not the flesh. I could have given up at that stage, but I plodded on, until it was in print form.

Then there was a long gap, about ten years, until the next book was published. After that, I just kept on with the plodding, one step in front of the other, until each book arrived into the publishing world.

Did I have a dream to write so many books? I didn't think so. Until just recently two things happened. I found the old exercise books that I used to handwrite in. And I discovered the germ of an idea for all my books right up to book five, were there in five notebooks. I was blown away!

Then I found some goals I had set myself about eighteen years ago and there in my own handwriting it said "my books published worldwide." That was well before ebooks and on demand printing was on the radar.

So dreaming big and setting little goals have both had their part to play in getting me to this place. Is it true of more than just writing? It appears so. Looking at the other goals on the card I had tucked away, I found that of the ten dreams we (my husband and I) had, we had achieved eight of them, all by thinking about where we wanted to go, and putting one foot in front of the other and plodding along.

Keep dreaming and keep plodding. But more importantly, write those dreams down. The little goals will take care of themselves.