Pink Think: “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”- Tony Robbins
I was visiting my dad yesterday and he asked me what were some of my personal goals for this year. Which was very timely and omen-ish because I was thinking that same thing the other day.
In the last year, I started a memoir writing business, Treasured Stories. I have a lot of to-dos associated with this venture, and some achieved goals (like get clients and produce a client book!), but I hadn’t actually sat down to assess “What next?” And then since I pretty much have taken a hiatus (I love that word, it makes me think of hibiscus) from fiction writing, it seems that I don’t have any epic projects of late.
Truth is, I don’t exactly feel challenged. Every story is a fun project for me, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not feeling stretched. Plus, when I don’t have a goal list, I’m not sure what I can be doing next. This year, like my friend Alice Beesley, I have chosen the following goals:
1. Get 4 new quality Treasured Stories clients. This gives me a goal every season of ramping up my marketing and signing up a client. This means I can tweak my marketing campaign and keep it fresh. It’s been an instructive period, learning the difference between an interested prospect, and a prospect who is likely to hire me. I want more of the latter.
2. Help my daughter put on another successful Sweetheart Ball. This isn’t exactly my personal goal, because my 17 year old daughter is pretty much doing a lot of the work to make this Valentine’s Day event successful. But I am mentoring her. And I hope she is learning a lot of skills that will help her in the future in other endeavors. We started this event last year to help my son earn money to go to Washington DC, and it was so fun, we decided to do it again. This time, my daughter is doing it as a fundraiser for a Fiji service trip. How do I define “successful”? Raise enough money to get her to Fiji ($3,000) and make sure that our guests have a fabulous time!
3. Update my blogs weekly. It’s like writing in your journal. The longer you go not writing in it, the harder it is, the lamer the entries. On this blog, I will write about what I’ve learned from the past week on the following topics: journalism, fiction writing, small business or marketing. On my Treasured Stories blog, I will write about memoir writing tips and real-life experiences.
4. Go to Zumba weekly. I’ve been dying to do this for a while now. I love dancing and I need the exercise, so this is perfect for me. But I haven’t gone yet. And then a friend of mine called me last week to invite me. I wasn’t able to go, but it made me put it in my planner and the calendar. So now, no more excuses. I also read about Denise Austin in the Sunday insert. At 50, she looks fantastic, and she inspired me to exercise when I was trying to shed post-baby fat. By doing Zumba on Mondays, it will get my week off on a good start.
5. Read my scriptures daily. I want more divine inspiration to lead me through this year. I know I can’t do it all on my own.
6. Visit my parents weekly and record my parents’ stories. With my dad’s ailing health, I feel an urgency to record his stories. My mom’s, too.
7. Sing at more venues. I’m already singing at a care center once a month. So I decided I’ll do it with regularity, too, at a Senior Center. And then in March, I will have the opportunity to sing at a local event. Singing is my fun, creative outlet, and if I can brighten other people’s day while I’m at it, all the better. My repertoire is “Musical Memories” – songs from the 30s through the 60s. I don’t know what I’m doing in the 21st century, because I love, love the songs that my dad sang to me while I was growing up.
8.Finish a novel. And then when I am done with it, I will have it edited and either self-publish, or query an agent.
9. Eat healthier. That means no seconds unless I’m really still hungry. No mindless snacking. And a minimum of the greasy stuff. My 17 year old, who is a healthy eater, is my inspiration.
I’m excited to s-t-r-e-t-c-h this year. I’m feeling more energized and have a sense of purpose. Thank you, Alice, for the motivation!
How about you, what will you be working on this year?
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