December is here! I don’t know about you, but this has been an insane year for me. I had several writing goals last December that I planned to tackle in 2023. Alas, none of them happened thanks to personal circumstances that made most of my creative pursuits impossible this year. But hey, we still have a month left to make goals happen. And that means that it’s not too late to achieve a last-minute goal.
What Exactly Is a Last-Minute Goal?
In a nutshell, the last-minute goal is a last hurrah. A spontaneous benchmark to give yourself one last burst of accomplishment before the year ends. January is known for being the month of big resolutions, and December is usually the month of too many plans and too much holiday busy-ness. But this month can also be a nice time to reflect on your year—and maybe put a hasty bow on everything you’ve done this year.
Personally, I feel a bit put out by how little I did creatively in the past 365 days. Yes, I single-handedly grew a human being and have blossomed in my role as a new mom. I did some fun travel and certainly grew as a person. But I also wanted to write a new book this year and step up my marketing game for Snow White Writes. Sadly, neither of those goals happened.
So to close out 2023 on a high note, I’ve decided to make a couple of mini goals to achieve in the 30 days I have left. Because why not?
3 Ways to Achieve a Last-Minute Goal
So rule #1 is that a last-minute goal can’t be something crazy. If you celebrate Christmas, there’s already so much going on in December. But I’m still a believer in shooting for the moon even if you only have 10 minutes each morning to spare.
If you’d like to join me in conquering a last-minute goal yourself, here are three general categories to choose from:
1. Do a Quick Sprint Goal
These are the goals that involve one gargantuan burst of energy to accomplish something before the end of the year. Going out in a flame of glory, if you will. Out of the three types of goals, this one is the most labor intensive and should be scheduled nice and early in the month. Just in case you have to push it off once or twice. Of course this goal doesn’t have to be writing related, but here are some ideas I’m toying around with myself:
- Setting aside a full Saturday to write the first chapter of my new project.
- Writing 8,000 words in one day. Don’t scoff. I’ve done it before.
- Completely finishing my baby nursery, a goal I’m DYING to get done.
- Deep-organizing my closet and donating the clothes I no longer wear.
- Getting fully caught up in my journal since I’ve fallen woefully behind.
2. Make a Last-Minute Goal that Feels Indulgent
This accomplishment should be purely fun. Something you’ve wanted to do all year and just need an excuse to do it. Maybe it’s a recipe you’ve been wanting to make, a movie you want to see, a restaurant you’re dying to try, or a book you’ve meant to read. Perhaps it’s a recreational activity or a shopping adventure or lunch with a good friend.
Bottom line? Just admit to yourself what you’ve been wanting to do and DO IT! For me, I’d probably take a trip to the mall to hunt down the perfect winter coat. I’ve been meaning to do this for months now, pretty much since I had my baby, but adult obligations and the price tag have held me back. I really should just go.
3. Plan to Prepare for Next Year
If you’re plain exhausted this month but still yearn for that feeling of accomplishment, try a last-minute goal of planning goals for next year. And no, I don’t consider this a cop-out goal. Make yourself a hot drink and cuddle up with a blanket, your notebook, or your laptop for an hour of planning. Write down the things you really want to accomplish and the steps to make it happen.
I often do this once a month to think ahead for this blog, and I definitely want to plan out what my 2024 will look like. In an ideal world of course.
Personally . . . I Might Tackle All Three Types of Last-Minute Goals
I know, I know I’m too much of an overachiever. But hey, the whole point of a last-minute goal is to make yourself feel better after procrastinating all year long. Why not give myself three good goal options? Even if I only accomplish one, it’ll still end 2023 on a high note. Happy December, everyone! ❧
