#2018GOALS: Show Up. Photo by Megy Karydes.

What do you want to get done before the end of 2017 and in 2018?

We’re in the final quarter of 2017 and I’ve already plotted out my work plan for the rest of the year, based on current assignments and client deliverables. Around this time I also start reflecting on what I set out to do this year as well as what I want 2018 to look like.

Show Up

One thing I really wanted to do more of this year was show up, meaning get out there and connect with people in real life. If I couldn’t meet them in real life, I could at least try to make a connection via social media.

Result? No great, but not bad.

My goal is to continue to show up in 2018. You never know who you’ll meet, after all.

Shout It Out & 100 Rejections

Another good reminder from a friend of mine: when you want something, ask for it. Kids have this down to a science. When they want something, they make sure everyone knows.

You know what? It works.

What do you want to happen in 2018? Let your friends, family, colleagues know! You never know who knows someone who can help you.

Here are my goals for 2018:

· secure an agent and publisher for my memoir

· secure a ghostwriting contract

· seek out more speaking opportunities

· secure 100 rejections ~ because if I don’t put myself out there, I can’t get rejected; but if my goal is to get to 100 rejections, that means I’m sending stuff out there, which means some might come to fruition!

Humble Brag

Speaking of goals, one of those goals was to score a piece in Politico. Several of my friends knew this and knew of my work around health care issues so they recommended me as the writer. The story finally published two weeks ago. It’s about America’s health care heroes: family caregivers. Thank you, Kate Silver and David Himmel, for making that connection. You can read their pieces here and here. It’s worth a read.