This morning I read a post by Philip Athans about setting Writing Goals (I’ll share the link below), but it is worth reading by everyone.
By Mister Athans’s way of thinking it is important to set goals, but just as importantly we need to set goals that are attainable and we need to be flexible enough to avoid fixating on our goals to the point of sacrificing the other things in your life in order to achieve the goal. To my way of thinking a little sacrifice is okay, but slavish adherence to the completion of a goal can be more devastating than failing to complete the original goal.
I am a firm believer in moderation. It is okay to work hard toward a goal and to give up some thing with the intention of achieving that goal, but it is important to consider the consequences of your sacrifice. Giving up all of your free time in the name of achieving your goal might allow you to reach the prize, but is the payoff going to be worth it? Personally, my writing time has suffered over the last six months and I have missed a number of goals I had set for myself, but I spent most of that precious time to be with my family or to catch a little extra sleep. Do I wish that I had met my goals? Yes. Absolutely. Do I regret not spending more time working toward my goal? No, because to do so would have meant abandoning my family during a time of change when we all have had to make sacrifices.
So tell me, what goals have you set this for this year and how much are you willing to give up to achieve them?
Related articles
- What Are Your Writing Goals for 2013? (fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com)
- Goal setting the right way (howictheworld.com)
- Resolutions, 2013 (fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com)
- Sit Your Ass Down and Do It! (fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com)
- Goodbye Resolutions and Goals. Hello Intentions! (dancurtis.ca)
- Every Writer Must Have Intellectual Curiosity (fantasyhandbook.wordpress.com)
- Triumph Over Tragedy: Anthology Release (authortlgray.wordpress.com)
