I am so over New Year’s resolutions. I know we’re barely a week into 2021, but I already firmly think New Year’s writing goals can go suck themselves. Instead, I’m here to say let your writing goals be small.

I hang out in a lot of entrepreneur social circles, and everyone I see (online, of course, because covid) is so excited to announce their mega, uber, super-duper, audacious business goals for this year.

I am not.

Perhaps I’m a little passive-aggressive bitter about covid stealing my 2020 goals. Maybe I’m still feeling groggy after a tad too much wine at Christmas in an attempt to feel better about not seeing my family.

 
 

Whatever it is, all these Facebook posts about “10 x your revenue!!!” and “make this your biggest year yet!!!” make me want to stab my calendar with a rusty corkscrew.

What about you?

You may be more well-balanced than me and excited about your 2021 goals. I hope you are!

But if you’re feeling more Happy New Nap Time than Happy New Year, I just want you to know it’s okay.

I’m with you.

For the first time in forever, I’m not setting goals to pivot my business or massively increase my revenue.

I’m lucky to be almost fully-booked until September for one-on-one book coaching and editing. Normally, that would leave me scheming to increase enrollments in my Write Your Memoir course and do more speaking gigs.

But instead, I’m going to stop aggressively pushing for more, more, more.

I’m going to use the time that frees up to be creative on personal projects. I’m going to finish my novel. (I’ve written 14 non-fiction books, but this is my first make-believe adventure!) I’m going to find the perfect painting for my living room’s feature wall. I’m going to start running again.

Let your writing goals be small—if you want

As you think about what you want for the upcoming year, don’t be pressured into setting overly-ambitious goals for writing or anything else (unless you want to).

Big goals can be motivating at times, but when 2020 has kicked your butt, and you’re trying to stumble back up again, it’s enough just to point your feet in the right direction.

It’s an accomplishment to shuffle forward.

You don’t need to run the whole race today.

If you can take on big goals for this year, that’s fantastic. But if not, choose the direction you want to go, point your feet that way, and give yourself permission to take it slow.

I love my business. It’s going in the right direction, so this year, I’m going to slow down to a leisurely stroll. I’m still working hard to help people write their books, and I’ll still be showing up here with encouragement and advice. I’m just not aggressively increasing my goals.

You don’t have to, either.

You don’t need to write a billion words a day and publish five books in a series this year. Try two hundred words a day, instead. Try writing for fun, not business (like me).

My goal is for a year that frees me to be creative. That’s all. It’s not specific or audacious or mega super-duper, but it is inspiring.

I wish you an inspired start to your year, too—whatever your 2021 goals may be.

Thanks,

Liz “Small Goals R Us” Green
Book Coach, Green Goose Writing

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