I’m beginning to think about goals for 2009. As Yuwanda from Inkwell Editorial writes in her latest
Newsletter, becomming a successful freelance writer depends on what goals you select and how well you stick to them. Not necessarily the number of things you want to write, or clients you want to attract – but the concepts that those goals represent. That’s what you want to stick to – your goal concepts.

So what are some examples of goal concepts? I have defined my Freelance Writing Mission in two ways: what I want to accomplsih and what I want to earn. As a Part-Timer, my goals aren’t exciting (at least not this year) but they’re my own. In 2009 I hope to earn $10,000 from my Freelance writing, and I want to attempt passive income creation. That’s it. Nothing fancy. But all of the decisions I make in 2009 will have to go to one of these two goals.

At the beginning of 2009 I may set up a quantitative goal to gain 10 clients with reoccuring work, but perhaps I land that lucky one who want’s to sign me up for an eBook a month. Do I stick to my 10 clients? Or do I recongnize that one good client helps me fulfill my goal and concentrate all of my efforts on them? Obviously it’s the later choice.

It’s always good to have that original plan though, because a plan is what defines your actions. And honestly, you need to start somewhere. So, before the holiday bustle comes around, lets each sit down and develop our goal concepts for 2009 and an action plan to achieve them. If we start now, we may have them ready to implement at the beginning of the new year. Consider it an early gift to yourself!