G is for Goals

Goals are an important part of life. Not only do they give you something to push towards, but they're great pausing points to give yourself a pat on the back. Giving yourself small, easily accomplished goals helps your self-esteem, and can help provide the extra boost to get you toward making larger goals. Or your goals might be stepping-stones leading up to that larger goal. For example, a writer's daily writing will hopefully lead to completing a novel.

Of course, there are everyday goals, and then there are long-term goals, and finally life-time goals. For a writer, an everyday goal might be to write 1000 words in their manuscript, while their long-term goal is to get that manuscript finished/published, and their life-time goal may be to publish 5 novels and retire happily.

While it's important to strive for the best, it's equally important not to push yourself too hard. The difference between goals and dreams is that goals should be realistic. I might dream about marrying a gorgeous, Irish-accented multi-millionaire, but that doesn't mean I should make that my goal in life. A goal might be to publish a book or two, a dream might be to become bigger than J.K. Rowling. Don't set yourself up for disappointment.

If you're unsure what goals to give yourself, here are a few of mine to give you some ideas:

Daily Goals

• Write a blog-post
• Send in at least one job application
• Stay on-diet
• Exercise
• Catch up on the blogs I follow

Short-term Goals

• Finish reading my current book
• Beat my current Pokemon game (6 badges down)
• Write a blog-post a day for at least 26 days (currently in progress)
• Read 50 books this year (32 down)
• Participate in NaNoWriMo
• Lose 150 lbs in one/two years

Long-term Goals

• Pay back my student loans
• Visit England/Ireland
• Get hired in a publishing field (preferably editing)
• Publish at least one (but preferably more) book

Well? What are your goals? Set any new ones or completed any goals recently?

Some G Books I've Read:

A Gleeful G Group:

The G Font: