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The Dissolution of Resolutions
by Kimberly Ripley

I stopped making them years ago. I figured, why set myself up for almost certain failure? When I was determined enough to do, see, learn, or accomplish whatever it was I set out to make a resolution about, I would pat myself on the back for a job well done.

I know many people who make the same New Year’s resolution every year. They are either going to lose weight, save money, work more, work less, or run the Boston Marathon. Sadly, most of them do not reach their goals. It is often the stress of the resolution that prohibits their success.

Spreading out my goals over a longer period of time has worked for me. When I started writing I gave myself one year in which to have an article published. I reached the goal in 30 days. This is not typical. I was simply in the right place at the right time and armed with the perfect topic for the publication.

I also learned to start small. My first article wasn’t in anything comparable to Time, Ladies Home Journal, or the New York Post. It was, in fact, a small weekly newspaper in the south. But it was a published article, which as any freelance writer knows, provides that invaluable published clip. It was a catalyst for the fattening of my portfolio. That published clip was like a ticket in to a sold-out show.

That show played to a packed theater. The audience was encouraging and applauded my efforts tirelessly. They do to this very day.

Soon the show moved from Off-Broadway to the real McCoy. I began earning decent money for my stories and articles. I still spent more time seeking freelance assignments than I actually spent writing them, but at least I was headed in the right direction.

When editors and publishers began contacting me for assignments, I knew my baby steps had paid off. Someone somewhere had recognized the value of my work.

Fast-forward a couple of years. I now have enough work to generate an excellent income. I typically spend a few hours each week seeking new assignments, but more for my own enjoyment than for a need for work. Some of my “seeking” time is now spent marketing.

Marketing also started small and has progressed with my writing career. A few years ago I wouldn’t have spent $15 at the copy shop for a box of business cards. Now I have hundreds. I have a web site. This is a necessary marketing tool for any writer. I occasionally buy advertising. The resulting book sales have warranted the expense.

By now you might be asking, “So if she’s so anti-resolution, why has she broken these achievements into tiny little steps—much the same as setting goals, or making resolutions?”

It’s really very simple. It’s part of a plan to set oneself up to win rather than to lose. Yes, the concept is in fact similar. However it is implemented with less structure, fewer limitations, and far more creative freedom.

Trust me. I’ve tried the old way. I’ve lost a few pounds, but over the years they return. I’ve worked more and I’ve worked less. I probably couldn’t jog as far as the neighbor’s driveway! But I’m satisfied with the small steps I’ve taken and the small goals I’ve achieved.

I wish the same for you this year.

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