The writing goals! My dad was always an outdoor person, with ‘TV watching’ taking a distant second. It changes, the moment the football season starts. Everyone and everything get pushed aside and he takes full control of the TV remote (the room too – for he explodes with action too). I on the other hand, was never a ‘sports’ guy, despite repeated attempts to make me interested. (oh! I did win many a match playing against kids, ten years younger than me!) The only aspect, I found fascinating enough to venture into that football-TV room was the sound of, “It’s a goal!” And for a long, long time goal remained for me an attribute of football. What has football got to do with writing? Many, but the one I concentrate on today is ‘Goal’. Well, I (the non-sports type) got the passion to write from my mother, who loved to write for her college and that kind of stuck with me. As years rolled on, I got opportunities to write for my college newsletter and others too. But the only time, I was active in writing was when I had a ‘writing-assignment’ on hand. The distances between such assignments were large in comparison to my studying-assignments. So, writing did take a backseat, layered among the many other passions and hobbies, I had collected on the childhood trip. Work life then gave me opportunities to spin my tales to an altogether new audience. But once again I found, that I wrote only when I had an assignment. Now my articles and stories did get published in a few magazines, but then that was all I had ever written. I lacked what is termed as Perseverance and had what is called as procrastination! Goal according to my dictionary was when my article got published – simple! Hence, I wrote, only when I was sure that it will be published. Well, you know what happens to such people (not famous yet dreaming of being a big writer) – I slowly started to write less and less. It was then that I began to watch football with my Dad (the full session). And witnessing many a verbal (highlighted with non-verbal) assault to the non-living occupants of the room, I realized I was mistaken by my concept of goal. Goal to my Dad (and all the footballers + intoxicated watchers) was not just about sending the ball into the net, but about conquering the ground - stage by stage. Right from the start and throughout, (with legs, arms, heads even stomachs in full action and motion) goals were present. It was not decorated with a big net and manned by a solid goalie, but in order to reach that goal (read published) one had to achieve many a goal. That involved planning, people, team work, creativity, passion, experience, style, decision-making and smart-work. And that was football all about – achieving a whole lot of goals for the one goal that the world really recognizes. Well, that experience really kicked me. (I meant the wisdom about goals) and now I write and re-write and find it a joy. So, if you are writer with a big desire to ‘get published’ then I would recommend writing, writing and writing (with many re-writes too.) What are you waiting for? Go for the goal (note: one step at a time) Ashley C Vinil