The Importance of Writing Goals

This morning, on my Winner List, I wrote:  Launch Website with first post.

It’s with trepidation and excitement that I go “live” on with my new Website.  The road to crossing this goal off my list started in January.

My birthday is in January and for me it’s always a time to reflect on where I am, where I want to be, and where I’m going.  This year, I wasn’t in a good place, wasn’t going nowhere, and I could glimpse depression pressing its nose on my office window, apparently taking measure of the place it could occupy.

Why So Blue?

I didn’t feel accomplished in many areas of my life.  My editing wasn’t getting done fast enough, I had no energy, the new RWA chapter I’d been working on launching was taking forever, and big blah, my weight was going up again.

I was discouraged.  Especially about my weight.  And my manuscript.  And, ok, everything else.

I had to make choices; no way could I jump start everything at once.  I considered what was most important to me, what I should invest the little energy I had left for the biggest return on my investment.

I chose my weight.

Cliché:  Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

Am I shallow?  Is looking good the primary reason for losing weight?

In part, for sure.  But I see it as side effect.  My main goal regarding weight loss was to feel more energized, to get rid of that afternoon brain fog, to make it easier on my joints.

For the last three years, I’ve been determined to lose the weight, with a healthy diet and exercise.  In January, I was demoralized.  Despite my best efforts, strength training, tennis, diet, I was back to my original weight.  And I felt worse than before.

The Catalyst

I was to a point where I saw food as my enemy.  And my thyroid hormones were all out of whack.  Again.  A dear friend recommended a book to me, Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Tests Are Normal, by Datis Kharrazian (www.thyroidbook.com).  I devoured the book and immediately went online to find a chiropractor who, like Dr. Kharrazian, would treat me following the principles of the book.

It was an eye opener.  I’ve had hypothyroidism for the last 25 years, and not one medical doctor or endocrinologist have ever done what my new young chiropractor has done for me.  In the next few weeks, I will describe my new health goals and how they feature in my writing life.

What About Writing Goals?

Every Monday, I exchange goals with my tight-knit-unit of career coaches.  First we go over what we did last week, what wasn’t done, and what we plan to accomplish in the coming week.  How many times did I finish a goal Sunday night so I could tell my buddies it was done?  Too many to count.  But guess what?  It works.  I put in extra efforts because I knew someone would point it out and say, what’s up with that?

Writing goals is great.  Being held accountable is greater.

So this blog isn’t truly a blog.  It’s a Goal Log.  And to start with a pang, here are my goals for this week:

1.  Publish new Website and Goal Log

2.  Prepare manuscript for the Immersion Master Class with Margie Lawson

3.  Discuss food plan with doctor for the trip

Are goals your thing?  Do you want to share them?  Please do so in the comment section!