​Marianne Rice​
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Acadia Falls
    • Balsam Grove Christmas
    • Band of Sisters
    • Well Paired Novels
    • A Wilton Hills Christmas series
    • Rocky Harbor Series
    • Wilde Sisters
    • McKay-Tucker Men
  • About
  • Connect
  • Author Resources
  • Balanced Babes--Health & Nurtition Support

Goal Setting--Be Realistic #goals #Amwriting

6/26/2017

7 Comments

 
Picture
I'm an inconsistent goal setter. I can't say I always have goals, but when I set one, I reach it one hundred percent of the time.

How do I do that while working full time, keeping up with my three kids who are typically involved in at least four sports at a time, making all our meals from scratch (because of my son's gluten allergy and cross-contamination issues), getting my two type 1 diabetic children to their monthly doctor's appointments an hour away, and finding time to write three books a year? Well, to put it simply, I'm a realist.

Life is crazy. Crazy busy. Crazy hectic. Crazy fun. And crazy stressful. But my writing career (on top of teaching full time) relaxes me. Having deadlines from my editor and publisher are actually a blessing in disguise. They are my excuse to find some ME time and get my work done. If I didn't have them, I wouldn't ever get to escape to my room for a few hours while Hubby cleans up dinner. It's my excuse to get out of practices (I don't miss games for writing, though) and sometimes even laundry.

There are obvious obligations and deadlines I can't control, which requires planning and organization. Two things I am good at and actually enjoy doing. With my busy life, if I didn't plan I'd never know if I was coming or going. Two of my three children have diseases which require me--and someday them--to be on top of things twenty-four seven. I can't say I'm successful there. Thankfully my children's school  nurses are amazing, and the kids are learning to be a bit more independent. 

Picture
As for writing, my goal is to write three books a year. Before I was published, my goal was to write one a year. That's all I could manage without stressing myself out or letting something else go. And really, what could I give up? One of my kids? Their sports? My teaching job?

Since being published three years ago, I've learned so much from my amazing editors and publishing houses, which has also helped me become more prolific in my writing.

I write one book in the summer (today is my last day of school, so tomorrow I'll write Chapter 1 in my fifteenth novel), one during NaNo, finishing it during Christmas break, and I write another between January and the end of the school year. I typed THE END last night, making this year three in reaching my goal. 

Picture
The key in my goal-setting success is pushing myself without over-doing it. I make goals that work for me. I don't watch much television and actually read less now, too. I was reading over a hundred books a year. I do miss reading that much, but I realized all that reading was taking up time I could use for writing. I read the most in the summer and now average about thirty books a year. A lot less than I'd like, but making a reading goal isn't something I feel will get me closer to my long term publishing goals (making a decent income). Reading is still a big part of my life, but now I balance it better with writing.

I know writers who make a goal to write five books a year. Others set out to write one. It's not a race or competition against each other. It's a challenge you need to make for yourself. Whether it be writing, reading, eating healthy, exercising, sleeping more, or even a work-related goal, start small. Make a goal you know you can reach. It's empowering when you reach it. Once you've met a handful of smaller goals, you can start making those big goals, the ones that may take a few years to reach.

Picture
Have confidence in yourself. Plan. Organize. And most importantly, make time for yourself. Make sure the goals you set are for YOU and are going to make YOU happy. If it becomes "one more thing" and takes away from doing what you really love, then you need to reassess. 

I'm no expert, but this strategy and way of thinking has worked well for me. I'm no superwoman; there are millions of moms out there managing a whole heck of a lot more than I am and making it look effortless, but I often hear, "How do you do it all?". 

Picture
The answer: I don't. I don't do it all. I do what matters to my family and then slice some time out for what matters to me. It's all about balance. 

Set some goals. Don't reach for the stars. Reach for your passion. Once you've reached it, the stars will be dangling right in front of you.

7 Comments
Michelle
6/26/2017 02:06:12 pm

I think you are super woman. You're an inspiration for all of us who think we do it all until we see your schedule. I think I'll work on setting and meeting some goals for this summer.

Reply
Marianne Rice
6/27/2017 07:27:18 am

Aw, thanks! But you're all amazing as well. We all have our plates full and seem to juggle and keep it together (mostly).
Good luck with your goals. You can totally do it!

Reply
http://freeoceanofgames.com/ link
6/26/2017 06:05:39 pm

this is nice post and awesome

Reply
Marianne Rice
6/27/2017 07:27:46 am

Thank you. Good luck with your goal setting.

Reply
paper writer service for students link
7/4/2017 06:10:16 am

Glad you thought so and I do hope so. I think any article is of value if it raises awareness and or helps those feeling a bit alienated and lost (as I was) that they are not alone and it won’t always be like this.

Reply
Marianne Rice
7/5/2017 08:48:25 am

Someday I'll (we all will) look back and think, "How the heck did I manage?" Life will calm down, as you said. You're right. We are not alone. Somewhere out there people are fighting the same battle, or managing even more.

Reply
tending the garden link
2/13/2020 07:44:28 am

These sales offers are still much better offers than the online store, but even these offers are of good quality.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    ArchivesT

    October 2021
    March 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All
    Conference
    Goals
    Motherhood
    Sale
    Type 1 Diabetes
    Writer
    Writing

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Click to set custom HTML
    Picture
    ReadFree.ly
Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo from juliejordanscott