How do you keep writing when you’ve failed to reach a writing goal?
It’s no secret that failing to achieve a goal you set for your writing project can be very discouraging. You may start thinking that you’re just not cut out to be an author or that you’re a failure.
Christian, don’t give in to the lies of the enemy!
You have been anointed and appointed for such a time as this and you have been called to do a great work.
God doesn’t make mistakes. If He’s called you to write, then trust that He will bless the work of your hands and make it prosper.
However, it’s often easier said than done to not feel discouraged when you don’t reach your goals.
In fact, one of my amazing students in the Anointed Writers course struggled with this exact issue! She missed a writing due date that she had set for herself and began to spiral out into discouragement and self-judgment.
And, today, that’s exactly the issue that I want to address. If you find yourself feeling down about missing a goal you set for your writing project, keep reading to learn about some important mindset shifts you can make right now!
Stop Trying to Change What Can’t Be Changed
Sometimes, we try to convince ourselves that the goal we set was really supposed to be a different goal.
For instance, my student set a due date of September 25, 2022 for her project. However, that date came and went, and it wasn’t finished. So, she then tried to convince herself that the date was really supposed to be September 25, 2023.
In an effort to avoid discouragement, my student attempted to change what had already passed. Instead, accepting that the goal had simply not been met allowed her to dig down to the root cause of why that date didn’t work for her.
When a goal is missed, don’t waste time trying to change what can’t be changed. Instead, get curious about why your goal didn’t happen.
Build an Intentional Thought Model
To understand what an intentional thought model is, we must first understand what an unintentional thought model is.
An unintentional thought model is one in which we don’t think about our thoughts. Instead, we allow our thoughts to control our feelings and behaviors.
So, when we miss a goal we’ve set for ourselves, we immediately turn to the negative and tell ourselves that it’s a big problem.
But, what if it’s not a big problem?
When we use an intentional thought model, we control our thoughts rather than letting our thoughts control us. We think intentionally about a situation rather than thinking reactively about it.
So, we can tell ourselves that missing our goal is actually not a big problem! We have the power to decide that it’s not such a big problem after all and we can decide to move forward instead of staying stuck.
Focus on the Blessings
Finally, when we focus on all of the good that came out of the situation, we can be grateful instead of shameful.
Take a moment to consider what good things came out of the goal you set. Write out a list if it helps.
Did you get some of the work done, even if it wasn’t all of it? Were you able to choose a title for your project or get the outline finished? Did you grow closer to the Lord during the process or allow Him to shape your thoughts and intentions?
Whatever the good things were, journal them out and spend some time meditating on them and thanking God for them.
One thing you can definitely be grateful for is that you were brave enough to even set a goal. That’s no easy task and is something to be proud of!
Did you find these tips helpful? Comment below and let me know your thoughts!
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