Today is a very special day. It marks the beginning of a brand new year.
Each year we say we are going to have a good year; that this one is going to better than the last, but by saying that we are not doing ourselves a big favour. What we should be saying is "I'm going to MAKE it a good year", because whatever happens to us is a direct result of our actions.
Sure, we can't control things that happen around us; like the death of a loved one or global terrorism and much more, but we can choose how to respond to it.
If we live a positive life, surround ourselves with people who care, and work towards achieving our dreams, we can make a change in our lives and the lives of those around us.
Instead of making resolutions, I choose to set goals. To me resolutions are airy-fairy things. When you set goals, you don't just say 'I want this to happen' (my book to be published etc) by a certain date; you sit down and list the things you need to do to make this happen. Then you put a time frame on each step (a mini-goal if you like). This is the only way you will reach your goal.
For me, my primary goal this year is to finish the YA novel I started in 2008 as the creative component of my Master of Letters, and get it published. I also have other secondary goals, most to do with books and publishing: more of my Mystery of Nida Valley series, more books on megafauna for younger readers, and a new chapter book series I am working on called Bush Tales: short stories about my life growing up on a cattle and sheep station in the west of Queensland. Some are pure fiction (like The Bunyip in the Billabong, which is about a billabong in our front paddock and an old bush tale that a bunyip lived there) and some are from real events.
To achieve these goals, I must set time aside out of my busy life for my own writing. So, as well as my editing and book set-up for others, presenting writing workshops at Gondor Writers' Centre, and organising school festivals all over the state, I have to nominate days or hours per week that are exclusively for my writing. A tall order I realise, but one worth pursuing.
So, Sunday will be my day to sit and look at my calendar of work and events for the year, plan the workshops at Gondor, and analyse the time I need to put into each one. Then I can set days or hours per day when I can work on my goals. The important thing then is to stick to that plan as closely as life allows. Wish me luck!
Good luck with your goals for this year. If there is any way that I can help you achieve those goals, you know where to find me.
Below is a very appropriate post I found on LinkedIn this morning. Valarie Strawmier, an American writer and content consultant, wrote this. I'm sure she won't mind me sharing it. At the bottom of the page is a link to her page. (Posted without editing)
Best wishes
Elaine
'Darren Hardy reminded me today that you can never own success; you can only rent it, and the rent is due every single day. Wanting success never made anyone rich and famous or gave them the life of their dreams. You have to want it bad enough to do something about it.
If someone asked you, "On a scale of 1-10, how bad do you want change," answering anything less than a 10 or more means you don't want it bad enough. Sure, an 8 or 9 means you want it pretty bad, but not enough.
The only way you're going to be willing to fight thru the setbacks, obstacles and challenges that WILL show up that day is when you desperately want a change. If you wake up and find yourself answering that question with anything less than a 10, you need to remind yourself why you started and who you're fighting this battle for.
Success doesn't show up because you kinda want it too. It only comes to those who want it bad enough to pay its rent every single day.
Thank you Darren Hardy for keeping me on track!'
Valerie Strawmier
Content Consultant/Director & Branding Strategy/Writer
Each year we say we are going to have a good year; that this one is going to better than the last, but by saying that we are not doing ourselves a big favour. What we should be saying is "I'm going to MAKE it a good year", because whatever happens to us is a direct result of our actions.
Sure, we can't control things that happen around us; like the death of a loved one or global terrorism and much more, but we can choose how to respond to it.
If we live a positive life, surround ourselves with people who care, and work towards achieving our dreams, we can make a change in our lives and the lives of those around us.
Instead of making resolutions, I choose to set goals. To me resolutions are airy-fairy things. When you set goals, you don't just say 'I want this to happen' (my book to be published etc) by a certain date; you sit down and list the things you need to do to make this happen. Then you put a time frame on each step (a mini-goal if you like). This is the only way you will reach your goal.
For me, my primary goal this year is to finish the YA novel I started in 2008 as the creative component of my Master of Letters, and get it published. I also have other secondary goals, most to do with books and publishing: more of my Mystery of Nida Valley series, more books on megafauna for younger readers, and a new chapter book series I am working on called Bush Tales: short stories about my life growing up on a cattle and sheep station in the west of Queensland. Some are pure fiction (like The Bunyip in the Billabong, which is about a billabong in our front paddock and an old bush tale that a bunyip lived there) and some are from real events.
To achieve these goals, I must set time aside out of my busy life for my own writing. So, as well as my editing and book set-up for others, presenting writing workshops at Gondor Writers' Centre, and organising school festivals all over the state, I have to nominate days or hours per week that are exclusively for my writing. A tall order I realise, but one worth pursuing.
So, Sunday will be my day to sit and look at my calendar of work and events for the year, plan the workshops at Gondor, and analyse the time I need to put into each one. Then I can set days or hours per day when I can work on my goals. The important thing then is to stick to that plan as closely as life allows. Wish me luck!
Good luck with your goals for this year. If there is any way that I can help you achieve those goals, you know where to find me.
Below is a very appropriate post I found on LinkedIn this morning. Valarie Strawmier, an American writer and content consultant, wrote this. I'm sure she won't mind me sharing it. At the bottom of the page is a link to her page. (Posted without editing)
Best wishes
Elaine
'Darren Hardy reminded me today that you can never own success; you can only rent it, and the rent is due every single day. Wanting success never made anyone rich and famous or gave them the life of their dreams. You have to want it bad enough to do something about it.
If someone asked you, "On a scale of 1-10, how bad do you want change," answering anything less than a 10 or more means you don't want it bad enough. Sure, an 8 or 9 means you want it pretty bad, but not enough.
The only way you're going to be willing to fight thru the setbacks, obstacles and challenges that WILL show up that day is when you desperately want a change. If you wake up and find yourself answering that question with anything less than a 10, you need to remind yourself why you started and who you're fighting this battle for.
Success doesn't show up because you kinda want it too. It only comes to those who want it bad enough to pay its rent every single day.
Thank you Darren Hardy for keeping me on track!'
Valerie Strawmier
Content Consultant/Director & Branding Strategy/Writer