Is Your Goal Achievement Plan Still A Blank Page?

"The Great Gordino", "goal achievement", "Gordon Bryan"I focus a lot of my writing on the areas of goal achievement and blogging. One of my recent articles on blogging featured a technique to help getting past ‘blank page syndrome’, and it’s occurred to me that it works equally as well for goal achievement…

I do get asked every now and again why I have the 2 subjects together, that maybe I should have a separate blog for each. Well, yes, I could have separate blogs, but I see a connection between the two – you can use blogging to fund your goal, and to monetise blogging you need to follow goal achievement theory!

Blank page syndrome is a problem that many writers come across – you could be a brand new writer, or someone who just funds it a slog. You could be an experienced blogger, and/or someone who loves to write.

I would put myself in the ‘love to write’ category, but I still get the blank page syndrome, which is where you have a great idea mulling around, but end up staring at the blank screen, struggling to get started.

I solve the problem by using a tip I got from the world of painting, so here it is with an explanation of how it also applies to goal achievement…

I’m bad at painting. Whenever I try it, it ends up looking like it was done by a five year old. I’m much better off enjoying the skill of others, and one artist I enjoy is Rolf Harris.

A success on TV here in Britain for decades, he explained in a documentary once how he started all his paintings – he would slap a wash of colour all over the canvas. Sometimes he had a clear idea of which colour to use, but often he just picked any colour.

His theory is that the colour wash takes away the harsh white of the blank canvass at a stroke – literally! He could then change, adding or taking away to build up the picture.

This works just as well with writing, you can simply put some words on the paper, even just by writing to yourself about your subject, and then you can develop from there.

I can see this clearly working with goal achievement too – you have the goal in mind, you have a vague idea about what to do to get there, but you seem paralysed by not being exactly sure, frozen in a web of thoughts about which way to go.

This paralysis of action is the blank page you need to get past. The wash of colour from Rolf’s technique would be to take action – any action!

Actually taking action can be the biggest boost forwards to your goal, but it’s the step ignored by so many, who then wonder with increased frustration why they are no closer to their goal!

Once you take action, all sorts of things happen. To start with, you have moved your goal from your mind to the real world, and the real world actions can come into clearer focus.

It could be that your action turns out to be the wrong one, but that is still clear progress towards your goal as you now know what *not* to do! Of course it’s just as possible that your action was the right one, in which case full steam ahead!

Once you take action, other actions will appear on your radar, which you might not have thought of previously, and this fits in with the painting analogy – seeing different things as you whack more paint on.

People are often not backwards in giving advice, and taking action will bring lots of that advice your way, whether you asked for it or not! All that advice can be looked at, and you may well find that some of the advice is just what you need (don‘t think you have to act on *all* advice though!).

Or, it could be that your action brings you to the attention of someone with just the right contacts that can help you.

All those tasty benefits come from taking action, and it can be quite liberating to break through the barriers of hesitation, doubt and confusion.

So, if you’re struggling with ‘blank page syndrome’ with your goal and don’t know where to go next, then consider the painting tip that I use for writing – what can you do to put a wash of colour on your own canvass?

‘Til Next Time,
Health & Happiness,
Gordon
P.S. Here’s another article to do with taking action: Goal Achievement – Building Up A Head Of Steam!
P.P.S. Why not grab my motivational book ‘Transform Your Life in 21 Days!’ at rock bottom kindle pricing!

Do leave a comment!

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6 Comments

  • Great analogy. I find it best to take action too. I start with a few words, maybe picked up from a news article. The more I research, the more I find things to say bout it and before long, I’ve covered the subject.

    • Hi Francene,
      The fact that you find out more to say the more you research, is exactly why it works for goal achievement too – taking action brings unexpected things into view.
      Cheers,
      Gordon

  • GreatG,
    I think I had my best ideas for posts (during the UBC) when I was sitting in on my daughter’s cello lesson. I was taking notes for her, but also scribbling down notes for myself. I had a sharp pencil and a notepad. I was still. I was held captive for 40 minutes. My brain just rambled away like crazy! It’s good to figure out what makes each of us “tick” and then run with it! Thanks for the great ideas in your blog!

    • Thanks Amy,
      oh, those ideas do have to be captured don’t they! Otherwsie they are likely to fly away just as quickly as they came. It is, er, annoying, to remember that you had a great idea, but can’t remember what the actual idea was!
      Cheers,
      Gordon

  • Judging from that impressive (and regular) list of archived posts your strategy is working well. My “work-in-progress” goal is to improve my list of archives.

    Joy

    • Hi Joy,
      Ah yes, I can indeed say I have used the technique on many occasions! Your list of archives will come in due course!
      Thanks for stopping by!
      Cheers,
      Gordon