I do believe in setting goals and making resolutions for the New Year. It gives me a focus for the year and a way to measure my progress.<\/p>

There is a difference between a resolution and a goal that most people tend to miss. A goal is a concrete achievement. It’s very specific. One of the things we teach in our professional development courses is how to set a SMART goal. <\/p>

• Specific<\/li>\n\n
• Measurable<\/li>\n\n
• Achievable<\/li>\n\n
• Relevant<\/li>\n\n
• Timed<\/li><\/ul>

  For example, if I’m setting a weight loss goal, I would say something like “I will weigh less than 215lbs by June 14.” I set a specific target, one that is measurable on a scale, and that involves a reasonable amount of time to achieve, and that has a deadline.<\/p>

  I left out relevant, and that’s because ‘relevant’ relates to a resolution.<\/p>

  Resolutions are not as cut and dried. They’re messy, hard to measure, and tend to be broader. For example, “I resolve to live a healthier lifestyle in 2023.” You see how that is not a SMART goal? But it still has meaning. <\/p>

  My goals must be relevant to my resolutions.<\/p>

  So here are my resolutions along with some goals for 2023. <\/p>

  1. Be kind.
     • Go out of my way to greet people<\/li>\n\n
     • Help others whenever the opportunity presents itself<\/li>\n\n
     • Swallow my pride<\/li>\n\n
     • Forgive offenses<\/li><\/ul><\/li>\n\n
     • Be healthy
       • Weigh <215 by June 14<\/li>\n\n
       • End all heart meds by June 14<\/li>\n\n
       • Exercise 1 hour 3 times per week<\/li><\/ul><\/li>\n\n
       • Be appreciative of the efforts of those around me
         • Praise freely; criticize sparingly<\/li><\/ul><\/li>\n\n
         • Expand my horizons
           • Learn a song every week on the ukulele<\/li>\n\n
           • Record and post one each month<\/li>\n\n
           • Learn a new language<\/li>\n\n
           • Finish my arcade controller<\/li><\/ul><\/li>\n\n
           • Grow as a writer
             • Complete 52 short stories by Dec 31.<\/li>\n\n
             • Complete 4 novels to final edit by Dec 31.<\/li>\n\n
             • Publish collection of the best short stories by Oct 1.<\/li>\n\n
             • Submit to 12 open call anthologies by Dec 31<\/li>\n\n
             • Submit to WOTF every quarter I am eligible<\/li>\n\n
             • Submit to both Baen contests<\/li>\n\n
             • Record and publish 12 audio stories<\/li><\/ul><\/li>\n\n
             • Love<\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

               I do believe in setting goals and making resolutions for the New Year. It gives me a focus for the year and a way to measure my progress. There is a difference between a resolution and a goal that most people tend to miss. A goal is a concrete achievement. It’s very specific. One of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[47,48],"class_list":["post-161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal","tag-personal","tag-resolutions"],"yoast_head":"\n