What’s Your Goal? A Guest Blog with Kimberly Napoli

Week One of NaNo may have the mavericks, rebels, pantsers, and those that throw caution to the wind suddenly wishing they had a plan for the next four weeks. Fear not, because it is not too late to take a moment to ask yourself, “What is my goal for this month of writing?”

You should have goals for the dreams you want to achieve. Having clear goals will help you find balance, not over commit yourself, and recognize that your dreams are attainable. Goals are a gift, not a burden to weigh down your creative freedoms. You are an amazing, creative person and you have all these amazing dreams. Without the focus of goals you won’t have a clear picture of what actions are best suited to making those dreams come true.

I am a big fan of Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People). I was raised with the simple wisdom that Carnegie used to turn himself and others into successes. Just remember “Goals Are SMART” and here’s why:

S- Specific. You should identify exactly what you want to achieve and set accurate goals. “I want to write” is not as specific as “I want to write an urban fantasy novel.”

M- Measurable. If you can’t measure it, how will you know when you have reached it? For the sake of NaNoWriMo this is clear. “I will write 50,000 words.”

A- Achievable. This is not a judgment or measurement of your talent. It is a realistic look at your resources and the demands on your time and talent. I have a four year old, and a big family that I make a priority in my life. I am a slow typist, and only write for a few hours four nights a week. It is not realistic of me to think that I can write a book a month. I refuse to set myself up for failure. I deserve to achieve and succeed.

R- Realistic. Ask only what is in your power to make happen. Be honest with yourself about your talent and personality. It is unlikely that your first novel will reach the NY Times Bestseller list and out perform JK Rowling. This is dependent on so many factors that are beyond your control that you aren’t being fair to yourself. You should focus on goals that are within your power to control.

T- Time bound. I was a sprinter in high school. I didn’t just run till I got tired of running. I ran toward the finish line, toward the euphoric giddiness that I knew I would feel when I got there before everyone else. To avoid procrastination and maintain motivation you should have a time frame factored into your goal.

(I cannot find an original source for this system. I first learned of it through Dale Carnegie books and workshops, my dad, and my husband. I recommend all things by Carnegie.)

Use the SMART system to clearly identify your goal. Write it on a 3×5 card. Post it by your computer. Use it for motivation and to create focus. “When the going gets tough, the tough get SMART.”

Happy writing to all during this challenging month. If you found this post helpful, you will find this info and more in my November online class: “Get It Together - Write Now!” Managing the Time to Write with Kimberly Napoli    http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassNov08.html