November Monthly Goal Meetup

I learned one important thing from last month’s goal meetup. Namely, that goals are constantly changing. Which is not to excuse my dismal performance, but I just wanted to warn you…

My October goals:

1. Complete at least the first four chapters/modules in my certification program.

My eventual certification is something I’m way excited about, and so I’ve been putting a lot of myself into it. Instead of four chapters, I actually completed eight chapters in the textbook. Plus, I’ve already had two sessions with my mentor coach, and am going to start live teleclasses next month. Yay!

2. Complete my book proposal and send it out to five agents.

This is something I most definitely did not do, but not out of laziness. Rather, I was researching the competition for the purposes of my book proposal and began to wonder: Is this a book that’s actually needed? Is this the book I want to publish? So, yeah. Indefinitely on hold.

3. Spend a week gathering the final bits of information for my wine tour piece, and then send it in early.

I did actually gather up the final bits of information, but then my editor at the mag told me she’s moving the pub date from December to April, and that my deadline is now January 1. So I put off writing the intro to the piece so that I could concentrate on new projects.

4. Become active with pitching/submitting again, and have out 10 pitches/submissions at any given time.

I suck. I don’t think I’ve sent out a single pitch in the past month.

5. Start doing twice-a-month posts for Lemondrop.

This one’s happening, especially since I seem to have become the official sexy-time test driver for the site. My editor now sends publicists directly to me.

6. Find another regular writing/blogging gig that brings in at least $1,000/month.

I’m conflicted with this one. It’s the one that loomed largest in my mind over the past month, especially because I wanted to resign from my other regular blogging gig. I was afraid to do so, however, before finding a replacement. But then I wondered: Am I on the verge of making the same mistake thrice?

I first learned how dangerous it is to put all your eggs in one basket when, about one year ago, the New York Sun folded. They were my main source of income. Then, I relied primarily upon my lead blogging gig at Nerve…until I realized I didn’t want to be there anymore.

Part of me thinks that supplementing my writing with a part-time job is the perfect setup for me. Another part of me wonders if I should just concentrate on bringing in new projects that are not necessarily ongoing.

And so I resigned from Nerve and immediately took on two new one-time projects, and also interviewed and did an edit test for a part-time job that sounds way cool. I haven’t heard back yet and am having all sorts of paranoid delusions. We’ll see how things pan out.

7. Continue my three-times-a-week posting schedule here at Freelancedom.

I’m going to cross this one off, even though I faltered last week. For the most part, I’ve been doing good with this, except when life has intervened.

My November goals?

1. Keep up the pace with my certification program.
2. Do some market research, draw up a budget, and set some freelance rates that truly reflect my self-worth.
3. Send out some darn pitches, for the love of god!
4. Keep up the pace with Lemondrop.
5. Keep up the pace with Freelancedom.
6. Call up my psychopharmacologist and discuss the possibility of going back on my meds (I’ve been a mess lately).

Once again, wish me luck!

Related: October Monthly Goal Meetup