Write Goals That Work
January 2, 2024
Note From Rochelle
Dear writers,
Many of you who filled out my survey mentioned an interest in being part of an accountability group! And I have just the thing for you. The Writing Accountability Group starts meeting in a few weeks—and we have four spots open. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Today’s tip provides you with everything you need to set goals that work!
Happy writing,
Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach
Write Goals that Work
When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.
– W. Clement Stone\
I work with a lot of people who approach me because they can’t accomplish their goals. They want to write a book or launch a blog, but they can’t seem to get around to it. Life gets in the way.
Once you’ve chosen your project, it’s time to write your project goal. And believe me, the way you phrase your goal matters. A poorly worded goal gets stuffed in a journal and forgotten about. But a well-worded goal can be used every day to help you achieve your dreams! This quest will help you write goals that work.
The Quest
Goals that work are:
- Driven by your passion and purpose
- Defined in specific and concrete terms
- Connected to a plan
When you phrase your goals to include a plan—when, where, and how you will achieve them—you increase your chances of success. You know what steps you need to take to achieve your goal. You have a clear sense of what you need to do and when and where you will do it.
Write
Compose a goal statement using the following formula:
[When], I will [where and what] so that I can achieve my goal of [state goal].
Here are some examples of goal statements that include all these elements:
- After work each day, I will stop at the coffee shop and write for an hour so that I can achieve my goal of writing my book on public speaking.
- Every Saturday and Sunday morning, I will sit at my sewing machine and make scarves so I can achieve my goal of finishing enough scarves to have a table at the craft sale.
- Each night before bed, I will sit in my writing chair and write a scene so that I can achieve my goal of writing my novel.
Game Play Tips
- To make your goal more useful, at the end of your goal statement add a note about WHY you’re writing a book. For example, you might write: After work each day, I will stop at the coffee shop and write for an hour so that I can achieve my goal of writing my book to help my clients learn how to overcome their fear of public speaking.
- Copy your goal onto a big sheet of paper or large index card and post it somewhere you can see it every day! (Or go to a site like Canva and make a graphic that you can post on your computer!)
- Keep a copy of your goal statement near your desk, datebook, and in any other place that might be helpful. When you receive offers to do something else during your writing time, it will help to know that you are already booked, working hard at accomplishing a goal.
For the Win
Once we’ve created a goal with these elements—what, when, where, and why—we have clarity. We not only know where we’re going but how we’re going to get there. We can set up our lives to help us achieve this goal, easily dealing with the tasks and problems that threaten to get in the way.
