Tag: goals

WHAT ABOUT THAT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

What about that New Year’s resolution? Did you make yours? If you did, how long is your list? My New Year’s resolutions started in middle school and continued for more years than I’d like to count. They included what most people placed on their list, although they varied based on the time of my life:

  • avoiding sweets,
  • exercising,
  • losing weight (especially after having babies),
  • meeting new people (I was very shy — notice the past tense), and
  • providing additional community service hours…. .

Although my resolutions were made with good intentions and were always meritorious, there was an undeniable common thread — I inevitably broke them. The question was how long did I maintain before I failed?

new year’s resolutions: overcoming failure

With failure came disappointment, frustration, and a sense of loss. My motivation went out the window, after all, I already failed. I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a number of years ago, however, I never threw the baby out with the bath water. My thinking, focus, and approach changed.

new year’s goals

goals, New Years, Search Beyond Lies

I no longer make New Year’s resolutions, I make New Year’s goals. According to the dictionary, a goal is “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.” I create goals and strive to achieve them.

It’s okay to get off track, I can always get myself back on without a sense of failure. It’s a healthier, positive outlook that keeps me on track.

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My article, On the Road to Healthy Living: Foolproof Your Plan! provides the road map to successfully meet your New Year’s goals. Encouraged by the success of Search Beyond Lies, the first book in the Search & Recovery International (SRI) series, my professional goals for 2023 include:

  • releasing the audio version of Search Beyond Lies;
  • continuing to grow my law practice;
  • continuing the Fact or Fiction Series for Search Beyond Lies as well as other Fact or Fiction articles for guest authors;
  • releasing the second in the SRI series, After the Verdict;
  • working toward getting the third in the SRI series, Pattern of Deception, ready for my editors; and
  • doing the research for the 4th in the SRI series which takes place in Hawaii.

My other goals include remaining physically fit, increasing my physical performance, staying within the low range of my ideal body weight in anticipation of the planning and celebration that goes into the next goal — my son’s wedding!

There is no doubt that 2023 will be a big year! Accordingly, I plan to post at least twice monthly, more with guest authors.

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, and productive 2023! God bless!

Any tips? Please share.

(C) 2023 Karen VDH Fischer

Ready to Turn the Page on 2020

Without a doubt, we are all ready to turn the page on 2020. To say that there isn’t a soul who wouldn’t agree (except perhaps big Pharma and Zoom), would be an understatement. Although this year will be remembered for generations to come as the most difficult, trying time of our lives, there were and still are glimmers of hope and precious positive moments that soothed our souls.

support, never give up
Family

far from family

For those of us who live far from our family, we most likely missed visiting them. Such was the case with me. I usually make a few trips a year visiting my family in Florida, but that was inadvisable during these times. I had hoped to see my “children,” but, that was also inadvisable. My daughter is a first level trauma doctor as a neurosurgery resident, and she is extra careful not to “share” what she may have been exposed to. My son works for Johns Hopkins APL in Maryland, and visiting was not recommended.

Technically savvy.

However, we are all becoming technically savvy, even those born before the invention of the computer (my mother is amazing with technology), and although we may not be able to visit the traditional way, most of us are visiting virtually through FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, or other video conferencing tools. The fact is, I have probably “seen” and spoken to my family more than I do in a typical year where I have visited.

I miss my hugs though.

working remotely

The work environment has drastically changed. More are working remotely from home. As an attorney and writer, most of my working days were done remotely prior to 2020, so in that respect, I was not greatly impacted, however, others had to get familiar with the technology and self-discipline it takes to become efficient and effective working from home. Because of COVID-19, I had to get creative with estate planning signing ceremonies where a notary and two witnesses were necessary. Yes, I made house calls, like old-time doctors in years past — my father made house calls. After going over all the estate planning documents via phone, I visited some of my clients at their homes, and provided direction for signing and witnessing through windows and glass doors. All good exercises for thinking outside the box

leaps of faith

Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

Some of us made leaps of faith. I had been working for another law firm and decided it was time to hang my own shingle. For me, it was now or never. Quite a few of my clients came with me — they trusted me and was confident in my representation of them. I confess, it brightened my day and confirmed that my decision was the right one.


Novel – search beyond lies

This change in direction did affect the timing and goals for my novel, Search Beyond Lies. In Publish Don’t Perish Tip #11 — Be Accountable, I set my goal to have my novel ready for my professional content editor (Candee Fick) by December 1, and to my copy editor (Elizabeth Fenton) by Christmas. Alas, I failed to meet those goals. In order to handle setting up my law firm as well as meeting my clients’ needs, I put my novel on hold until a week ago and am back to writing between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. each morning.

Now, only one thing remains, getting my law firm’s website up and running. The Law Firm of Karen VDH Fischer LLC’s website will be launched on or before January 1, 2021 and may be found at www.KVFischerLaw.com. Let me know what you think after it’s up and running. My new target for Candee is the end of January.

Do you have positive moments to share from 2020?

© 2020 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

APODS – Priorities: The Four Ps (Part Three – Plan and Part) by Amanda Cabot

This month we’re going to conclude our discussion of William Bridges’s Four Ps (Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part) by outlining the way to develop a successful Plan. The final step will be to identify the Parts everyone will play.

