Share Your Writing Goals to Increase Chances of Success!

If you state your goals publicly, you’ll be more likely to achieve them.

According to research by the American Society of Training and Development, your chances of actually achieving your goals can be broken down as follows:

• 10% — You have an idea or a goal
• 25% — You consciously decide you will achieve the goal
• 40%  — You decide when you will achieve the goal
• 50%— You plan how you will accomplish the goal
• 65% — You commit to someone that you will achieve the goal
• 95% — You make an accountability appointment with a person to whom you’ve committed

As you can see, sharing your commitment to achieve a goal significantly raises your odds of success. Telling another person when you will actually deliver makes it near impossible for you to fail.

Think back to when you told a boss you would finish a project. Odds are you finished it when you said you would. Or when you told your editor you’d have the edits done. Even if you had to stay up all night, you probably delivered.

But how often do you succeed when you tell only yourself about your goal? Even if you’re quite disciplined, it’s easier to make excuses when you have only yourself to disappoint.

Commitment to others works. In a 2009 study, participants who made public commitments to their weight loss goals lost more weight than those who didn’t. Later research also showed that those who made commitments to an online community were more successful in achieving their weight-loss goals.

I was going to write a blog about the various ways we can make commitments, but then I realized I had a perfect opportunity here: why not use Writing and Wellness as a forum for public commitment?

If you’re serious about reaching your goals in 2019,
why not commit to those goals right here, right now?

I’m going to start by sharing with you five goals I have for the New Year. I’d love to hear yours too. Why not take advantage of this chance to commit to what matters to you, and allow other readers to support your efforts?

Simply add your goals to the comments, and we’ll all cheer you on. Then you can check back on this post anytime for encouragement, and see how you did at the end of the year.

My 5 Writing Goals for 2019

First I have to say that I’m super excited for 2019. Last year (2018) was such a great year in so many ways, and I expect things to only get better. Of course, there’s a lot of hard work ahead, but hey, when you enjoy what you’re doing it’s fun work, right?

1. Complete a full second draft of my novel, The Beached Ones.

I’ve been working on this novel for over four years now. I’ve written several drafts, but I kept getting stuck in the middle and having to go back and try again. This year was the first time I broke through to actually complete a draft.

I’m working on the second full draft now, and plan to get it completed in 2019. After that, it may need another draft, or it may be ready for an editor…we’ll see. My goal is simply to get this second draft done!

2. Publish my new non-fiction book, Writer, Get Noticed!

I’m super excited about this project. The manuscript is going through final edits now, and I’m planning an April release. The book is for any writer struggling to get noticed in today’s crowded market who needs help creating a unique author platform.

The problem is that fixing your writing flaws and expanding your social media reach will not get you the readers you deserve. Instead, discover a myriad of strengths you didn’t know you had, then use them to find your author theme, power up your platform, and create a new author business blueprint, all while gaining insight into what sets you apart as a writer and creative artist.

3. Launch new website for working writers, WriterCEO.com!

Do you make your living writing, editing, reporting, or doing some other form of writing-related activity? Are you an authorpreneur, running your own business based on your books and other projects? If you’re not either of theses things yet, would you like to be?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re going to want to check out my new website, WriterCEO.com. I’m so excited about this website! It’s going to provide information on the business side of writing (and all that entails), as well as interviews with real writers who are making it work.

Just like Writing and Wellness helps writers nourish the creator within, WriterCEO is all about helping writers grow successful careers. It launches on January 16th, so stay tuned!

4. New workshop on building your author platform/theme.

I’m adding a new workshop to the list of those I offer at writing conferences that will build on the content in Writer Get Noticed! The one-hour course will help writers to gain a glimpse into their unique strengths, and give them the tools they need to convert those strengths into a strong writing niche.

Attendees will walk away with an author tagline they can use for all of their social media and website platforms, the beginnings of a new author business blueprint, and a new understanding of how they can capitalize on the things they do well to attract more readers to their work.

5. New one-day workshop for writers in Boise, Idaho.

A good writing friend (Donna Cook) and I are gearing up to teach our first ever one-day writing business workshop in Boise, Idaho! This high-value event is targeted specifically to those who want to become better writing business managers, and see more success from their efforts.

Find out more about taking smart risks, managing your cash flow, finishing the projects you start, using your unique strengths to draw readers your way, building your own author “ecosystems” to increase your control over your sales and marketing, shifting your mindset to pro, and battling the overwhelm that comes with trying to manage it all.

Save the date of September 14, 2019, as that’s when we’ll be helping you to learn the secrets of building a successful author business. Then keep an eye on WriterCEO.com for more information. It’s going to be fun!

Now, it’s your turn. I hope you’ll share your goals with us!

What are your writing goals for 2019?

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Sources
Bradford, T. W., Grier, S. A., & Henderson, G. R. (2017). Weight Loss Through Virtual Support Communities: A Role for Identity-based Motivation in Public Commitment. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 40, 9-23. doi:10.1016/j.intmar.2017.06.002

Entrepreneurs’ Organization. (2017, December 15). Want to Grow Your Company? Say It Aloud. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/entrepreneurs-organization/accelerate-your-commitment-to-growth.html

Nyer, P. U., & Dellande, S. (2010). Public commitment as a motivator for weight loss. Psychology and Marketing, 27(1), 1-12. doi:10.1002/mar.20316