Setting Goals for Your Writing Career

by Brenda McGraw @BrendaMMcGraw

Setting Goals for Your Writing Career

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. Can you believe it is the end of another year?

How did you do with your goals and plans this year?

The end of the year is the time to evaluate the current year 2015, before heading into 2016, so we can begin with a fresh start.

Sometimes this can be difficult. We can make excuses of what we didn’t get accomplished or we can resolve to execute the plans we will accomplish the upcoming new year.

Many times the hardest part of a writing career is the beginning. At least it was for me. I had no direction or vision, because to be honest, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing back then.

Where there is no vision [no revelation of God and His word], the people are unrestrained;

But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law [of God].

Proverbs 29:18 (AMP)

Stay close to the Lord. He wants to give you the desires of your heart. He has great plans and paths for you to follow. 

God may lay before you an idea and then wait to
see if you're willing to move forward.

God may lay before you an idea, a thought, a dream or vision, and then He waits to see if you are willing to take the steps necessary to move forward into the unknown.

If you take a step forward, He will open the door for your next move.

God doesn’t want you to fail; He wants you to succeed.

Turn your good intentions into obedient actions.

Let your good intentions put a smile on someone’s face, or make a difference in the life of a friend.

To set some goals or steps for 2016:

1. Pray. Pray asking God first what He wants you to do in 2016.

2. Prepare. Find a place in a journal, in your notes on your phone, in Evernote (http://www.evernote.com)—somewhere besides a little piece of paper that will get lost, where you can write everything you feel God is telling you about 2016.

Write down everything on a piece of paper.

3. Plan. Write down everything on a piece of paper.

4. Plot. Beside everything you wrote, try to elaborate. For instance, if you think God wants you to write a book next year, then write down when you want to have it completed. When we write specific goals, it helps us put steps into action. If you think God wants you to share your faith or start a ministry, be specific—where can you go to share your faith, or what type of ministry will you have?

5. Propose. Beside each goal, propose what your steps will be to accomplish your goals and plans. What does your plan look like?

6. Prize. Obtain the prize that the Lord has for you. You will be rewarded for your hard work and preparation.

The people who put feet to their thoughts are the ones who will walk in the victory of their calling.

I want to encourage you on your journey in 2016. While taking the first step can make all the difference in achieving your goals, there are a few more factors that I shared last year and want to share again that will help you move forward:

• Focus on the Lord to help you accomplish your goals.
• Be optimistic. Remember, a goal takes work. If it were easy, you would have
• already accomplished it.
• Don’t listen to the naysayers. People everywhere want to throw cold water on
• your dreams. They don’t necessarily mean to, but they don’t recognize your desire
• or calling.
• Surround yourself with others who are like-minded and have similar goals.
• Serve others. While you are reaching for your dreams and goals, so are others. Help
• them reach their dreams and calling, and guess what—it will come back to you in
• some way.
• Don’t quit. You can do all things though Christ who strengthens you and, may I
• add, calls you. 

Pray, prepare, plan, plot, propose and win the prize!

Can you leave a comment with one goal you have for 2016? I will pray for you. 

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Pray, prepare, plan, plot, propose and move forward with your #writing goals - @BrendaMMcGraw (Click to Tweet)

Brenda McGraw is an author and speaker who reveals how to discover joy beyond the clutter of life. She draws from her own life experiences in the #1 Amazon Best seller, “Joy Beyond, 28 Days to Finding Joy Beyond the Clutter of Life”. She is the founder of Ask God Today Ministries where she has a team of writers sharing truth and hope with others. 

Brenda currently lives in South Carolina with her husband, Jeff and three of their five children. She is a survivor of breast cancer and a heart attack.. Despite the challenges she has endured, Brenda found peace through her relationship with Jesus Christ. 

You can connect with Brenda at:

Website - http://www.askgodtoday.com

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Brenda-McGraw/e/B00GOIE7AG

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BrendaMMcGraw