In prior months, you developed a Picture of what it is you want to accomplish. Now it’s time to create the Plan. I might have called it the schedule, but that would destroy the symmetry of the Four Ps, so Plan it is. This is where you determine everything that you need to do to reach “The End” and organize it into a logical sequence. That may sound daunting, but it becomes doable if you break everything into small tasks.

Step 1: List everything that needs to be done

Depending on where you already are in the process, creating the task list may be as simple as listing the chapters you need to write. But, if you’re at the very beginning of a story, you may also need to develop your characters’ background stories and research the location or other key elements of the story. And if you’re like me and write multiple drafts, your list of steps will include those multiple drafts as well as a final review.

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Thyme to Write – Make a List
Step 2: Arrange those tasks in logical sequence

After all, you can’t write the second draft until the first one is finished.

Step 3: Estimate how long each of those tasks will require

In this step, we’re talking the amount of effort involved, not the elapsed time. Does it take you sixty hours to write a chapter and thirty hours to complete the second draft? Of course, it varies, but do your best to estimate how much effort is involved in each of the tasks.

Step 4: Divide each task that exceeds 40 hours into sub-tasks of no more than 40 hours

Please note that the forty-hour limit assumes that you devote forty hours each week to writing. If your writing time is longer or shorter, adjust your sub-task effort limit accordingly. Having tasks that require no more than a week to complete is important because it allows you to measure your progress and take corrective actions, if needed, before too much time has elapsed.

schedule, priorities, realistic
Establish a realistic schedule
Step 5: Establish a realistic schedule for completing those tasks

What do I mean by realistic? One that has a high probability of success. That means factoring in life. Even if your normal work week is forty hours, there will be times when you can’t actually work a full forty hours. Recognize that up front and give yourself slack time, ideally on a weekly basis. Remember that your goal is to succeed, not to discourage yourself by falling behind because you developed a schedule that’s impossible to meet.

Once the plan is complete, it’s time to assign Parts. While writing is primarily a solitary occupation, and the majority of the responsibility for getting to “The End” falls on you, others play roles as well. It’s important to recognize those other contributors at the very beginning of the project and to get their buy-in to the schedule so that they’ll be ready to play their parts when needed.

And there you have it: William Bridges’s Four Ps as applied to writers. I hope you’ll come back next month for a discussion of opportunity cost.

(C) 2019 Amanda Cabot

Amanda Cabot

Amanda Cabot is no stranger to getting to “The End.” She juggled a sixty-hour a week job with nonnegotiable deadlines and building a house long-distance at the same time that she wrote two books a year. Whether or not she kept her sanity during that time is debatable. Amanda is the best-selling author of over thirty novels, eight novellas, four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city.

Her most recent release is A Tender Hope, the third in the Cimarron Creek trilogy.

Amanda Cabot, Cimarron Creek Trilogy
A Tender Hope, by Amanda Cabot

You can find Amanda at:

www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/
http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

On the Road to Healthy Living: Foolproof Your Plan!

Health and nutrition are foremost in our minds. With the changes in healthcare, most people avoid seeing the doctor – the high deductibles make the cost prohibitive for the average American. It is proven that obesity is a risk factor in a number of life threatening illnesses. Undernutrition is also a serious problem. You may be at your ideal body weight, but perhaps you don’t eat right. We’ve all heard the adage, “You are what you eat.” We only have one life, let’s take care of it with a healthy living plan!

Take Control

Pike Place Market (6)

You’ve made the decision to take control of your life. Congratulations! If you have a family, you not only have a responsibility to yourself, but you have a responsibility to your family as well. Studies show that success doesn’t just happen overnight. You need to set your goals and follow a realistic plan.

Set Your Goals

Be realistic in setting your goals. Make sure it’s one you can achieve within a reasonable time period. Realistic, achievable, reasonable goals are more likely to succeed. Get ready to ask yourself the following questions and make a list.

  1. What outcome would you like to achieve? If you are trying to eat healthier, list your reasons why.
  2. What steps are necessary to achieve your goals? Remember, it’s easier to change a few behaviors at a time rather than get overwhelmed with a long “to do/to change” list. Many helpful tips are forthcoming, so stay tuned!
  3. Be committed. It’s critical to success. I suggest making it official with a contract.    Sign a Contract
  • List objectives & behavioral goals.
  • Measure your progress with milestones.
  • Reward yourself for meeting contract terms.
  • Sign it in front of witnesses who care (family or friends).
  • Initially, you may want to reward positive behaviors, but after you start to progress, focus your reward on positive results.

TIP #3: FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER. Find a friend or family member who also want to make healthy changes. Share your goals and plans and check in with each other on a regular basis. Hold each other accountable!

TIP #4: CUT OUT DISTRACTIONS. Eating while preoccupied impairs your brain’s ability to watch your food intake, according to a 2009 review of studies. Turn off the TV, close the laptop, and stop playing games with your smartphone. Your stomach will thank you.

(For Tips #1 & #2 see Start Over/Take Charge!)

IMG_4930What do you see as the biggest challenge?

Now that you’ve made the decision to start and take control, next we’ll take a look at an important weight management strategy. It just may be the most effective tip you can use to reach your goals.

(c) 2016 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer