Tips to Achieving Your Author Goals
I'm guessing that this year- and most years- you have set some goals for yourself.
Well, did you know that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down?
I heard this statistic a while back and decided to give it a try. When it comes to my own goals, I have been wanting to work with a business coach (a specific one) for a long time. So guess what I did?
I made that goal my computer password.
This means that every single day, usually multiple times a day, I typed out my goal and thought about reaching it. And guess what? Three months later I was awarded a scholarship to her coaching program! Not only was this an exciting achievement, but it was a good reminder to keep my goals on my mind and at my fingertips. So how can you try something similar?
5 Strategies for Achieving Your Author Goals
Write them down: As I’ve already mentioned, writing down your goals significantly increases your chance of achieving them! But does it count to write your goal down once and never revisit it? Maybe, but I highly doubt it. Try writing and re-writing your goals on a regular basis. Maybe try making your goal your computer password and see what happens :)
Share them with others: Want to amplify your chances of success even more? Tell someone your goals. And ask them to check in with you! Having an accountability partner can be very powerful. The 4 other women in my Mastermind group are hyper-aware of my goals and they check in with me twice a month to see how things are going. And I’m 100% confident that there are goals on my “completed!” list that wouldn’t be there without the support of these women.
Track your progress: Break your goals down into smaller tasks and track how you’re doing. Have a goal of sending your book to an editor in 4 months? Track your weekly writing progress. Want to schedule 10 author events over the summer? Keep a tally sheet of outreach efforts. Tools like Asana, the Productivity Planner, or Google Sheets can be incredibly helpful when it comes to staying on task.
Find visual inspiration: When you achieve your goal, how will you celebrate? Put up an image of your “I met my goal!” treat, purchase, or outing. Is there is a quote that motivates you? Print it out and post it somewhere you see every day. Do you admire other professionals in your field? Put up images of their most inspirational work. Find creative ways to keep your goals visible.
Live “as if”: When you think about reaching a goal, what does that feel like? What does it look like? And are there ways for you to start living in that future state? Maybe don’t spend your anticipated revenue before you actually have it in your bank account… But if your “I’ve met my goal!” future state includes more time for self-care or reconnecting with out of town friends, try adding some of that into your CURRENT state. You may be surprised with how it motivates you to move forward :)
What other strategies or tricks do you use to achieve your author goals? Share in the comments!
Want to chat with me and create a plan to find more success as an author? Let’s schedule a coaching call!