Self help – tips for achieving a goal

Top 5 tips for achieving a goal

This tips section is about how to achieve a particular goal. I try to explain the techniques I use and I hope you find them useful too, but I would welcome any input;

• 5. Write down everything
• 4. Condense and clear out
• 3. Expand
• 2. Split and research
• 1. Don't jump ahead

 

5.Write down everything

Brainstorm it. Write down anything that comes to mind. Use as much paper or screen space as you need. List everything you want to achieve and any thoughts associated with it - like 'taxidermy - will need to learn how to stuff animals, do i need a license, are there schools for it' etc.

4. Condense and clear out.

Once you're happy that you've got comprehensive notes on your ambitions then you can move on to this stage. If you use a computer you may find it easier to print your notes out before continuing because next you will go through what you've written and try to extract the main points and put them in a logical order of what has to be done first. This is best done on fresh paper and the goal is to have a very clear ordered list at the end.

3. Expand

Now you have a provisional list you can expand on the points. With almost all goals you will find that there are steps to take in between now and achieving it. Identify the mini goals on your list - like going to college or meeting new people - and take a new piece of paper and write out the steps to achieving that goal.

E.g. College may be your primary goal or it could just be a stepping stone to what you want to achieve so write out a separate list of things you need to do for that - like how to get in, finding the right place, getting loans etc. - try to think of everything you need to do for that first step.

2. Split and research

Next you may want to split these lists even further. Sticking with the college example you may find it best to have each list item on a separate sheet. That way, you're ticking off one thing and moving to a new page with only one more thing to do. If you have a massive list of everything you need to do then it looks impossible, if your page says 'find out how to get in to college' then that's a lot easier to achieve.

1. Don't jump ahead

Well, it's hard not too sometimes. In the example I'm using you might think to research student loans whilst your researching colleges but if you want an uncluttered mind, it's a good idea to finish doing one thing before moving to the next. Remember to take notes of the information you find and distil them to an answer or short list of possibilities . Try to stay uncluttered.

Photography tips for beginners - top 5

These tips for better photos are designed to give the amateur photographer a few pointers in the right direction. These are things I've found out myself by just playing around so if you have any you'd like to add, leave a comment and I'll add them to the users tips at the bottom.

 

5. Composition

4. Angle

3. Subject

2. Timing

1. Quantity

 

5. Composition

Probably the most important factor in making a good photo great is the composition.

For some reason the human eye likes thirds, as an example, a shot of the ocean where  the horizon divides the photo into two just looks wrong. But that same shot with the horizon line one third of the way up will make the shot work a lot better.

 

4. Angle

It is not always necessary to bisect the photo so precisely though, and some more interesting shots can be achieved just by playing with angles. Tilting can create an unsettling feeling or shooting up or down at a subject can drastically alter the mood of the shot. As always, experimenting is the best way to discover which things you like and which you don't.

 

3. Subject

If you're subject is human it is often better to try to capture off-guard moments;  that smile after a shot where the subject had their eyes closed or two friends talking, unaware of the camera. Looking at pictures and remembering emotions can be a far better way to remember a time than the blank smile of a posed shot.

 

2. Timing

We can't always wait for magic hour but, if possible, try to avoid midday as the light is generally flat and tends to suck the life out of pictures. Experiment with backlighting subjects and get up early to catch the morning fog one morning - if you can capture that eeriness then you're better than me .

 

1. Quantity

A few years back I'd be saying use patience and concentrate on quality but with the advent of digital photography there is now no excuse not to take lots and lots of photos. Chances are there'll be one or two great shots amongst them. Just remember not to save them all otherwise you'll find your hard drive full of not-so-great snaps in no time.