by James M. Jackson
Over the years, I have tried many goal-setting
processes. The traditional approach is to set your annual goals to start
January 1. Instead of using January 1, I tried using my birthday as the start
of a year’s goals. I even deliberately chose not to set annual goals. When I do
set goals, I try to make them SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding,
and Timely. See this blog for more details about SMART goals.[i]) From decades of
experience, I have learned several important lessons about how I work with
annual goals.
1. For me, setting goals
works much better than not setting goals.
2. I have never managed
to successfully complete all the annual goals I set (except when I didn’t set
them).
3. Something always
happens during the course of a 365-day year (or in this case, 366-day year) to
cause my initial goals to no longer remain completely relevant.
Question: So, what is a poor boy to do?
Answer: Try something different.
This year, instead of setting annual goals, I will set
quarterly goals. For my author business, I have four broad categories: Writing,
Teaching, Sales and Marketing, and Business. Writing includes my creative
process starting with creating the first draft and continuing through revisions
and editing until the final version is complete. Teaching includes creating and
delivering courses. Sales and Marketing encompasses everything relating to
selling my creations. And Business includes the legal and financial aspects of
my work.
For my personal side, I have two broad categories: Sharpening
the saw and Miscellaneous. Sharpening the saw includes anything related to my
physical or mental well-being. Miscellaneous covers anything else. For first
quarter 2024, I have confined my sharpening-the-saw goals to three items: maintaining
my weight at or under 162 pounds, reaching an exercise target related to running
a half-marathon in May, and an education goal to become comfortable with
dictation using Dragon.
What about my author goals, you ask?
The Business aspects are prosaic: send out required
tax statements to others and complete my 2023 taxes, submit my nominations to
various “best of” competitions.
Teaching goals also reflect known commitments. In the
first quarter of 2024, I will teach one full course and begin teaching a
second. I have two books I plan to reread this quarter to prepare for a third
course that I teach late in 2024.
The Writing category has two major elements: complete
all writing work necessary on Hijacked Legacy (Seamus McCree #8, which
has a publication date of April 22, 2024), and revise a manuscript currently
titled Niki Unleashed (Niki Undercover #2).
Marketing and Sales also includes two broad goals. The
first relates to putting in place everything necessary for the April 22 launch
of Hijacked Legacy. That includes creating blurbs, arranging guest
blogs, a launch party, advanced reviews, and more. Soup to nuts, as my father
was fond of saying. I have not completed work on the second goal. I know the
first step, which is to create a marketing plan for the first quarter. That
goal calls for me to complete that by January 15. Once complete, I’ll know what
other goal(s) will make sense.
And there you have it. What approach are you taking
for 2024 goals?
James
M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree series. Full of mystery and suspense,
these thrillers explore financial crimes, family relationships, and what
happens when they mix. To learn more information about Jim and
his books, check out his website, https://jamesmjackson.com. You
can sign
up for his newsletter (and get to read a free Seamus McCree
short story).
Was going to buy a fancy new planner, but I think I might just try some of your ideas! Your organization is always an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI've tried the fancy planners. They're usually attractive and the bigger ones can make good door stops. Good luck with 2024!
ReplyDeleteI like your SMART concept for practical application throughout the year in chunks- for me because for me goal setting requires flexibility with what life hits me with (that’s why I never go a year out)
ReplyDeletePerfect application of the theory.
ReplyDeleteGoals? What an interesting idea. I'll have to give it some thought.
ReplyDeleteMaking me smile, Kathleen.
DeleteSetting goals sounds good, Jim, and I admire yours. My version is to keep an on-going, never-ending, flexible to do list. Now that I think about it, the items on that list are goals. So yes, I love setting them and reaching them, or moving them on down the line if that's what it takes to stay sane and productive. Happy New Year and Happy New Goals!
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Jim! I discovered the Focus Planner a few years ago. It’s a quarterly system and after some stops and starts I find it works well for me, together with a weekly planner. Like you, I’ve never completed all my annual goals. Quarterly ones are a better fit to my wheelhouse.
ReplyDeleteSuper that the Focus Planner works well for you.
DeleteYou never cease to amaze me, Jim. I like the idea of quarterly goals. If I try to plan too far in the future, I just set myself up for failure...
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm - is that a good amaze or a bad amaze? And we know setting ourselves up for failure only breeds more failure.
DeleteI like the quarterly goal setting idea. Like my story outlines, there's only so far ahead I can plan. But I do have longer-term goals as well. I have a book deadline in December to look forward to. We all know how it goes--it seems like so far away right now, but it'll be here before I know it. FWIW, I also have a different book deadline coming up in March. That one is terrifyingly close!
ReplyDeleteYes, we need to reflect future commitments in our planning process. For me, that means splitting the project into discrete segments. Those become part of my quarterly goals.
Deletei like your post . you can become mlops engineer
ReplyDelete