In Scrivener, the book-writing software program, you can get a little box like the one above with "Project Targets." This is just the kind of stupid little thing that keeps me motivated to write.

What you do is you put in a "Session Target" of how many words you want to write. You can see in the screenshot above that I entered 500 words this morning, my daily target in November. I wrote 135 words over oatmeal, so now I have less than that to go.

Then, as you continue writing, the little bar advances and changes colors. At the beginning, it's red (Scary! Bad! Underperforming!). It turns friendlier color as you get closer and closer to your goal - orange, yellow, light green. When you're all done, it's green (Hopeful! Peaceful! Winning! Go!).

Is it a little bit sad to have to rely on something like the Project Target tool to keep writing my book? Shouldn't the chance of  reaching a lifelong goal be motivation enough? I don't know. I'm not above a few carrots. 

Who is?

Level 2 Motivational Strategies for Sixth Grade Learners

Remember when I did grad school when Shef was an infant? That was so stupid.