Comments on: “One item at a time” http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time Writing, reading, and other vital matters Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:54:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: robin http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4750 robin Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:15:20 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4750 Nancy, love the idea of working to be braver at things you're chicken about. I need to do that, too. And isn't it weird how small some of those things are? I assume they're not all the fear-of-my-parachute-not-opening type, but some are just simple fears about not making a fool out of yourself. Or are yours all big? Nancy, love the idea of working to be braver at things you’re chicken about. I need to do that, too. And isn’t it weird how small some of those things are? I assume they’re not all the fear-of-my-parachute-not-opening type, but some are just simple fears about not making a fool out of yourself.

Or are yours all big?

]]> By: Nancy http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4749 Nancy Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:23:46 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4749 I do believe in having goals, but I think my goals have gotten much smaller, and yet more meaningful, over time. I no longer have real career-centered goals other than to be effective and successful at what I'm doing today. Instead, my goals are quieter -- more to do with time spent with family and friends, new relationships, challenging myself to be brave about things I've been chicken about -- thinks like that. I do believe in having goals, but I think my goals have gotten much smaller, and yet more meaningful, over time. I no longer have real career-centered goals other than to be effective and successful at what I’m doing today. Instead, my goals are quieter — more to do with time spent with family and friends, new relationships, challenging myself to be brave about things I’ve been chicken about — thinks like that.

]]> By: robin http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4735 robin Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:21:27 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4735 P, thanks for catching that. Sometimes BJ sneaks in and comments without me knowing, but the tell-tale is always that my name ends up on it. I went back in and fixed it. Thanks for being my spy. P, thanks for catching that. Sometimes BJ sneaks in and comments without me knowing, but the tell-tale is always that my name ends up on it. I went back in and fixed it. Thanks for being my spy.

]]> By: Patrick, The Space Lord. http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4733 Patrick, The Space Lord. Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:12:12 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4733 Oddly, it seems like BJ was renamed to Robin. Don't be afraid to agree with me. I am quite agreeable. :) Oddly, it seems like BJ was renamed to Robin.

Don’t be afraid to agree with me. I am quite agreeable. :)

]]> By: bj http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4730 bj Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:15:44 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4730 My goal is to simply design at least one or two sites for myself a year. I added http://bitchslappin.net and http://refreshdelval.org last year. This year it'll be greenspeak.org (launching on Earth Day, which is TOMORROW) and at least one other, probably another web design site to brand myself differently. It's really easy to put my own stuff off since I get paid for the client stuff, but not (yet) for my own. But my own stuff gives me so much personal satisfaction, since they're to my own specs instead of someone else's. Oddly, I find myself agreeing with Patrick. Do something. If that doesn't work, do something else. So if I get stuck on one of my client projects, maybe I should spend an hour or two on one of my own . . . My goal is to simply design at least one or two sites for myself a year. I added http://bitchslappin.net and http://refreshdelval.org last year. This year it’ll be greenspeak.org (launching on Earth Day, which is TOMORROW) and at least one other, probably another web design site to brand myself differently.

It’s really easy to put my own stuff off since I get paid for the client stuff, but not (yet) for my own. But my own stuff gives me so much personal satisfaction, since they’re to my own specs instead of someone else’s.

Oddly, I find myself agreeing with Patrick. Do something. If that doesn’t work, do something else. So if I get stuck on one of my client projects, maybe I should spend an hour or two on one of my own . . .

]]> By: Diana http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4722 Diana Fri, 13 Apr 2007 05:56:38 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4722 I want to be more like you. But that would entail actually GOING to my yoga class, rather than just signing up, paying, and skipping. Which reminds me too much of college. Goal oriented though you may be, you also have "what nice thing did we do for ourselves this week." I think that's always a good reminder. The other tough things about goals is that too often we make goals something over which we, personally, have no control, which is always frustrating. For instance, I CAN control how many novels I write and direct my agent to shop. I cannot control how many movie rights I sell. Etc. I want to be more like you. But that would entail actually GOING to my yoga class, rather than just signing up, paying, and skipping. Which reminds me too much of college.

Goal oriented though you may be, you also have “what nice thing did we do for ourselves this week.” I think that’s always a good reminder.

The other tough things about goals is that too often we make goals something over which we, personally, have no control, which is always frustrating. For instance, I CAN control how many novels I write and direct my agent to shop. I cannot control how many movie rights I sell. Etc.

]]> By: robin http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4707 robin Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:17:12 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4707 Patrick, your explanation (and analogy) works for me. Thanks. Vivian, I like the list on your blog. Especially the one about how you're going to stop wishing you were taller. Patrick, your explanation (and analogy) works for me. Thanks.

Vivian, I like the list on your blog. Especially the one about how you’re going to stop wishing you were taller.

]]> By: Patrick, The Space Lord. http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4706 Patrick, The Space Lord. Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:02:03 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4706 I'm also working on a treadmill analogy for understanding your pace. How many things can you do at once? Do you like it when the speed and inclination changes randomly? Do you pick one speed and go at that speed all the time? etc... I haven't fleshed it out completely but it is helping me to understand what works best for me. Know your pace(workload) If you overload yourself, you'll give up early. If you don't challenge yourself, you won't get better or stay interested. I, like you, want to do everything. I'm learning to pace myself rather than a short sprint that really doesn't make me feel like I'm closer to the finish line. After the sprint, I am closer, but I'm winded and can't go on. Slow and steady gets you there. Diana's 100 words a day seems TINY. But the important part is the EVERYDAY. Pretty soon, 100 becomes 200, 300, 500, 1000. Starting out with a commitment of 1000 a day is like starting running at 6 miles per day. You might pull it off for a week or two, but you'll probably crash, unless you were previously a 1000 word/6 mile a day person. I think the thought is there, but not nearly as eloquent as I want to explain it. I’m also working on a treadmill analogy for understanding your pace. How many things can you do at once? Do you like it when the speed and inclination changes randomly? Do you pick one speed and go at that speed all the time? etc…

I haven’t fleshed it out completely but it is helping me to understand what works best for me.

Know your pace(workload) If you overload yourself, you’ll give up early. If you don’t challenge yourself, you won’t get better or stay interested.

I, like you, want to do everything. I’m learning to pace myself rather than a short sprint that really doesn’t make me feel like I’m closer to the finish line. After the sprint, I am closer, but I’m winded and can’t go on.

Slow and steady gets you there. Diana’s 100 words a day seems TINY. But the important part is the EVERYDAY. Pretty soon, 100 becomes 200, 300, 500, 1000.

Starting out with a commitment of 1000 a day is like starting running at 6 miles per day. You might pull it off for a week or two, but you’ll probably crash, unless you were previously a 1000 word/6 mile a day person.

I think the thought is there, but not nearly as eloquent as I want to explain it.

]]> By: Vivian http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4705 Vivian Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:57:35 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4705 Wow. The Space Lord speaketh. Thank you oh sage one for your wise words of advice. Robin, Yes, I like your way much better. A nice mix of accountability and manageability in a short list. No overwhelming sighs will escape from me this time. I wrote about this on my blog too. Wow. The Space Lord speaketh. Thank you oh sage one for your wise words of advice.

Robin, Yes, I like your way much better. A nice mix of accountability and manageability in a short list. No overwhelming sighs will escape from me this time. I wrote about this on my blog too.

]]> By: robin http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time/comment-page-1#comment-4699 robin Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:42:24 +0000 http://robinbrande.com/writing/one-item-at-a-time#comment-4699 Patrick, that makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing that. Helps me reorder my brain. Patrick, that makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing that. Helps me reorder my brain.

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