Goal Setting for Writers
Make sure you choose the right ones!
I had a revelation this week. I was walking my dog, Rosie and I usually use this time to listen to books on Audible, or podcasts and on this particular day I was listening to the #AmWriting podcast.
Their guest was Dana Bowman. Episode 359 - Dealing With Goal Fatigue. What To Do When The Goals Aren’t Getting You Anywhere.
Dana had plenty to say and offered a whole load of advice (so do go and listen to it), but there was one bit that just had bells ringing loudly in my head, that made so much sense, I couldn’t believe I’d not clocked it on my own.
The advice was - Don’t set goals with an external locus.
What does this mean I hear you ask? Basically, it means, don’t set goals that you can’t control. Don’t set goals that come frome external validation.
Now, then. Storytime.
I’ve been using Sarra Cannon’s method of setting myself three goals each quarter and I’ve been using this for two years now. I like goal setting. I like having something new to aim for each quarter. But out of those three goals, there was one that I ALWAYS FAILED to achieve.
This constant failure burned deeply. Why could I never hit it? Why did it never work? And even though I always hit the other two (like a typical writer reading a bad review of their work) I focused on the one I failed in, rather than the two that I succeeded in.
It niggled. But what was that third goal?
It was subscriber numbers. Newsletter subscriber numbers. Or Twitter followers. I’d set a Good/Better/Best target. So, for example, let’s say I had 50 subscribers already, I’d say a Good target to aim for would be 60. A Better target would be 75. A best target would be 100.
And I’d never hit my targets, because this goal was COMPLETELY OUT OF MY CONTROL.
Why set a goal for something that is completely out of my hands? I can’t control if someone clicks Like, or Subscribe. All I can do is provide the content. All I can do is write.
So I’m changing my goals.
No longer will there be a goal for getting extra subscribers. That will happen no matter what I do, or say. People will UNSUBSCRIBE no matter what I do, or say. I have no control, except for putting out great stories and content and then it’s up to everyone else whatever they do.
So my goals now are based on my production.
Goal 1 - Write and complete my next Medical.
Goal 2 - Write 3 short stories.
Goal 3 - Read 3 books each quarter.
Have you set yourself goals with an external locus? Does this ring alarm bells for you, too? What goals are you going to change, if any?