Don't do what I did.
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Hey friend,
It's been one day short of three weeks since I last came around. If anyone had told me, when I started this newsletter, that I'd take so long a break, I'd have confidently argued otherwise. Why?
Because I was too, too determined.
I knew what I wanted to achieve by sending out these tri-weekly letters, I knew how long I wanted to do it for before I let myself get comfortable and begin slacking. So I was over a hundred percent sure I'd be consistent – at least for a couple of months to a year.
But I failed.
And the reason is simple. You can't make it with determination alone. And I'm going to put this in a block quote so it sticks with you.
You can't make it with determination alone.
There's a ton of things – okay, not so many but very essential – that you need to buff up your determination and get you to success. These things I learned from my shortcomings and staying inactive for too long. I'll tell you some.
A defined target:
You’re not getting anywhere if you don't know where you're going.
So, I did have a target. Whether it was defined to a ‘t’, I can no longer confidently say. Yeah, I have work to do, fixing that. And so do you.
What are your targets as an undergrad seeking success? What exactly does success mean to you? You have to figure that out. Else, mere ‘determination to succeed’ will get you nowhere. Sorry, but it's true.
An actual, realistic plan: Ah… this. The more realistic and detailed your plan is, the more likely it is to succeed.
‘Post every day’ has such slim chances of success, as opposed to –
Write draft: 8am
Edit and Schedule/upload: 9:15am
Or, for you, ‘Read every day’ would hardly be as effective as –
Review Contract Law class notes: 6:30pm
Read chapter 17 of Admin Law and make notes: 7:00pm
Like your goals, when your plans are specific and realistic, they help you take consistent, measured steps toward your goal, rather than random, chaotic hurtles and jumps that lead you nowhere.
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Some carrot-stick system: Works all the time. I know because when I stopped using it, I sunk into three weeks of limbo – not giving up, not keeping on. How does it work? Easy.
If you reach a milestone in your plan, you get the carrot – some reward for your hard work. And if you slack off, you get the stick (no self-harm, please). Put off enjoying the reward and have yourself do something you consider unpleasant as ‘punishment’ for not sticking to the plan. Example:
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*Study for 3 hours (5pm – 8pm) = Watch 1 episode of (Insert current favourite show here)
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*Study for less than 3 hours = No episode of (Insert current favourite show here)
*Miss study session = No episode of (Insert current favourite show here) AND Do (insert least preferred house chore) for 30 minutes
Carrot-stick systems that are enforced go a long way in getting you to reach your goals.
Resilience: You have to be prepared to possibly fail. And start again immediately. Being resilient means pushing on, against all odds. I did pick up, but not until over two weeks after. So I need to work on my resilience. If you spend too long getting out of a dry spell or you get into one too often, then you and me both – we have some resilience-building to do.
So, which of these are you struggling with the most?
Turns out I brought three-weeks worth of energy into this because how is this letter so long? Anyway,
TL;DR: Don't be like me (in the last three weeks). Be determined, but have a target, make a plan, get some carrots and sticks, and keep on keeping on. I’m working on these and I know you can too.
And that's it!
It's absolutely good to be back and I hope you had a lovely read.