There’s a trend in self-help circles that’s been gaining momentum for many years. Instead of posting goals and resolutions, bloggers and writers around the world have been picking a focus area to define their year. This one word or phrase is meant to encapsulate what they’d like to get out of their year.
I’ve participated in this exercise for many years. 2015 was for me intended to be The Year of Focus. Indeed, I succeeded in this goal. Every day, when I came to work, I tried to—and often succeeded in—tuning out the noise from the world and just getting the work done.
This year, I’m shifting gears a bit. If you’d asked me what I wanted this year to look like, I couldn’t have told you. I’ll let it come to me, I thought, and left it alone. And just like that, last week, it did come me.
2016 is, for me, The Year of Chasing Dreams.
And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last two weeks.
I wrote and submitted an essay to the Modern Love column of The New York Times, a “bucket list” goal of mine. I’ve written almost 15,000 words on novel #2 and outlined a dozen short stories.
I’m working with focus and intensity. Most of all, though, I’m working with a plan. This plan is what helped me write 40,000 words in November, 70,000 words in December, and until now, about 25,000 words in January, exclusively on personal projects.
Because when you take the guesswork out of it and just come to the page each day knowing exactly what you’re supposed to write and how you’re supposed to write it, you stop obsessing and start doing the work instead.
My dream this year is to write and publish several books. I’m super excited, therefore, to announce that next month I’ll be releasing my first book for the year: Shut Up & Write: A No-Nonsense, No B.S. Guide to Getting Words on the Page.
Watch out for my email next week telling you all about it.
In the meantime, what’s your word or phrase for the year? Write to me and tell me. I want to know!