Set Goals For 2018

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 04:49:22 +0000

It is now 2018, an opportunity to start with a clean slate and to set goals for the rest of the year. When I started to venture into this fascinating project, I came to the realization that goal setting is an essential part of this journey. Whether it is weekly or monthly, it is important to plan things to hold ourselves accountable and to see results faster. I have mentioned in some of my other posts that it is important to work with a schedule to reach milestones and to have a sense of accomplishment that will give us the drive to continue moving forward.

I want to invite you to put this into practice. Set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound.

Specific Goals

You want to make sure that the goals that you set are not general. They must be narrowed down so that it provides you with direction to follow so that they are better attainable. Instead of saying “I will publish two books in 2018” be more specific and say, “I will publish one book by April 2018 and a second one by October 2018.” This will create a timeframe for you to work with and will also provide you with guidelines that will motivate you to complete your projects.

Measurable Goals

Goals should be measurable. This means, you should be able to track your progress through the process. Going back to the example provided above, if the goal is to publish a book by April, there are steps that you need to take from now until then. Set up timelines as to when the first draft should be done by, when the book cover will be designed, etc. You want to make sure that you can measure your progress little by little.

Attainable Goals

Whatever goals you decide to set must be attainable. They shouldn’t be too high to the point where they are impossible to accomplish. Consider whether you will be able to attain them and if the task seems daunting, re-evaluate and set different goals that are easier to achieve.

Realistic Goals

Realistic goals should yield results and you should be able to see them become a reality. For instance, you cannot expect to have a book published by April if you know it takes you longer than four months to write a book. Understand your abilities and what must be done to set realistic goals.

Time-Bound Goals

All goals should have a timeframe, otherwise you jeopardize not accomplishing them. If I want to publish a book by April, I know I must have everything ready to go by the end of March so that I only work on the minor details before going live on April. This means that I need to set up deadlines for my first and second drafts, my editing process, my cover page design, my formatting, etc.

Develop a Plan

Once you have set your goals, write them down and develop a plan of action that will guide you through the process. Try to stick to the plan of action as much as possible to remain accountable and motivated. Although setbacks will happen, whether self-inflicted or due to external forces, this plan of action will help you keep on track. Adjust if necessary but do not deviate from the original plan.

My Goals for 2018

Since goal setting is important, I want to hold myself accountable and decided to come up with the following goals for 2018. At the end of the year, I will come back to this post and compare the results.

1) I will publish a book by July 1^st

2) I will read at least 24 books by December 31^st

3) I will post at least four times per month on this blog

4) I will be active on social media daily

The list might not be long, but it is a commitment that I am making to share more about my writing and publishing journey.

I wish you all the best in this new year!

Happy writing!

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