Motivation Monday: Setting Genealogy Goals

This prompt on Geneabloggers says: Do you have a set of genealogy-related goals you want to tackle? Do you have tips on getting motivated?  I haven’t actually got any genealogy goals.  I need motivation in order to set them! 

When I started out (back in 1977) my goal was just to discover as many names, dates and places of as many ancestors as I could find.  So, in a way, I am well on track with this goal!  I teach short courses in genealogy, and one of the things I always say is to focus yourself on a goal (or goals); the scattergun approach just doesn’t work.  I am only too aware of this (and maybe you are too).  I spend an entire Sunday afternoon going aimlessly from ancestor to ancestor. In the end it’s like trying to find your way through a maze without the key: you end up hitting more brickwalls than you care to meet, and getting so frustrated you start muttering about how you’re not doing THIS again...

 So, which line of your ancestry should you choose? Or, indeed, should you choose a single person?  I am in the middle of writing a book on my paternal great-great-grandmother’s line – the MURCHes – called ‘Faith and Silk’ (because they were the one line who seemed to be looking for a different religion, plus they were all woolcombers/weavers/silk workers).

I’m still writing it.  I’ve been writing it for several years.  And at the same time, I am continuing to look for names, dates, and places of everybody else on my tree.  I can’t seem to stop looking everywhere, and focus myself somewhere.

Does anybody have any advice?  My ancestors and I need help!