Do you ever get bored with your long-term goals? 
Like you’re runnin’ full-speed ahead, doing the work and seeing results…and then the results start to taper off. You reach a plateau. It’s not new and exciting anymore.
So one morning you wake up and say, “Screw it.”
Maybe the next day you get back to work. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you’re bored as hell, and you’d rather count every last carpet fiber in your living room before you write another blog post.
Is that you? That’s me, too. Totally.
Because he’s wonderful, my good friend and coach listened to me gripe about how bored I’ve been. Specifically, I said I was just “going through the motions” in regards to my passions.
His response was something like, “I’m pretty sure farmers do that…”
Sly. That guy is always oh-so-subtly scooting brilliant notions into my consciousness. Like this gem:
Long-term goals/projects/passions are like farming.
The beginning is super exciting!! You have this brilliant vision of what your garden will look like. Then, after careful planning, you take inspired action. You ready the field, plant those little seeds, so full of potential, water ‘em good and nurture them, will them to grow.
It stays exciting for a while – you jump up out of bed, race to your field and check every plot for signs of growth. Often, you see it! Yes, little green sprigs popping up out of the Earth – score!
So, like the good farmer you are, you keep at it. You keep watering, weeding, and waiting patiently.
Then the growth slows. Your patience wears thin. You don’t really jump out of bed anymore, because you know nothing’s changed out there. They’re just little sprigs – no apples or anything good on ‘em. So you saunter out of bed, water the little things, then go back inside, lay on the couch and watch TV.
And so it goes every single day – you water the plants, weed the garden, and wait. You go through the motions.
Gets kinda boring, right?
Maybe you’re not a farmer either – but, like me, you may be working to cultivate some long-term goal. Mine? This blog. Other writing. Public speaking. Life coaching. All of these rolled into one giant ball of purposeful fun. Things that take time.
Do you ever feel like this with yours? Like you’re just going through the motions? Watering the plants but not really feeling excited about it?
I hear you!
But, like my friend alluded to, that’s just how these things go sometimes.
It’s not always going to be exciting. You’re not always going to feel like doing the work. But, like the farmer, you must tend to it.
Without persistent effort, your dreams will fail.
These times have the potential to fling you into a panic:
Oh no! I’ve lost my passion! This is so boring. Maybe that means it’s not really my passion after all. Maybe I should quit.
Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just part of the process.
After a month and a half of alternating panic and “I absolutely do not care,” I’m accepting it as part of the process, strappin’ on my big-girl overalls and getting to work.
I’m just gonna keep watering the plants, diggin’ up the weeds and waiting. I’ll probably entertain myself along the way too – y’know, whistle while I work, lighten up a bit, laugh a lot more and maybe drink more margaritas since I discovered Cheddar’s amazing mango-strawberry concoction.
Who’s with me?! 
Have you ever been bored with your passion? How did you deal? Did you put on those overalls and keep working anyway?
Peace, love and a steaming cup of Zen,
Kaylee
p.s. I know not all farmers wear overalls… Just in case we have some farmers out there 
I really like this post, Kaylee, because I’m having kind of a whiny, I-don’t-want-to-pull-the-weeds day. But I just have to remember that pulling the weeds is as essential as planting the seeds and reaping the fruit. I think I’ll join you in putting on my big girl overalls, but maybe not the margaritas . . . I’m old now, they give me a headache.
Haha, oookay fine..More for me.
Sorry you were having a whiny day..but I’m glad you liked the post! Hope it helped..and I hope today is a little better for ya.
I absolutely go through that, Kaylee.
For my first several years in sales…and now starting off into this whole blogging excursion.
Initially, they’re both pretty lonely – like you’re operating in the dark. But then you make some contacts and they help get you to the next level.
They’re also both similar in the way they respond to your efforts. You put a lot of effort in today….and you see results later. Often much later like your farmer analogy.
A lot of it comes down to confidence and faith. Knowing that you’re doing the right things and knowing that results are coming – however slow.
Great timing. I was having ‘one of those days’ and needed a reminder.
Enjoyed the post!
Apparently I’m not the only one! Maybe it was just in the air yesterday – hope today is better for ya.
The blogosphere is pretty lonely in the beginning – those connections sure do help. But it’s funny, as that gets easier and you “level up,” it feels like other things get harder. I guess there’s always a challenge to be met.
Good point about the confidence and faith. It reminds me of something my coach told me once: “All I’m asking is for you to have faith in the goodness of your future.” To know, despite how crappy things may look, that all is well.
Glad you liked the post Gary. Thanks for stoppin’ by! =)
Thanks Brigid! Glad you liked it. =)
Looking outside at the cloudy skies, I enjoyed hearing about your morning walk past the garden…And even better that now you can walk by and feel proud, knowing that you’ve put so much hard work into your business! That’s awesome.
