The new year starts in six days. Have you thought about what you’d like to accomplish in 2018?

Last January, Jeff Goins posted an article about writers resolutions. His ideas can help you make realistic goals.

The best thing I did last year when I set my goals was actually schedule specific days to work on specific projects. I’d highly recommend you do that. (I’ll tell you how that worked out for me when I post my creative goal update on New Year’s Day.)

There are so many things I still want to do—regain my German-speaking skills, maybe take art and/or guitar lessons—but I know I have to figure out how to make time for those things, or they won’t happen.

I also need to identify positive steps I can take next year for my writing. I believe I have a brand—the arts and the creative process—but I’ve been told my focus is too wide and I ought to narrow it down. My gut says I should continue to explore everything that interests me, even if that means I’m an expert at nothing. I’m not getting any younger—I can’t put off all my pleasures for some far-away future.

What about you? What new things do you want to try? What kind of progress do you want to make on the work you’re already doing? Do you need any help setting some new goals?

How to Set Your Creative Goals for 2018:

1. Make a list of all the things you’ve been promising yourself that you’ll try someday—whether it’s exploring the antique stores in your county, making scrapbooks for your children, learning how to yodel, or writing a cookbook.
2. How much time can you free up to do some of the things on your list? Use this determination to choose a reasonable number of activities (say, five, or three, or one—at least one).
3. Right now, plan exactly when you are going to do these activities. Pencil them in on your 2018 calendar—i.e. yodeling on your spouse’s bowling nights, antiquing on the second Saturday morning of every month, etc.
4. Now, make a list of all the creative endeavors you’re already doing, like sewing felt hand puppets, recording stamp-collecting podcasts, and crocheting infinity scarves. What can you do next year to take your art to the next level? Come up with at least one action step for each endeavor.
5. Schedule all the items from step 4 just as you did in step 3.
6. Come up with a motivation to actually do the work. Do you have an artistic buddy who could be your accountability partner? Do you have an agent who is waiting for a rewrite? Do you have a blog you can post your goals on?
7. Visit ARHtistic License on January 1st. I’ll be sharing my progress on my 2017 goals, and my new goals for 2018. You can share your goals, too.

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