One of the difficulties of creative work, which includes writing, is that we sometimes have vague ideas about our goals. We haven’t determined ahead of time what it means to win or lose. Therefore, no matter what we do, we never quite know if we have hit the mark.

This is a surefire way to get discouraged and confused because we don’t have a clear idea of success.

When you lay your head on the pillow at night, how do you know if that day was a success in terms of writing? How do you know whether to feel good or bad about your work that day?

Try this: determine what you need to write, then get it done. You can measure it by page count, word count, or time spent on writing. It doesn’t really matter. The point is to set a goal, then work to achieve it.

The author Julia Cameron, who wrote the fantastic book, The Artist’s Way, among many others, said, “Just as a good rain clears the air, a good writing day clears the psyche.” And boy, isn’t that the truth!

So, make sure that you do everything you can to have a good writing day, every day. If you set a goal and then keep that appointment with yourself, you can do it. There’s no better feeling than laying your head down on the pillow at night, knowing you got your work done and kept your promise to yourself.

Daily Question: What is your writing goal for today, and when are you going to set aside time to do it?