People are always making goals. Setting goals should be more of a habit rather than something you do at the start of every new year.
As my time as an Odyssey writer comes to an end, I have been reconsidering other areas of my life and ways to improve them.
I am tired of being unhappy with so many things in my life. The time has come for me to reclaim my happiness and control over my life. I have set simple goals that will make my life better in small ways.
These are the goals I hope to accomplish in the next few months:
1. Take More Risks
I never throw caution to the wind. Taking risks often has a dangerous element to it. I know I can gain more by risking the loss of something because nothing valuable can ever be lost. My life will only change when I make choices that lead it in a specific direction.
2. Get a Literary Agent
I know I will be a professional author. Writing is only one part of publishing a book. I need to get in contact with publishers to set up meetings to pitch my book. The only way in is through a literary agent with connections. I will be doing all the research to propel myself into my career.
3. Write My First Novel
I have been dabbling with ideas, plots, characters, etc. I have done enough workshops to know what my strengths and weaknesses are in my writing. I appreciate all the praise, but I must acknowledge the importance of the criticism a few brave people have given me. Most people are too tame with their feedback. A small number speak without thinking about the recipient. I have gotten a little bit of everything. I plan to write and complete my first novel sometime in the next year because my characters need to live on the page.
4. Start A Blog
The world has gone digital. I am a young person who can gain more recognition for my brand through an online presence. I have started a physical portfolio but a digital portfolio will be a product of both my work and the current times. I will be transferring my work over to digital to show potential employers.
5. Social Media Presence
Social media brings attention to your work. I want to share my work with as many people as possible. On my own, I do not know people who will want to read my work. I intend to design a strategy to get my work noticed on social media. I have all the time and patience to make it work.
6. Exercise More
I cannot be fulfilled if I am not healthy. I am not entirely happy with how I look right now, but the exercising has more to do with getting my wellness in order. If I am healthy, I will be able to create more beauty with my writing. I want to write for the rest of my life. I want to be alive to see as many of my stories published as humanly possible.
7. Create A Routine
I need stability. I need to wake up at the same time every day. I need to have a set time where I can set aside some time to write and develop my novel. I need to keep myself busy throughout the day. I need to be true to myself and be unrestricted.
8. Meet New People
I already know I need to make friends with my peers. I just realized that I have little to no connections since I started college. That must change. I am going to interact and build professional relationships with my peers.
9. Gain Professional Experience
I plan to build my resume with as much field experience as possible related to professional writing. I don't know what specialty in writing I plan to pursue once I graduate from grad school. My degree will be in creative writing, but all my writing would be on the side. I will do internships to explore the possibilities. I refuse to settle for anything less than what I deserve when it comes to my career.
10. Be Myself
I have openly admitted to being afraid of being myself. I have not been accepted for being me since I was young. I pretended to be someone I wasn't for a long time. I need to be me in real life, the same way I am me when I write. I write characters that are admirable and strong because they are themselves. I should take notes from them on the benefits of being myself.
