Incentives

Using rewards to celebrate checking those boxes.

Yesterday was big. HUGE. I wrote The End in Trouble on the Tracks. I began fulfillment of my Kickstarter. And I received word that my submission for a Mystery & Thriller Anthology for Author Nation was accepted. Not only that, the editor, who’s sold millions of copies of her books, said “this is one of the strongest pieces in the group.”

I think that warranted giving myself a present, so I broke out my hummingbird purse. I saw this purse in March while on a wine walk with my friends Lori and Shelly.

My new company name is Pollinate Ink. My spirit animal is a hummingbird (if you know me, you’re nodding your head). I saw this absolutely gorgeous purse with a hummingbird and flowers stitched on the vegan leather and fell in love. But, it was more than I’ve ever spent on a purse.

“It’s got an RFID chip,” I justified, meaning my credit cards’ll be safe when we’re in England. “My foldable keyboard and my journal fit perfectly.”

But… it was more than I’ve ever spent on a purse.

I didn’t buy it. Shelly would be leaving the next day and I’d have her house to myself, so I planned to finish writing my seventh novel while I was there. Never mind I had about 16,000 words to go and a week to do it. I told myself the hummingbird purse could be an incentive. Said I’d go back to the store at the end of the week, and if it was still there and I’d finished the book, it was mine.

Five days later, Lori and I went to lunch and just happened to drive right by the store. So guess what we did?

Yep. We walked in and I bought it.

(The store’s name? TLC. My initials for my fiction pen name, which is also my maiden name? TLC.)

I got back to Shelly’s and set it on the table. Then I took it with me the next week when I house sat for another friend for another nine days. I hung it across from where I sat, every day, writing.

It stared at me. I stared at it.

On March 31, I came home. We kept staring, to the point where I was beginning to wonder if, instead of a hummingbird, it was a mockingbird.

Well, take that–because yesterday I filled that baby up and took it with me as Jim and I celebrated finishing my seventh novel!

I’ve never used rewards as incentives before. I’m intrinsically project-based, and as I mentioned earlier this week, I love checking boxes. Would I have completed this book without a gorgeous purse taunting me?

Yes.

So did I need to buy it? No. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

I would’ve finished the novel, but having that incentive was fun. Gamification, as they call it.

Lori said she didn’t know how I resisted, and honestly, I’m surprised I did. I’m an instant gratification kinda gal. I have ideas and I implement them, whether that’s deciding to finally buy a Mac so I can use Vellum (a Mac-only book formatting software) or starting another Kickstarter.

Which is why yesterday was such a big day. Part of having ideas and implementing them, part of that instant gratification, is the completion. The checked box.

And yesterday, I checked a LOT of boxes.

It felt good. It felt rewarding. And now, as I dive into writing the short story for the anthology and plan my Simple Self-Publishing Kickstarter in earnest, I’m dreaming about my next incentives.

I’ll complete them no matter what, but why not make things even more fun? They don’t need to be physical items (unless they’re journals and pens, because you can never have too many of those). They could be something like a date to a special restaurant, or a visit to a museum that’s been on my list for ages but I can’t seem to get to, or even giving myself permission to spend a whole day reading. (That last is something I should do regularly, to be honest.)

The point isn’t the reward. It’s the celebration. I’ve now written seven novels and fifteen books, and yet I rarely celebrate. I check the box and move onto the next project.

And I’ve realized I’ve been doing myself a disservice. Accomplishments deserve to be celebrated, so even though I know I’m going to finish something anyway, when I do, I’m going to pat myself on the back and give myself a reward.

I’ve earned it, and it adds even more joy to a joyful moment.

I’m also realizing it doesn’t need to be a huge thing like finishing a book. Maybe it’s a mini-celebration for doing another writing sprint, or going for a ten-minute walk. Doing a little happy dance and saying “Go YOU!” any time you make a choice that feels good for you and your dreams.

I’m in danger of proselytizing, so I’ll wrap this up. Do you give yourself incentives, and if so, what do those rewards look like to you?

What gift could you give yourself that would celebrate the wonder that is you?

What’s your hummingbird purse?

Happy celebrating,

Theresa

p.s. Since Trouble on the Tracks is done, how about reserving your copy! It’ll be in your hot little hands in a few weeks. Pre-order here.

p.p.s. That quick timeline is part of the benefit of being an independent publisher. I’m sharing how to make your book a reality in Simple Self-Publishing, so if you’re curious, go ahead and follow the campaign.