Holding Yourself Accountable for Your Goals in 2011

The year is 2011. What are your goals for writing this year? This question scares me. I set a goal in 2010 to get published in a printed magazine. I met that goal and have now published several articles in Discover Maine Magazine. This was very exciting for me and now, I can only wonder what 2011 will bring.

Thankfully, I usually take to challenges quite well. Give me a challenge and I take it on like a pit bull. I don't want to let go until I have done what I said I could do. Unfortunately, this does not happen when I keep the challenge private. I have to make others aware of what my goal is, in order for me to stay motivated.

If you are the type of person that never finishes anything they start, make one change to your program. Instead of telling yourself that you are going to lose write, write that novel, or quit smoking, tell everyone else your plans. Just knowing that they are going to hold you accountable will make you more motivated to meet the challenge.

A lot of people believe that by writing their goals down, they will be able to better meet their goals. For some this is true. For others, it will only help if they show someone else their list. This is my own list for 2011 and I am revealing it to all. Please feel free to hold me accountable for my progress!

Goal # 1: Finish writing my novel. I've started many. I even have three chapters finished on one of them. I have a list of ideas, each one having the potential to be something good. This year, I will finish one.

Goal # 2: Continue writing for magazines. Expand to some of the magazines with higher readership.

Goal # 3: Write at least three articles a week for the Yahoo Contributor Network. I have been a member since 2006 and just 64 articles published. At less than 13 articles per year, this is completely unacceptable.

Goal # 4: Improve my writing by taking a writing class online. There are many great classes available on the Internet and Writer's Digest University

Goal #5: A more personal goal, but one that I want to be held accountable for, is to develop a healthier lifestyle. This includes quitting smoking and exercising. The only way I can meet my other goals is to be healthy.

I also want to become more tolerant of others, have more patience, spend more time with my granddaughter, but I will stop listing my goals here. For now, I will sit down and praise myself for the goals I met in 2010 and get ready to meet the challenges of 2011. is one of the best.