It’s also awesome that you never get bored of it – maybe my problem is that I have too MUCH time, lol. I think a schedule of morning writing may be in order once my move is done.
The talk you mentioned sounds great, and fits right in with my farming analogy. You can’t always see the progress, but it’s happening.
Hope all is well!
I’ve bounced between projects at times in the past myself — I think I let go of that habit to some extent when I came to the realization that it wasn’t the type of projects I was doing that was responsible for my habitual switching — instead, it was just my overall desire for short-term gratification. It’s that desire, in its pure form, that needs to be worked with, at least for me — it’s not a matter of coming up with the ideal, bulletproof goal.
What you said is very powerful Chris. I’ve had the same issue – jumping from goal to goal, hoping I’d finally find the “right” one. You’re right though, I don’t think there IS one “right” goal. There are many wonderful ideas that we can work on, but none of them mean anything if we can’t commit for long enough.
I really don’t think I can add much to what you shared…Well said. Thank you for sharing!
I enjoyed this post!
Thanks Mary! Glad you liked it. =)
Oh yes, I’m a member of the ten tab club. In fact, I have ten open now and nearly clicked on the little Buddha link but stopped my self and read your entire article all of the way through. I do get that stressful feeling you described; there is just too much information to ingest; but if I’m not mindful, as you point out, I’m not taking the information in. Thank you so much for your article. I have unplugged before and will do so again…just as soon as I read all of these…;)
I think this comment went through to the wrong post…but I know exactly which one you’re talking about. =)
Haha, kudos on stopping yourself from clicking through! I hope you’ve gotten the chance to unplug, reset and move into mindfulness. Glad you liked the post..welcome!
Rock on Sister! Maybe be can have a weeding and watering party! definitely with the margaritas.
I agree with you completely persistence and determination, you will see the goal to the end!
Lori Lynn Smith recently posted..8 Ideas to take Control of your time and your life
A weeding and watering party sounds awesome! Especially with the margaritas…Yum… =)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Good stuff Kaylee! I’m going to remember this metaphor and strap on those big girl overalls next time my mind starts wandering and I’m clicking around facebook instead of writing my next blog post. Those little sprouts take some babying and nurturing. The garden metaphor really works for me (except I think building a blogging business has a slightly longer season than growing some kale, but hey the biz is a perennial that will bloom year after year once established.)
So glad to see you writing again!
Sarah | Holistic Hot Sauce recently posted..Worried That It’s Too Late To Bloom?
Thanks Sarah! I appreciate the support.
Way to ramp up the farming analogy – I like the idea that it’s a perennial too. =) It’s the establishing that’s the hard part.
Kaylee recently posted..One Tab at a Time: 7 Tips to Browse the Web More Mindfully
Did you write this post for me? My passions were having a vege patch and a blog. Recently I started both but they have been neglected this week whilst I attended to other areas in life. Before answering I quickly ran outside and watered the vege patch and next week, my main focus will be back on the blog.
I sure did!
How funny that your passion is to *actually* have a vege patch! Talk about resonating. I’m glad this prompted you to go water your little darlings – looking forward to seeing how you tend to your blog! =)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Glad to see you back in action!
I’m like you, but an extreme case. My excitement phase lasts for 2 days. It’s all farming from there.
So I focus on optimizing the process, rather than the results: how can I make today more enjoyable? what did I do last week that was really fun? really boring? etc…
As a result, I’ve made some changes which have made my days more enjoyable, and as a direct result, have kept me focused on my long-term goals (because I make them pleasurable to work on). For example, at the end of every hour I take a few minutes to laugh, then I meditate for a few minutes, then I go for a quick walk.
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Thanks Amit! It’s good to be back. =)
I’d love to hear more about this optimizing the process…blog post? Pleeeease? ‘Cuz seriously, this farming stuff is hard. I’d love to read more about how you bring fun back into the work. For now, I’ll hafta try the laughing..or maybe reward myself with some blooming tea (yummy AND beautiful!)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Hey Kaylee,
Your frustration and (former) apathy comes through loud and clear. But you’ve expressed it in a relatable way and channeled it into a great story to help some of us along.
I’ve always loved the farmer metaphor for what I’m doing with my small business. Like you, I focus on my website and would love to grow my public speaking opportunities. But regardless of the similarities in what types of things we’re planting, the analogy applies even if they’re way different.
So I’m with ya! But I might need to go without overalls because I hate shopping and don’t already own a pair.
