Happy New Year – Start your goals
It’s bittersweet isn’t it? On one hand it’s exciting to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with new goals, new hopes, new outlooks. But there’s something sad about letting go.
I took the ornaments off my tree today, and it looks so bare. Taking it all down means saying goodbye to the Christmas season and facing a blank slate. It can be daunting. Kind of like starting a new novel or short story. You have to face the blank page.
But with specific, achievable goals it doesn’t have to be scary. A realistic goal takes into account the fact that you won’t be perfect on the first try. An achievable goal makes room for a little failure.
Saying I’m going to write a novel this year isn’t a specific, achievable goal. That may be your ultimate plan, but your specific, achievable goal should be something like setting aside two hours to write every week. It doesn’t have to be good writing, but it’s something you can achieve.
Make a list of dates and times and check them off as you complete your goals. Once the check marks add up, be sure to recognize your achievement. And later in the year, be sure to look back at how much you’ve grown as a writer.
Just like starting the new year, once I set my sites on a new goal, and I have a plan with hope in my heart, I feel the excitement push me forward.
For your new year, I hope you find this same excitement and achieve your goals.
Let’s get writing!