Milestones were originally used by the Roman Empire to mark distance along their many roads. This helped people know how quickly they were traveling, and also how far they had to go. I think this is why I prefer thinking of accomplishments as milestones rather than goals. Goals imply that you’ve arrived, that you’re finished; milestones tell you that you’ve simply reached an important place on your journey.
Just recently, I completed a milestone that I began working toward at the beginning of the year. I finished writing the rough draft of A Test of Honor – eighteen chapters, 94,263 words, three months’ worth of focused creativity. And it feels amazing.