19 days

This is actually a shortened version of the 30-day trial I wrote about several years ago. Of course, one might think the reason to do "only" 19 days is I don't think I can make 30 days, but that is not the case. The reason I picked 19 days is . . . there are 19 days left in the month of October and I plan to start my next 30-day trial on November 1. Call me weird - as many people do - and yes, I realize some months have 31 days, but I've decided that is the best way I can think to make sure I'm focused for that amount of time. So maybe this is actually a one-month challenge, after this one of course.

So my goal for the rest of October is to write something every day. There are several reasons for this. First, I need to get into the practice of committing to doing something every day or my dissertation will never get done. Setting aside a certain amount of time each day to read and write will help me toward that end. And I know the question begs itself, "Why don't you just do the dissertation for the next 19 days? Wouldn't that make more sense?" Of course it would. Maybe that's why. Or maybe I'll do both, but the shorter challenge is something I don't or haven't done much recently. Of course, that is true of the dissertation.

Anyway, another reason for this is the fact that consistency has come up various readings the past week or two and I can't deny the synchronicity any longer. From Scott Ginsberg, who has consistently worn a name badge every day for the past 10 years, or something like that: "Consistency is far better than rare moments of greatness." From Harry Wong, who spoke at the Wyoming School Improvement Conference of consistently applying effective processes and processes (to) lead to the continual improvement that is necessary for growth." And Craig Ballantyne, editor of Early to Rise, wrote "as you gather momentum with simple efforts performed on a consistent basis, it will get easier and more rewarding as you see progress being made."

Let's get started and see where we go.