Rewards

Okay, I know I come across as a bit heavy and negative _ I prefer to call it realistic - but it isn't all bad.

I want you to plan a series of rewards for yourself through out the month. Work out how many words you need to have written by certain key dates (taking into account days where you may be unavoidably away from the keyboard) and work out a schedule of rewards for when (not if) you achieve the targets on schedule.

Typically, rewards are weekly treats and ased on the standard 1667 words per day. So if you hit 11669 words by the end of Day 7, you get your first reward. Obviosuly, it you are aiming for more words per day, or if you're going to miss the first week of writing, your reward chart has to refelect that.

Perhaps you can decide that if you're still on target after the first week, you can buy yourself a book, CD or DVD, or see a movie, or have a relaxing bath with your beloved (if he/she wants anything to do with you after being ignored for a week), or whatever works for you. But make it something fairly substantial and special, so it is a genuine reward, not something you'd do anyway.

If you are so minded, you could make up a cute little race-track style game with 30 steps on it, the rewards marked out, and move a little token representing yourself along it as you progress.

BUT (and this is the important part) you can't just give yourself the rewards if you don't hit your targets. If you don't stay on schedule, you don't get the CD. Not ever. Well, at least not until next year. Otherwise, where is the motivation?

So no "Boo-hoo-hoo, I feel so sorry for myself I'll buy it for me anyway." This is about motivating yourself to achieve, and rewarding achievement. If you're going to give yourself the treat regardless, there is no motivation.