Make Your Goals Specific And Measurable... Like Batman!

Batman is the quintessential problem solver. Since his inception in 1939 he has always been, first and foremost, a detective. A costumed Sherlock Holmes. More than his martial arts skills, his money, or his gadgets, Batman's intellect has always proven to be his most valuable asset.

Though the movies have often failed to demonstrate this aspect of the Caped Crusader, there's a great scene in "The Dark Knight Rises" that shows Batman's intellect and how victory can be achieved when you first break down your problems and tackle them one step at a time.

First, you've got to understand, that in "The Dark Knight Rises" Batman had spent the majority of the movie getting beaten to a pulp. He had grown too cocky, over-confident, and had lost his edge. As a result, when he finally comes face-to-face with the physically superior villain Bane, Batman gets pulverized and tossed into a third world dungeon with a busted back.

As his body heals, Batman considers what he did wrong, and when he finally returns to Gotham City he approaches Bane like a surgeon, dissecting the threat before they come to blows. First, he recruits some allies. Then he gathers his equipment. Then he spreads hope to the citizens of Gotham and fear to the bad guys. Finally, after months of planning, Batman springs his trap and defeats the antagonist.

With a little planning, determination, and some allies, nothing is impossible to overcome.

• Don't try to tackle your problems all at the same time. I find if I think of writing and editing and marketing and networking and plotting and characters and printing and... Sigh. It gets overwhelming. So every now and then I break down my priorities.


• As Batman so clearly demonstrates in "The Dark Knight Rises," your goals must be specific and measurable. When he returned to Gotham City to face Bane again, he had a detailed plan. It's an example of the obvious—if your goals are too vague they are just dreams. My wife turned my onto the idea of a "power hour." Every day for one hour I have a list of things I need to accomplish related to my writing: check Facebook, upload/download content, check-in with crit group, network, etc. If I don't have a plan, I forget, and the work doesn't get done.


• Long-term thinkers are the ones who win. Batman knew that defeating Bane was essential to the survival of Gotham City. His plan took months to form, but it was for a far-reaching purpose. Today's culture doesn't think like this. We're all about immediacy and convenience, and rarely do we think beyond our needs for the day, week, or maybe even the month. But when we keep our eyes on the future instead of our immediate circumstances, the possibility of reaching our goals becomes more and more inevitable.

You may find yourself beaten at times, overwhelmed by writer's block or a discouraging review. You may find that there are some Banes out there who are going to catch you off guard, knock you down, and thwart all of your efforts, but you can't let your circumstances overwhelm you.