It's great to see this blog revitalized! And we're starting things off right talking about setting goals and focusing on attaining them, aren't we? I mean, that's what you do in January, isn't it? — figure out what you want to accomplish in the coming year and put it out there for the whole universe to see. I don't know about you, but it always makes me feel organized and somehow virtuous after I've listed all those important things I plan to achieve.
Of course, there's the flip side of goal setting at the beginning of the year (I refuse to call it a new year's resolutions) — the inevitable accounting at the end of the year. I don't know about you, but there have been more than a few years that I've cringed in December at having to admit that I didn't quite meet my own expectations from the previous January.
Sad to say, 2010 was one of those cringe-worthy years. In January I started off raring to go, ready to tear into my writing projects and finish them ahead of even the ambitious schedule I'd set for myself. And then...Life Happened...and 2010 became the year I'd rather not talk about for many personal reasons.
In December—dear God, was that only last month?—I found myself lamenting the fact that I hadn't managed to accomplish a single writing goal that I'd set for myself in January 2010. My husband, patient and supportive man that he is, asked me an unexpected, albeit honest, question that quite took me aback.
He asked me if I really wanted to write.
You know that sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when something isn't right or you know something bad is about to happen? Yep, that's how I felt. But it was a very good (and well-meant) question. Had I been secretly sabotaging myself? Did I really not want to write? What if I'd been fooling myself all along?
I sat myself down and had a long, serious think. The answer I came up with surprised me a bit. Not only did I want to write, I couldn't not write. And, while in some ways I'd let fear hold me back, I concluded that most of my problems in 2010 really were things happening that were out of my control. I just needed to find a better way to deal when life happens, because life is always going to happen.
Whew!
So, here's what I decided to use as my single writing goal for 2011: 2011 will be the year I finish my first novel. That's it. I plan to finish at least one novel in 2011. If I write more than one, yay, me! I'm going to check-in every Monday on this blog with my progress, and perhaps make a weekly goal (though not always). And by the end of this year I have every confidence that I'll be able to raise my head high and proclaim that I met my writing goal for the year.
How about you? Do you have a love-hate relationship with writing goals? If you always meet your goals, how do you manage to stay on track? If you don't, what tends to trip you up? I'm always on the lookout for tips and tricks—even ideas about what not to do!
4 comments:
Debbie, knowing what you went through last year, I don't find it a surprise you didn't meet your goals. And I don't think you should take it as a, "Do I really want to write" question. I understand why your husband asked you that and in a way I think it was his nudge to get you thinking and motivated.
I didn't meet all my goals last year and again it was because of family commitments that I didn't expect going into 2010. You can never factor in those things.
I set goals for my writing. Usually finishing a book by a certain time. That's my goal again this year. I want to write the two books that finish my series/trilogy. Then I can move on to new shinnies. One goal I have is out of my hands- getting an agent. I can only keep sending queries out and hope someone picks it up and loves it.
I say the biggest asset to meeting your writing goals is stay active in the group, get support, and sit int he chair and write.
Good Luck!
Debbie, I'm so proud of you for getting through last year, *and* for doing the hard soul-searching to decide if you really want to write. I think you are now poised to accomplish your goal.
My year was quite unexpected as well. No, I didn't achieve the goals I set out to do, but I made some significant progress in my own life, and am ready to take advantage of all the opportunities that (hopefully) will come my way in 2011.
Go, us!
Ah, Debbie, I haven't set any solid goals for 2011 because I'm focused on finishing house projects--some of which have been on my "to do" list since I moved into this house over twenty years ago. So you shouldn't cringe for not making your goals for just one year. :)
I recently received an e-mail from an author/life coach that puts a little different spin on goals by suggesting we think about our intentions--the "why" behind particular goals-- before we actually set them.
Sounds like you've already done that by doing some serious thinking about what you want to accomplish.
I've also come to think it's important not to view missed goals as a reason to beat ourselves up, but as a springboard to that deep thinking you recently did to consider what we really want to accomplish and why.
And, as both Paty and Barb said, life happens.
For me, if life happens to disrupt the goals I've set, there's usually a deeper message that I need to step back and reconsider my direction. Or consider another aspect that I've been ignoring. Or recommit to my original goal and not let other things scatter my focus. Like now--it's time to get back to house projects. Short breaks only for me! Goal setting will come later.
You guys rock! :-)
Paty, you're absolutely right -- staying active in the chapter (along with butt-in-chair & write!) is crucial for me. Seriously, the encouragement I've received from everyone in the Chapter since I joined a couple of years ago has kept my buoyed up.
Barb, last year was the pits in many ways, but we did both make it through. 2011 is our year, baby! ;-)
Genene, you have more insight into listening to what the universe is trying to tell us than anyone I know. Your words of wisdom are always appreciated!
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