5 Goals For The Next 5 Years

On August 26th, 2015 I wrote down a list of 5 goals for the next 5 years. This morning I couldn’t sleep so I flipped through my journal. Sometimes I write notes about the person I wish to be. There’s quick lists of possible careers and a whole host of other things. While I was quickly flipping I came across my list of what I deemed important to accomplish in the next five years. I was surprised to find out that I’ve completed most of them.

1. Finish a book fully… In November I wrote a 50,000 word novel. It’s not perfect. It actually needs so much work it’s not even funny. But it’s a novel that I wrote front to back, beginning to end. I think that’s what I really wanted to accomplish when I wrote the list. I wanted to start, to build the foundation, and then to make it better.

2. Graduate… If you have seen my first blog post you’ll know that this did indeed happen. I actually got on the dean’s list the last semester too. Soon I’ll pick up the little paper that proves the worth of four years. I can now put on my resume that I graduated with an English degree. Pretty exciting stuff right there.

3. Have published work… I knew I wanted to publish and I ideally wanted to publish a novel but I left it vague so that any published work would still be something worthy of celebration. Well, last week I published an article. It wasn’t big. It wasn’t long. I didn’t spend hours wondering over the wording. I didn’t spend days trying to come up with the idea. It was just a sample that someone liked enough to publish. I was so happy when I found out. It’s amazing that something so, so small can still feel so huge to me.

4. Travel outside the country at least once or to 5 different states… Again, I left myself with options. Now, I’ve been to over 5 different states and I’ve traveled outside the U.S. but I wanted to continue doing so. My goal was to travel anywhere and everywhere after I graduated. It didn’t matter if it was near or far, just that I did it. I didn’t know this in August but by the end of this summer I’m going France. So this goal is within my eyesight and I’m so excited for it. I’m not only excited to be going with two amazing people or to see three amazing cities in France but I’m also excited for what it will do to my writing. My new goal, born the moment I decided to go to France, is to write about the experience. Hopefully, I’ll be able to sell stories of the glorious streets, the local cafes, and all the art but if I don’t then this blog will be filled with the memories.

5. This number I would like to keep to myself. It has yet to be accomplished and it will surely take a year or more to do so but it is something in which I am in no rush.

It was surprising to stumble on this list and realize that I’m almost done in just one year. Of course I knew that I would be graduating but the other things were just hopes. I just dreamed to make them happen soon and somehow I did.

I like lists. I like goals. I like knowing what I want and going after it.

So here’s a cheers for going after it!