Getting Over Jumps Requires Looking To The Next Jump

As some of you know, my daughter competes in Hunter/Jumper Equestrian Competitions. Yes, this is correct, I let my teenage daughter get on her off the track Thoroughbred and run really fast and jump

over really large fences. I think I am finally getting to the point that I can actually breathe and watch her at the same time.

Now for anyone who has done this before, one skill riders learn to do is where they are looking when they go over each of the jumps. Here are some of the basics:

1. If you look at the jump you are going over, you are telling the horse to do the same thing, and the odds are, you will crash through the jump.
2. If you are looking at the ground, you will end up on the ground.
3. But..., if you look ahead of you, and more specifically, if you look to the next jump you clear it beautifully.

So, why do I bring this up? This skill applies to how we approach things in everyday life, and certainly, how we approach writing and challenges.

The key is to look to the future.

When I am considering signing a new author, one of the first conversations I have with that author is where they seen their future heading. I talk about their future books. What do they have planned?

Now this does not mean all of your stories have to be thinking of linked books. We just want you to think toward where you want to be heading.

As an agent this is something I am always talking about with my authors. We are always planning on the next contracts, the next projects and so forth while we are knee-deep in the middle of a current contract. In some cases, we are talking about new lines, new publishers and plans. We are talking about how things went on the current projects and where we want to make changes.

You have to really look beyond simply what we are working on right now. This is something many struggle with simply because it requires multi-tasking. Not an easy process, but certainly something worthwhile.

So, on a Tuesday, where are you looking in your future? Are you looking only at the current jump, or are you looking to the future jump or hurdle?