Goal Setting For Writers (or The Power of The Post It Note)
by Allison Whitehead
Wow. I remember when I first started writing. I wish Id known then what I know now! But dont worry Im going to tell you what I know now, so you can have a super fast and successful start to your writing career.
I did ok in those early days a few letters got published in some big magazines, I got the odd article accepted here and there in some low profile magazines, and one or two short stories received publication and a few complimentary copies.
But as I say, I wish Id known then what I know now. I was doing ok, but I was aimless. I had no real direction to go in. If I felt particularly inspired, I might write a couple of articles in one day; I remember once writing three in a single day and getting every single one published. But then Id bask in the glory of my success for weeks and it was ages before I summoned the muse to write again.
This is a real stumbling block for the newbie writer. If you have real ambitions as a writer if you want to get published (and paid for), and you have a list of magazines tucked safely under your pillow that you dream about getting published in someday you need a plan. You need a goal.
This is something I never realised until a few years ago. You can be the most talented writer out there; you can be the next John Grisham, the next JK Rowling, or the next Stephen King but it doesnt matter a jot if you dont have a plan for how youre going to get there.
Goal setting can make the difference between doing okay, and getting a few pieces published here and there, or making a successful, full time career as a writer. Even if you only want to keep your writing in hobby status, setting goals for yourself can mean that hobby brings in several hundred pounds a month extra, and puts your name in several well known magazines every month.
So how do you go about setting goals?
Well the first and most important thing you need to do is to be honest with yourself. Grab a notepad and pen, and settle down in a comfy chair where you wont be disturbed. Ask yourself what youd really like to achieve with your writing. Be honest dont neglect to write something down because you dont think you could ever do it, or its too hard, or you dont think youre good enough. This is like the what would you do if you won the lottery? question go all out and dream!
Would you like to write a book? Get a short story in a world famous magazine? Whats the one thing youve always wanted to achieve with your writing?
Lets say you want to write and publish your own book. Thats a big goal. But you can do it if you go about it in the right way. Thats where goal setting comes in. But you need to know how to do it properly and for maximum effect.
First of all, write your goal down on a Post-It note. But dont write it as if its something you want write it as if its already happened. So youd write something like this:
I am a successful published author, and I make 1000 every month selling copies of my book online and in bookstores.
This might sound a little strange, but it really works! The key is to write your goal down as if you have already achieved it, and then stick the Post-It note where you will see it often ideally right by your computer screen. By doing this, you will impress the message upon your subconscious, which will get to work for you and start making your dream come true.
Sounds even stranger now, Ill bet! Well, the subconscious is an amazing thing, but you dont really need to understand a great deal about it for this method to work. The simple reason it does work is this the subconscious cannot tell the difference between what is real and what you tell it is real. Whatever messages you bury into your subconscious, it will make them come true.
Think about it. Have you ever noticed how people who are down on their luck are convinced its because theyre naturally unlucky? And then something bad happens to prove it? And that convinces them even more and so on, in an ever downward spiral?
And think about someone youve met who always seems to be doing well? Theyre always optimistic, always looking for the best in every situation and they always seem to be getting lucky?
Both these types of people have ultimately created their own surroundings. The person who expects to succeed does exactly that because they work towards that goal, and their subconscious drives them there. The unlucky person expects to be unlucky because thats what always seems to happen to them so thats what their subconscious mirrors back to them.
So get your subconscious working for you, and think about what you would really like to achieve as a writer. I have used this technique for some time now, and I can tell you its amazing what starts to happen when you trust your subconscious and stick that little Post-It note where you can see it!
A while back, I set a goal to get some e-books published. I wanted to be earning 1000 a month by writing and selling articles and e-books, so I stuck my note on my computer monitor, and I found myself looking at it probably twenty or thirty times a day.
Within a couple of weeks of doing that, my first book was on sale with an online publisher, and I had an agreement with a second publisher to write another one for them. In the same short space of time, I found a website on which I could display and sell my articles (check it out at www.constant-content.com/?aref=5038 I thoroughly recommend it), and sold a couple within five days of each other. It felt like Id just got lucky and stumbled across all this information but I know its because my subconscious knew what it needed to do, and went for it like a heat seeking missile!
And all thanks to that Post-It note!
So you can see whats possible. Think about what youd really like to achieve, and set yourself some goals today. If you follow the technique above, I promise you youll be celebrating in no time!
Go to it and enjoy the journey.
About the author:
Allison Whitehead has written and sold articles on many topics, including self-help, goal setting, self employment and motivational subjects. Her latest e-book, The 5 Secrets of Successful Goal Setting, can help you reach all your goals in life not just writing related ones! Discover all the secrets today theres a FREE pdf preview available at www.lulu.com/smoo_publishing |
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