Happy New Year and Goalsetting

Happy New Year! 

Let me guess–you have your brand new journal picked out and ready to go, right? You have expectations for this year, important goals that you will absolutely, positively, not-letting-anything-get-in-my-way-this-time meet before the end of the year. Your head is bursting with ideas for all the magical things you will accomplish in the next 365 days. 

Except you’ve been here before, right? How did it go last time? Many people start off the new year filled with hope and promises to create, but then a day goes by where the hours just slip away, and it’s easy enough to skip your art–just for today. And maybe just the weekend. And before you know it, it’s already June and you haven’t completed anything on your goal list for the year. 

How can you keep this from happening–to make this year the one that counts? Well, as Mr. Rogers and Neil Gaiman have both said in their own ways–you have to Do The Thing. And that’s hard! Here are five things to keep in mind as you set your goals for this year. 

1. Be reasonable.
   • I know it’s easy to imagine you will create everything in the next year–365 days seems like so much time! It is–and it isn’t. Remember that life doesn’t stop to accommodate your creative drive. While you may ache to write those words, play those strings, paint that image, the laundry still needs to be done. The groceries won’t magically appear in your kitchen (well, actually, delivery services are pretty amazing these days–but still, ordering takes time too). When you create your goals, think about how much time you can reasonably devote to your art–every day. 

2. Work on your art every day. 
   • That’s right–I said you should work on your art every single day–even if it’s only for two minutes at a time. You’ll be amazed how those tiny increments of work can add up into something over time. Find a system that works for your lifestyle–narrate your story while waiting at red lights, sketch on a napkin on the bus, jot down lyrics while waiting for your appointment–whatever helps you create, however small it may seem. Take the small wins as they come. For writers, this may mean setting a five-minute timer while waiting for dinner to cook and writing the next scene on your phone! 

3. Be kind to yourself. 
   • Realize that life happens and while you may have wanted to accomplish more over a certain time period, give yourself permission to re-evaluate and set new goals, especially after something unexpected happens. It’s never too late to set a reachable goal, even if it’s something small like “Today, I will write four sentences.” Give yourself a break, realize you are human, take a deep breath, and get back in there. 

4. Consider rewards and/or punishments. 
   • Are you motivated by the idea of a reward for meeting your goal? Are you motivated by the notion of a punishment for not meeting your goal? Take a moment now to write down both for this year. Assume you accomplish your task–what do you deserve now that you’ve reached this goal? That dress on your Amazon wishlist? A day of binging Netflix? Write it down, so you can see it there taunting you on those days when you just aren’t feeling it. On the other hand, what if you don’t accomplish your task? What will prompt you to work on your art? (For me, I am motivated by punishments, so if I don’t write every day, I have to take the stairs at work. My office is on the third floor, and I am super lazy. When I want to skip a day, I think about walking up three flights of stairs up and down all day long–and I get up and write something. For an advanced version of punishment, consider having an accountability buddy–someone who suffers with you if you don’t meet your goal.) 

5. Track your progress. 
   • I know this seems fairly simple, but if you are like me, you have a handful of journals with the first few pages filled in–and then trail off in a few weeks or months (for me, it’s always around March–when life gets too busy to track anything anymore!). Make goal tracking a daily habit, something you do automatically before bed each night, so that you don’t lose sight of your accomplishments and where you are headed in your creative pursuits. Even if you fall off the wagon for a few days, hop back on as soon as you can. Some tracking is better than none at all! Create a system that works for you. 

Now this is the part where I shamelessly plug the Author’s Accountability Planner from 4 Horsemen Publications (because writing is HARD!). This book helps you track not just word count, but time spent researching, organizing, editing, and even reading. Filled with writing prompts, exciting quotes, fun activities, and a delightful layout, this book can be the accountability partner you’ve been missing in your life! Find it here: https://books2read.com/planner23