P.S. Have you read the guest post on Zen Habits by Chris Guillebeau called “The Parable of the Modern Farmer?” It’s is similar, vivid story so check it out if you haven’t yet.
http://zenhabits.net/farmer/
Joel Zaslofsky recently posted..Ask the Community: Why Do You Struggle Creating Value from Information You Consume?
Haha, don’t worry about the overalls. I’ll probably go without too. =)
I hadn’t seen that post, so thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed it – it describes the process of passion following perfectly. (whoa, alliteration!)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Hi Kaylee,
It’s great to see you blogging again.
I loved your post. It was full of so much wisdom and energy. I’m very excited for you. I believe you have the potential to realise all the dreams you stated in your post and far more.
As you quite rightly said, there will be times when things just get too difficult and we feel like giving up. The key is to be patient and just keep persisting.
Personally, I’m a slow learner anyway. I use this as a resource and keep telling myself just to keep going. I’ll get it eventually!
Hey, margaritas are great. So too are pina colada!
Hiten recently posted..Job Interview Confidence
Hey Hiten, thanks for the encouragement! It’s always good to see you here. =) I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Patience and persistence are definitely key. It’s tough, but if you just wait it out, you know the rough patches will pass.
Oooh yum, pina coladas. Forgot about those! How I wish I had one by my side…haha.
Thanks again for stopping by, Hiten. And thanks for believing in me! =)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Patience and Persistence, to tell you the truth these are not words I like but yes we all have to apply them at times. I do try to funk things up a bit and not treat any day like its just passing time, life is far too short for that!
Ciara Conlon recently posted..Top Productivity Bloggers Share their #1 Tip
Seems like that might be the key, Ciara – keeping things fun and light. Do you have some favorite strategies you use to spice things up?
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
you are right Kylee
when the goal takes some time some people start to lose hope
its good to remind ourselves of positive things along the way so that we don’t lose focus
many thanks
farouk recently posted..How to use the weapon of attention to attract people to you
Thanks Farouk. =)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Kaylee this post reminded me of the follow quote:
“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”~Octavia Butler
Jason Harvey recently posted..Top 10 Best Motivational Quotes
That’s a good quote, Jason. A frustrating one for me (I like to be good at anything I undertake – immediately), but still very true. Writing is a good lesson in patience and persistence, I think.
Thanks for stopping by – and welcome! =)
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Man … I so have this problem. Guess I am not alone. CURSED ATTENTION SPAN!!!
Seamus Anthony recently posted..The Secret Sauce is YOU
Haha, no kidding!
Kaylee recently posted..Strap on Your Overalls and Tend to Your Goals Like a Good Farmer
Hey Kaylee!
I came over from Tiny Buddha, and I’m digging through your blog and smiling because I love your attitude and peppering of obscenities. I feel like a lot of people forget that what makes real goals, real long-term, “holy hell, I can’t believe how bad I want this” goals work, is the same as what makes real, long-term, “good God, I wanna love the hell outta you, baby” relationships work: Committing to life after the honeymoon phase.
We’re all smitten with our goals in the beginning – focusing our time to grow them into something more; sweetly telling them we’ll never give up on them no matter what; and most importantly, letting those goals make us feel powerful for a change. Welcome to the honeymoon.
Oh man, the lovin’ is good here.
After the honeymoon ends and things get real, however, our boredom and dissatisfaction kick in like it’s our job. The real shame is how many goals we give up on when the honeymoon ends.
So for that, I thank you for reminding us all to roll up our sleeves and till the damn field, Kaylee. ‘Bout time we got out there and got a little dirty, right?
I’m glad I found you and your site. I dig your writing style, and your philosophy of spreading greatness… one little cup of Zen at a time.
Stay brilliant, Kaylee.
Blake Alexander Hammerton recently posted..Join The Fight Against Breast Cancer
Howdy Blake!
Haha, thanks! I’m glad I’m makin’ ya smile, and especially that you enjoy the seasoning. Someone told me once I shouldn’t swear, ‘cuz it takes away from my writing or something…I tried that for a bit, but they just kept leaking out. I guess I can’t help it..
Anywho, long-term goals are hard as hell. Honestly, I’m surprised I’m still here. I tried quitting once (or maybe ten times), but every time, my blog would look up into my eyes and say, “But you promised…” Hahaha. Not really. Actually, that would be pretty creepy. What did happen is that I just reminded myself of basically what you illustrated – that long-term goals are like long-term relationships, and sometimes, you just have to keep going, even when it sucks and you’d rather not. It [almost] always gets better.
Btw, your comment totally made me smile. A lot. You’re funny, and I like your energy. I think we could get along. =) So I’m glad you found me too; I checked out your blog too and I love the uplifting attitude. Thanks for your presence and the encouraging comment, Blake! Happy to have connected here.
Peace!