About Setting Goals (And Meeting Them)

So I've been thinking a lot about goals and what keeps us from reaching them.  I've never been big on setting New Year's Resolutions because (to be honest) I rarely keep them past the end of February.  Okay, okay, past the end of January.  Besides, most NYR are pretty unspecific:  I want to lose weight.  I want to write the breakout novel.  I want to stop spending so much money at Starbucks.  (Okay, that last was a bit of a stretch, but you get the idea.)


Goals, on the other hand, are much more concrete:  I want to lose 20 pounds by losing one pound a week.  I will finish my novel by writing 1000 words a day.  I'll only go to Starbucks once twice four times a week.


I've also been examining what keeps us from following through on our goals.  For me, at least, it's usually one of two things:  laziness or fear.  I don't meet my weight loss goals because I get lazy, stop working out, quit asking for non-fat lattes, and start ordering sweet tea instead of water.


The writing goal is a little more complex.  You see, I want to finish the sequel to Finding My Escape.  I want to make my blog extra pretty, and write an article for it at least two or three times a week.  What stops me here is fear.  What if my writing isn't good enough?  What if no one wants to read it?  What if (gasp) someone actually tells me he/she doesn't like what I've written?  What if I don't like what I've written?  I could go on and on.


Well this year I've decided to face my fears (and stop being lazy).  I set some concrete goals, and I plan to meet each and every one.  And I'm going to write about the journey here.  Eclectically of course.

Saying Good-Bye to a Good Year

Well, here we are again, another year behind us.  I don't want this to be another one of those typical 'year-end' blogs, but, let's face it...the end of anything causes us to contemplate what was.  It's a death of sorts.  Whether it's one we celebrate or mourn is entirely up to us.

Most notably for me this year, was publishing my book, Finding My Escape.  In fact, just finishing the book seemed like quite a milestone.  I wrote a book!  I'm amazed to just see the words in print.  On the down side, I can't seem to get going on the sequel.  Oh, well...something to push for in 2012.

I didn't keep off the weight I lost for my class reunion, or keep up my daily journaling and Bible study, or stick to my cleaning regimen.  Actually, I'm not overly upset about the third one. 

I missed my dad terribly (he died in June 2010).  He never got to read my book, and he was actually my biggest cheerleader.  I also said good-bye to one of the dearest old friends of my youth, and shared in the grief of several friends who lost loved ones.

On the plus side, I reconnected and kept in touch with a slew of old friends and even managed to make some new ones.  I undertook a challenge by an actor friend of mine to write a monologue and dreamed of writing bigger things.

So yes, I guess I'm feeling reflective, which isn't exactly an imaginitive way to spend the last hours of an old year.

A New Direction

I started this blog about a year ago to chronicle my journey of writing.  Well, let's be honest, what I really wanted was to use the blog to promote my writing.  I was very careful about what I wrote, trying not to step on any toes, but the fact of the matter is, that's no way to live, and it's certainly no way to write.

I do love to write, and I call myself an author, but ultimately, who I want to be...who I strive to be... is a follower of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I haven't mentioned that in any of my blogs heretofore, and that's why I feel like I sold out.  Sold Him out.  How can I be honest about myself if I don't acknowledge what is the very core of my existence.

I want to share Truth with my readers.  I want to share Who Jesus is to me.  I recently ran across the book, Radical, by David Platt.  This book has challenged me to examine what it means to be a Christ follower.  I'm sure many of you have run across people who claim to come in Christ's name who have been rude, inconsiderate, or just plain obtuse.  I confess, I've probably been one of them, and I'm ashamed to admit that too many times, I've put myself first instead of Him.  I've called on Christ's name, but spat (metaphorically) on those He died for.  That's abominable.

This Jesus, who came to this earth to bring God down to us, deserves better.  Those He died for deserve better.  It's not about "turning over a new leaf".  It's about turning away from who I am to who He is. 

Please join me.