Gazelle Intensity

November 9, 2012 by in category Archives tagged as , with 0 and 0
Home > Writing > Archives > Gazelle Intensity

I almost can’t believe it, but I met four deadlines last month! I don’t think I’ve ever done that in my writing life. Maybe the only time I’ve accomplished so much in such a short space of time is for school/college. But the point is – I did it.
What I learned from that experience is that I can do more than I think I can. Past experience may tell me that I can’t – until I make an experience that tells me I can. What I have to be careful of is thinking I can always get this much work done. It would be foolish of me to think I can work 10-16 hours a day, six days a week, for an infinite amount of time. For one thing, there is no time for friends or family, little time for exercise or healthy habits, and almost no time for fun.
However, last month I reminded myself that I can work very intensely and accomplish a lot in short bursts. Life is a marathon, and the writing life is a marathon, but sprints are useful and appropriate. (In my half marathon training, I use short sprints in training.)
John and I are participating in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, a money management course designed to get you out of debt and keep you out forever. In one of the lessons, Dave shows a video of a leopard chasing a gazelle. Even though the leopard can run faster than the gazelle, the gazelle got away! Why? Because the gazelle could make quick leaps out of the leopard’s path faster than he could move to intercept. The gazelle only has to keep this up for a short intense period until the leopard gives up and looks for easier prey.
Dave suggests we use this method to get out of debt. A short, intense burst of effort to pay off everything from credit cards to student loans to the balance on your mortgage. I listen to his radio podcast and people call in saying they’ve just paid off their last debt. Dave asks them how much they paid off and how long it took, then they give their debt free scream. It’s very inspiring! People are getting out of debt to the tune of $20,000 to $158,000 (that I’ve heard) in 12-48 months. John and I will be right in that range, and it’s exciting to know it can be done.
That’s what I learned last month with my writing deadlines. I focused like I have rarely focused before on one project, then another, then another, then another. And I got them all done, on time. I had hoped that on November 2, I would be able to sleep in, read a little, take a deep breath, and go back to a more relaxed lifestyle. But I still have four more time-sensitive projects to finish. At first, that made me feel super tired just thinking about it. Then I remembered the gazelle intensity speech.
I can’t keep up this pace forever, but I can do it for four more weeks. As one friend reminded me on November 2 when I was trying to figure out if I could do all this, I can’t “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done over the last year. But I can pick the most important things to finish now, and re-schedule my other goals for 2013.
National Novel Writing Month is about gazelle intensity. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world are finding it can work for their writing life. But it works in every area of life. What do you really need to get done? Not just urgent things, but important things. Piles of paperwork? Haphazard, overcrowded home? Behind in something you could finish if you just really applied yourself for a few weeks?
Think about it and decide what you’re going to do about it. In the end, you’ll not only have accomplished something wonderful, and maybe done something about those monkeys on your back, but you’ll find pleasure in your own personal growth as self-discipline blooms in your life.
I’m nervous about failure, about exhaustion, about missing out on fun things other people are doing, but last month I proved that it can be done! So I’m going to keep it up for another month. See you at the finish line!
[Note: If you want more encouragement and direction in planning your goals for 2013, join me for my online class Going the Distance: Goal Setting and Time Management for the Writer. Here’s to a fabulous and productive new year!]

Kitty Bucholtz decided to combine her undergraduate degree in business, her years of experience in accounting and finance, and her graduate degree in creative writing to become a writer-turned-independent-publisher. Her first novel, Little Miss Lovesick, was released in September 2011 as an ebook and will be available soon in print format. Kitty has also written magazine articles, devotionals, and worked as a magazine editor. She is the co-founder of Routines for Writers where she blogs every Monday. Her next novel, Love at the Fluff N Fold, will be released in late 2012.
Author Details
Author Details
A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
On Sale

Books on sale or free

Redheaded Ruminations

Buy now!
Redheaded Ruminations

STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

Buy now!
STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT
INTIMATE RELATIONS
THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy
FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

SAVAGED SURRENDER

Buy now!
SAVAGED SURRENDER
WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

THE LIFE OF RILEY

Buy now!
THE LIFE OF RILEY
FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

GIRL IN THE MIST

Buy now!
GIRL IN THE MIST

THE FIX UP

Buy now!
THE FIX UP

GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

Buy now!
GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

#Me Too

Buy now!
#Me Too

HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

Buy now!
HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

Buy now!
THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

DANGER MUSIC

Buy now!
DANGER MUSIC

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

Buy now!
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

THE WOULD BE MOMMY

Buy now!
THE WOULD BE MOMMY

A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

Buy now!
A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

COWBOY KARMA

Buy now!
COWBOY KARMA
BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

CITY OF BLAZE

Buy now!
CITY OF BLAZE

LET IT SNOW

Buy now!
LET IT SNOW

ILONA’S WOLF

Buy now!
ILONA’S WOLF

COME FLY WITH ME

Buy now!
COME FLY WITH ME
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

Buy now!
WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

Buy now!
SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

HOSTILE WITNESS

Buy now!
HOSTILE WITNESS

LOVE NOTES

Buy now!
LOVE NOTES

THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

Buy now!
THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
2019

HER COWBOY KING

Buy now!
HER COWBOY KING
CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

Buy now!
THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Buy now!
THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories

THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

Buy now!
THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

SHADOWS AT DAWN

Buy now!
SHADOWS AT DAWN

DEAD BLOW

Buy now!
DEAD BLOW
WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

Buy now!
HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

REWRITING THE PAST

Buy now!
REWRITING THE PAST

CLEAR INTENT

Buy now!
CLEAR INTENT

HIDDEN BETRAYAL

Buy now!
HIDDEN BETRAYAL

HER LOST LOVE

Buy now!
HER LOST LOVE

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY

ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

Buy now!
ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST
COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

TRACKING SHADOWS

Buy now!
TRACKING SHADOWS

THE DECEPTION

Buy now!
THE DECEPTION

THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

Buy now!
THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

Buy now!
HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

DARK WINE AT DUSK

Buy now!
DARK WINE AT DUSK
SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

THE DEVIL’S CARESS

Buy now!
THE DEVIL’S CARESS

GAME TOWN

Buy now!
GAME TOWN

THE WITCH OF BERGEN

Buy now!
THE WITCH OF BERGEN

THE CONSPIRACY

Buy now!
THE CONSPIRACY
THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

FOR A GOOD PAWS

Buy now!
FOR A GOOD PAWS

THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

Buy now!
THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

    ×
    A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

    Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

    >