What Does SUCCESS Mean to You? by Steph Beth Nickel

 
Photo Credit: geralt on Pixabay.com

Before we can determine if we are on the path to success, we must determine what success means to us.

For many, being successful means earning a lot of money, writing a bestseller (or two or three . . .), growing a social media following of 100s of thousands, etc.

But maybe you define success far differently—and that's okay.

For years, my goal has been to self-publish. But including such a lofty goal on a list is infinitely easier than breaking it down into its multiple components: completing the manuscript(s), learning each step of the process, enlisting the aid of others, and following through (especially that first time, when every step has a learning curve).

Despite a plethora of reasons (and excuses) for not being further down the path, I am taking steps in that direction. Recently, I fired off my manuscript to beta readers and asked for their input.

As writers, we never truly know how the reader will receive our words or if those words will achieve the goals we have for them. Receiving input from trusted individuals and making recommended revisions (especially if multiple people comment on the same thing) will make our writing stronger.

I have several other goals and means of measuring success but have had the desire to self-publish for more years than I can remember. So, I will press on in that direction . . . with the help of my beta readers—and so many others.

And when distractions come along, which they will, I will determine if it's time to re-evaluate my goals or press on. Although self-publishing is still a goal of mine, it is not, by any means, my highest priority. My husband is retiring next year, and the plan is to sell the house we've been living in for over 20 years and move west with our daughter to be close to Son #2 and his wife. Finding my place in our new community and "finishing well" are my idea of true success . . . whether that includes publishing multiple books or not.

As Christians, isn't it amazing that, from God's perspective, we have already attained the ultimate success. According to Ephesians 2:4-6, ". . . God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . ."

These verses, among so many others, assure us of what has been referred to as "the already but not yet." Because of our faith in the Lord, a success far greater than any we can imagine has already been secured for us.

What an encouragement as we travel the path to what we define as success in the here and now!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version@), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Reflecting on God's Goodness by Steph Beth Nickel

As writers, we may look back over the year and reflect on what we've accomplished or what we've failed to accomplish.

Either way, there are benefits to reflecting on our writing and writing-related goals through the lens of God's goodness.

When we made our plans w-a-y back at the end of 2021, we didn't know what the following 12 months would bring. And for some of us, that's an understatement to say the least.

Every year, I make plans and set goals. (This is one of my favourite things to do.) Throughout the year, I update those goals. 

I, unlike many people, don't mind dreaming big on paper (or the computer screen) and then bumping things to the next week, month, or even, the next year.

For several years, I've dreamed of indie publishing two or more books annually. Could I? Quite possibly, but it hasn't happened yet. And that's okay.

The good news! I've gotten back to writing the YA spec fiction I started two or three years ago during NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. A number of individuals have encouraged me, although they only recently found out about the project. Never underestimate what a kind word to a fellow writer might mean to them.

What will happen with this book, what I hope is the first in a series? Only God knows. But I need to push past "the murky middle," where my enthusiasm for a project typically dies out, and persevere. Those encouraging comments by a couple of individuals went a long way to motivating and energizing me. God used them to spur me on.

As I mentioned, I'm great at dreaming big. However, I also put the "pro" in PROcrastination.

I'll do better tomorrow—or next week. This thought runs through my mind a lot.

Sometimes, I fail to achieve my goals because I put too many things on my To-Do List. Sometimes, it's because I've become an expert at procrastinating.

Still, as I reflect on the goals I achieved—and those I didn't—it's important that I do so prayerfully. As I set my goals for the coming year, I intend to let my imagination soar. But I also intend to ask the Lord for wisdom, so I can know what projects He wants me to focus on in 2023. 

While I began working on my coauthor, Paralympian Deb Willows, on the follow-up to her first memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, an embarrassingly long time ago, we have made strides forward this year. We have begun to meet online every 1-2 weeks, and I did have the opportunity to spend the best parts of a week with her, working on the book and enjoying our friendship. 

God caused our paths to cross, and Deb has been an inspiration and an encouragement to me over the years. She has had an especially rough go of it over the last few years. Because of it, the book, tentatively titled Keep Looking Up, will be much different than we originally intended. On the positive side, it has the potential of impacting readers in a powerful way. 

So, even though I didn't work on this project as diligently as I would have liked to, I see God's hand in it all. Learning to balance my understanding of God's sovereignty and my responsibility to accomplish the tasks before me is an ongoing endeavour.

Although I haven't achieved anywhere near what I had hoped to this year, I have seen God's goodness at work in my life. How about you?

What is one writing goal you've made steps toward accomplishing this year?

What is one unfinished project you would like to complete in 2023?

What is one specific priority you believe God has for your writing life?

Whether 2022 has been incredibly productive or filled with unexpected challenges that have kept us from accomplishing the goals we set for ourselves, let's ask ourselves how we can see God's goodness through it all.

Stalled by Steph Beth Nickel

 

This month's theme is Stalled in the Middle.

As writers, we can all relate in one way or another.

So, what should we do when we've stalled in the middle of a creative project?

First, we should examine our situation (and ourselves) and see what led to our lack of forward momentum.

Did we start the project with an abundance of energy and ideas but soon find ourselves sputtering and coughing and coming to a grinding halt?

Did our life change dramatically, leaving our physical and emotional resources significantly depleted?

Did we simply become bored and move onto something else?

Did we let procrastination win the day so long we're having a hard time getting back to the project?

Do we feel God has led us to set the project aside--at least for the time being?

Let's address these issues one at a time.

Did God call you to set the project aside? Maybe, but be certain this conclusion isn't simply "wishful thinking" or "fatalistic resignation." Here are three things we can do to determine if we should persevere or set aside the project in question: pray, consider why we began the project in the first place, and seek wise counsel.

I often say I put the PRO in procrastination. While there are, of course, times we need to take a break, we may want to ask ourselves a question to see if we're actually procrastinating or recharging. Do I come away from my downtime energized or further drained and unmotivated?

Boredom, it causes all kinds of problems, especially if there isn't external pressure to complete the project at hand. And when that project is a creative one, it's especially hard to push past boredom and persevere. If you need to mix things up a little, why not try writing in a new location or making a list of all the things that excited you about the project when you first got the idea?

All creatives experience dramatic changes in their circumstances from time to time--and this has been especially true over the last couple of years. We may be too physically or emotionally exhausted to even think about sitting down to write--especially a project that seems lifeless and immovable. Again, prayer, an examination of why we began the project, and wise counsel can help. (Note: sometimes, we need professional help, and there is not shame in that.)

And finally, we may simply have run out of steam. There are those who refer to three different types of energy: starting energy, finishing energy, and what may be the most difficult to come by, the energy to persevere when we feel stalled in the middle.

Ask yourself what motivates you to write and what "jumper cables" get your creativity running on all cylinders.

Do you like to...

Take a walk.

Listen to music.

Spend time with fellow creatives. (Even if you can't do so in person, you can connect online or over the phone.)

Listen to skills-related podcasts.

Read a good book.

Fill up your creative well, get back behind the wheel, and see where the road takes you.