How To Achieve Your Goals

Happy 2018! I don’t know if it’s weirder that it’s 2018 or that we’re now 2 years away from 2020 … Anyway. New year means new goals for most of the world. Today I want to talk about my goals for 2018 as well as tips for achieving yours this year.

My 2018 Goals

Get through at least 2 drafts of TLM – I’m about to start editing TLM, my second novel. I’m very anxious about it because I’m not sure how it’s going to go. My hope, though, is it will be a lot better once I actually get into it. I want to have one draft edited by the end of June and a second by the end of the year. My hope is that those due dates are flexible enough that I can get it done without stressing about it. Obviously, though, I want to get through more than two drafts! I’m not sure how many I need to go through before I start working with a professional editor, but I’m hoping that in 2019, I’ll be ready for that.

Start M3 (novel 3!) – The biggest hindrance in editing TLM is going to be how much I want to work on M3, aka magical murder mystery, aka novel 3. As you guys know, I’ve been doing the pre-writing for this for several months now, and I’m getting antsy about starting to write it. I’d like to get the first draft done by the end of 2018, but it depends on what life brings me.

Get a job – Hello, my name is Kate and I just finished grad school and would really like someone to hire me. I’ve been applying to lots of internships (paid and unpaid) and other jobs for months, and I actually just lined one up, which I’m really excited about that. But that’s only a couple of months, so I’m also starting to think about what I want to do after, ideally a paid job. I love doing this blog and freelance writing isn’t awful, but I really want a “real” job. (Freelance writing and blogging are “real” jobs for some people, they’re just not exactly what I’m looking for when it comes to my permanent career.)

Be hospitalized less often and not develop any more chronic illnesses – Honestly, this is the most important one to me, but it’s also the one I have the least control over. Autoimmune illnesses create other illnesses, something I’ve learned over the last two years. In 2016, it was endometriosis. In 2017, it was POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. This is why I was hospitalized over my birthday and why I had the heat even more than before. If 2018 could come with fewer ER trips and hospitalizations, as well as without gaining yet another condition, that would be great.

How To Achieve Your Goals

I asked a bunch of bloggers what their advice is for achieving their goals. I always love hearing what other people have to say and how they make their dreams and goals happen, and I hope you guys do, too!

“Manifesting, or believing you can do something, is the first step of achieving any goal. For as long as put something off, you will come up with more excuses not to do or reasons why it’s unattainable. I promote my own productivity in achieving my goals (yes, even the scary ones) by; prioritizing wellness (I know I work better when i feel better), making time (carving out a little space in my life to conquer the things I want to accomplish) and by practicing a daily mindset (to uproot negative emotions and listing my goals as they are crossed off my “to do” list).” – Vanessa from Vanessa in Boston. This is a segment from a post she wrote, which you can see here. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.

“For big goals, it’s important to break them up into smaller goals-within-goals. This will make it easier to stay on track and manage your progress. Also, be sure to give yourself adequate time to achieve each step. Don’t be upset or discouraged that you aren’t meeting your goals right away because things may not be happening as fast as you may want them to!” – Emily from No Repeats or Hesitations. Check out her goals for 2018! She is also on Twitter and Instagram.

“Writing down your goals is the best way to start. After you do that, put the list somewhere you can see it every day. Then, make another list of the steps you need to take to reach the bigger goals. To get a creative visual of your goals, make a motivation board and just like your goals list, put that bad boy somewhere you can see it every day.” – Amanda from Amanda Alverado. She’s also on Twitter and Instagram.

“The first step I always take when working on a new goal is breaking it down into steps. Then once I have the project broken out into digestible steps, I just get started. And it sounds simple, but once you get going use that momentum to keep going until you complete your goal! And if the goal is long term, create checkpoints along the way to keep yourself in on track.” – Jacqueline of JQ Louise. You can also find her on Instagram and Twitter.

“My goal for 2018 is to launch my blog. I took a workshop called The Insta Edit which was hosted by The Branding Edit that helped me get a stronger footing on my Instagram account. I’ve been working on finding my voice and strengthening my copy and photography skills. I’ve been told the hardest part is getting started which makes excited to jump that first hurdle in the new year.” – Catherine Nelson. You can find her on Instagram.

“For me, writing my goals down or, better yet, creating a vision board, is key to making sure I stick to my goals and get to cross them off of my list. Not only does writing them down or creating a vision board help you to see your goals on a daily basis, it also helps to get those creative juices flowing! In the past year, I have made it a habit to write down any goal that I set for myself, regardless of how big or how small. While I haven’t written down all of them, I can say with confidence that 85% of the time if I’ve written a goal down or included it in my vision board I know that I’ll accomplish it!” – Darrian of Darrian Michelle. She’s also on Instagram.

“I can’t remember the last time I actually read for fun, rather than the academic textbooks or literature for analysis. I plan to go to my local library and finally re-sign up for that card, since I’m sure my old one has expired (from over a decade ago)! I’ve just recently re-discovered the joy of reading with a new book I was sent Crazy Rich Asians, which of course they are adapting into a movie releasing later in 2018. I plan to incorporate reading before bed or on long trips back into my routine to help me unwind before bed instead of staring mindlessly at my phone.” – Hanna from Rated by Hanna. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.

What are your goals for 2018?

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