Did You Accomplish Your 2009 Writing Goals?
As 2009 is winding to a close. You probably are evaluating your past goals and setting new goals for 2010.
Are you where you want to be in your writing career and your life? If not, what can you do differently to bring those goals into reality?
You’ve probably heard that people are more likely to accomplish goals that are written. That’s true. However, there are additional techniques that can move you closer to accomplishing your goals.
What do you want your life to be like this time next year? What is your ideal life? Sit down and imagine that life. Write down the details. What are you doing? How do you spend your time.
How do you feel? Include your emotions. You’re a writer. Show your ideal life. Use your senses. Feel the joy of your ideal life. Why do you want this life? What are your rewards? Vividly describe these details.
What needs to happen to bring create your ideal life? Work backward from your goal. What have you accomplished? What was the last step before you accomplished it? What was the step before that?
Break your goals down into manageable steps. Where do you need to be each quarter? Don’t try to accomplish the entire picture all at once.
You can accomplish great things when you stack SMART goals. Stacking means set SMART goals every week. Accomplishing a little each week adds up to big things in the long run.
SMART goals are goals that are
Specific — Your goal is well defined
Measurable — You’ll know when you have achieved it
Achievable — The results are within your control
Realistic — You are able to achieve it
Time Bound — A goal without a deadline is a dream
Specific, achievable weekly goals add up to big advanced.
Having an accountability partner is another step that will keep you on track with your goals. Tell someone your goals. Better yet, list goals for each day or each week. At the end of the period, check in and report whether or not you achieved those goals. No excuses allowed, just yes or no.
Your accountability partner needs to be someone who will hold you accountable, not someone who will provide or accept your excuses. A great accountability partner will work with you to find out what is holding you back from achieving your goals and will help you overcome your limitations.
You can use these tools in an informal setting. But, you will get a lot more accomplished if you have a structured, regular ritual for setting your goals. A mastermind structured on Andrew Carnegie’s model is a great way to do this. If you’d like to find out more about this type of mastermind, check out my mastermind page. Then go to Mastermind for Writers to submit your information for groups that are forming.
At the very least, leave a comment and tell us what your goals are for 2010. Check back regularly and tell us how you are doing. If you are having problems, let us know that too. We may be able to help.
Have a great New Year!!!!
Write on,
Lynn
Thanks for the great reminder about SMART goals, Lynn. I accomplished a very important goal in 2009: I finished my novel. So, of course, getting it published is my number one priority for 2010. Good luck to you in the new year!
Way to go, Charlotte! Let us know when and where we can find it in the bookstore.
ah at last, I found your article once again. You have few useful tips for my school project. This time, I won’t forget to bookmark it.