Comments on: Carrying On When Rewards Are Distant

By: Help a Writer Out!

Help a Writer Out! — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:01:06 +0000

[...] Ali says it better than I can as she recaps her experiece here: I believe that there’s real value in just seeing something through, even if the results are pretty dismal. The experience of writing a novel for NaNoWriMo probably isn’t going to get you a brilliant publishable piece of fiction at the end of the month … but it is going to help you learn about the writing process (plotting, developing characters, writing dialogue) and it may well help you to establish the writing discipline that you need to carry on developing. -Ali [...]

By: kasi

kasi — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:40:07 +0000

I wish there would be a way to avoid failure, but we can’t. Life can be unpredictable sometimes.

By: Happenchance » Blog Archive » Knowing When to Quit

Happenchance » Blog Archive » Knowing When to Quit — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:02:01 +0000

[...] most of what you start is admirable and full of side benefits. The problem most people have is quitting too soon, rather than too [...]

By: Ali

Ali — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:19:53 +0000

Thanks Seth! I agree, finishing is very worthwhile. I’ve finished novels which I later decided not to do anything with … but you can’t learn (even fumblingly) how to finish a novel if you ditch each one 30 pages in. Blogging is a great learning process for me: I started two blogs before this one and abandoned them, but I know I’d not be so stuck into writing Aliventures if I’d not had the past experiences to learn from!

By: Seth M. Baker

Seth M. Baker — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:58:31 +0000

This reminds me of the quote ”the journey is just as important as the destination.” Like you, I’ve failed…a lot. But I learned something each and every time (especially with those nanowrimo novels. Some things are best left abandoned).

At the same time, finishing something (reaching the destination), even if the results are suboptimal, is much for satisfying than leaving something half-done. One way or another, you’ve learned something.

Thanks as always for the wonderful writing.
.-= Seth M. Baker´s last blog ..The Power of a Routine =-.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:29:49 +0000

Thanks J – really glad this could give you a bit of a boost. It’s so tough to struggle on and on when you know your goal is still a long way off, but it really is worth it in the end!

By: j

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:00:10 +0000

Followed some links from Dumb Little Man to get to this post. Just wanted to say thank you. I’m working on a goal that will take up to 3 years to see significant financial results and this week has been rough for me. Logically I could encourage myself but emotionally I wasn’t buying it. Having this list in someone else’s words has bumped me up and it will again when I reread it. Thanks!!

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:22:38 +0000

Hehe, I love that quote Vlad! I’ve come across it before … is it one of Jim Rohn’s?

By: Vlad Dolezal

Vlad Dolezal — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:01:12 +0000

I heard a great related quote about motivation:

“People say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.”

Just thought you’d enjoy it
.-= Vlad Dolezal´s last blog ..How to Meet People You Will LOVE Hanging Out With =-.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:14:25 +0000

Thanks Alex — I agree that we often under-value failure, and forget that it can often teach us more than success. And good point about failure feeding into faith … I think it’s often only when I feel like I’m going under that I remember I don’t have to do it all alone!