Tag: setting goals

Goals

Day after tomorrow, I’m going to speak to the first of three Rotary Clubs that have invited me to present a talk involving my journey with Hurricane Baby: Stories. If you aren’t familiar with Rotary Clubs, they tend to be members of the business community that have come together to do service projects for their town, county, etc. These particular clubs meet once a week. I’m doing one on May 5, another on May 21, and another on June 11.

I’ve decided to give my talk on the process I used to set and achieve my goals for Hurricane Baby. I’m going to open with a question: I’m not asking for a show of hands–but have any of you ever had a dream/vision/goal for your life that was ridiculous? Something where you wanted to do it but talked yourself out of it–because it was ridiculous, frivolous, or impossible?

Then I’m going to go through my goal-setting process.

SET A VISION! Decide what you want to do. You can have several visions over the course of your life. As you achieve one, find another.

STUDY UP! Learn everything you can about what it will take to achieve your vision.

SET MINI-GOALS! Break down the process into parts–and while doing those parts, only focus on those parts.

SET A PLAN! What are you going to do to meet those goals?

PLAN TO SUCCEED! Know what to do as you go.

PLAN TO FAIL! What will you do if you don’t succeed?

EXECUTE! Carry out the plan you’ve set to accomplish the first mini-goal, then the next, then the next.

FOCUS! on your plan and your goal every day. Always be working!

HAVE GRACE! Handle frustrations. If the plan isn’t working, change the plan to one that does work.

WHEN YOU SUCCEED, CELEBRATE! Celebrate each mini-goal as you complete it and then celebrate when the total dream comes true!

Then I’m going to read the first few pages of Hurricane Baby, then do Q&A if there’s any time left. I’ll have my books there to buy and sign if anybody wants one.

Pray for me doing this. I am not quite a bundle of nerves about it, but I can use all the encouragement I can get. Thanks!

Networking is Your Superpower! Event

So I went to this event on Thursday and spoke to a good number of ladies about setting goals and meeting them. I was very shaky and thought maybe it was nerves–but when it continued after I got home, along with chills and sweats and aches, I went to the doctor. Diagnosis: Flu.

But it was a good event. Less turnout than they typically have, but I just threw myself into the talk and Q&A with all I had–talking about the system I set up for accomplishing my goal of writing and getting a book published. I also provided examples from my freelance career and getting my MFA.

But it boosted my own resolve to say all those words out loud and be a living testimony that yes, you can do what you set your mind to, just like my mama always told me. I talked about setting realistic goals, setting mini-goals that bring you closer to your big goal, etc. I think it was a good talk, and the ladies who came thanked me for sharing with them.

And then they gave away two copies of my book that I signed for them. That was fun. They asked me to pick two numbers–the girl who organized the event had written names down and numbered them as each person came in–and the names that corresponded with the numbers won the books.

I was going to go back to the Mississippi Philological Association this coming weekend, this time in Ole Miss, but I’m not going to risk getting anyone else sick with this flu. So that’s sad. But more opportunities are on the way anyway, so I think it’s going to be okay.

Happy writing to all!