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Feeling like a Failure for 2013? Don’t…..

30 Dec

shameless_self_promotion_by_raaynee-d6diywuSo here we are at the end of a long and crazy year. 2013 has been fraught with crazy economics, faster than the speed of light publishing changes and an ever changing landscape of what is a book…it’s all been enough to make you scream. But…..you know what…..??? It’s almost over which means you get a new start.

I didn’t accomplish everything I wanted to in 2013. I wanted to be a better writer. I wanted to have published five books. I wanted to completely understand the world of e-publishing. I learned a little more about writing but I don’t know if I would say I feel like I am “better” at it. I published 3 books and never quite got through the editing of the other 2. And understanding e-publishing…well that is a work in progress and I have a feeling it may well always be just that…in progress. But does not meeting my goals make me a failure? Hardly…has it made me a writer who is still trudging forward.

We set goals at the beginning of the year for two reasons. 1 – we think we are supposed to because everyone makes New Year’s resolutions and 2 – because we want to think that we can meet the goals we set because, well, by-god we set them. I’m unsure why or when the whole resolution thing began but it’s dumb. Shouldn’t we be setting new goals all the time? And as far as the goals for our writing, well, I personally have to reset those every single day because, let’s face it, life happens.

Here’s how I see it, setting those first of the year goals is not a good thing. We, as writers, tend to be tough on ourselves as it is so setting ourselves up for goals that we may not reach is setting ourselves up for a possible fail and why do that to yourself? I would propose instead that we set daily goals that are adjustable as life needs them to be. Writing is a fluid and every changing occupation that is often predicated on the things we face every day. Daily goals are achievable and adjustable and that’s just what we need.

So before you set yourself up on those grandiose yearly goals, stop and consider instead setting smaller more obtainable goals. As a writer it is important that our self-confidence stays in tack and the only way that is going to happen is if we can reach our goals. So change your thinking and set your goals daily. Let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to and less of a letdown to fail a day’s goal that a whole year.

© The Writer’s Advice, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

 

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