Thursday, March 10, 2011

on bargains...

So New Guy sent me a link to this podcast yesterday and insisted I give it a listen. If you all aren't familiar with Radiolab, it's a cool program where the hosts pick an overarching theme and explore it through interviewing ordinary people and discussing their experiences.

The theme of this particular episode was "What do you do when you want something, and the person putting obstacles in your way is YOU? How do you get around yourself?" They interviewed a woman who found a novel way to convince herself to quit smoking, and a doctor who'd managed to make a bargain with himself (a threat, actually) in order to push through his writer's block and get his book on migraines written. He gave himself a deadline that was a DEADline, if you get me, and managed to finish ahead of schedule.

I don't know how effective these strategies would be for everyone, but I've made myself a huge threat, and New Guy is prepared to hold me to it. Considering the nature of the bargain--finish a project within the next 40 days, or else--I'm hoping the motivation will work. If it doesn't...I don't even want to think about it. It's nothing dangerous or damaging--more in line with the retarded things they get people to do on Fear Factor--but I still don't want to do it. :P

So.

Today, I pick my project and get my ass in gear. And in forty days, come hell or high water, it will be ready to send to my editor. Or else.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Yay! Well not yay about threatening yourself but yay to the prospect of a new work from you! :D