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goal setting with Powersheets and goal setting ideas from Ashlyn Carter of Ashlyn Writes

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Date:
February 2, 2018

Author:
Ashlyn Carter

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Productivity

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Hey! Ashlyn here, OG copywriter for creatives—reporting for duty. 

Let's get you a message so tight you can bounce a quarter off of it. Around here, we serve up science-based storytelling strategies the creative set.  Even while raking in more than 1.26M in agency work since I've been at it, I firmly believe working from a place of rest (not hustle) IS possible—and I want the same for you. Words matter. Best be sure they work (and oui, with math) ... and know how to party while they're at it. 

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Reading time: 5 min.

I’ll be honest: January wasn’t what I expected. We went from a year of a big move, December of Wes being groomsman x2  (spring? x4. He’s popular.), slowing a business WAY down, and a December where I’m quite positive I worked nearly every day just to calm things down and do my part to move us into a new home.

January was the calm after the storm.

There was some good—a LOT of good …

But January 2018 reminded me that good goals don’t change just because the calendar does. 🙂 Well, actually Wes had to remind me of that one tearful night when I was asking him why everything hadn’t changed yet.

Settling into a year of much less client work isn’t going to happen overnight.

No goals happen overnight.

The Lord sweetly reminded me of margin and grace, and I watched as he protected not one, but two … three … four Sundays that I had completely off. Like, didn’t crack an inbox/wasn’t sure where my phone was kind of off.

Yes, please! ????

So, today, I’ll be telling you an update on my January goals, but more importantly (and excitingly!), I’ll be sharing the my January recap video—disclaimer: it’s the LONGEST YouTube I’ve ever posted, but we’re trying some things out. What you guys think goes, so I tried to be really frank about tools and books I’ve been learning from!

Let’s go!

goal setting with Powersheets and goal setting ideas from Ashlyn Carter of Ashlyn Writes

As a quick backgrounder, each month I post my goals—save a few details and things I keep private—for two reasons: to give ideas and encourage other women, since back in 2015, I needed someone to show ME how to set normal-people goals while I was in recovery for mental illness issues, and to hold me accountable to the person I claim to be online.


Past posts in the series:


Powersheets Progress: January Recap

And here’s the update … I announced last month, but this year, my Powersheets goals updates are moving to—the YouTube channel! Whoop! I’ll still post them here, but you can subscribe to the full playlist over here. >

In this *long video that if you guys think is too long we’ll trim,* you’ll hear me talk about these 10 goals, and 5 “unexpected cool” tools and products I found in January.

Monthly Goals

  1. Hold prayer time 6 days a week :: Check! LOVED using my Val Marie Paper prayer journal for the first time, which has helped me stay focused, remember prayer requests (for like, the first time in my life), and track how God has answered prayers. I talk about how I use it in the video.
  2. Make a 2017 photo book :: Check! Artifact Uprising FTW.
  3. Workout 3x a week :: Check!
  4. Implement Emily Ley’s meal planning chapter from A Simplified Life & create a list of 12 meals Wes and I agree are yummy so I QUIT STRESSING
  5. Find a half marathon to run this year :: Yeah, no. Want to run one more before I decide I’m done doing this crazy half thing, and taking suggestions.
  6. Read 3 books :: Check! The Lifegiving Home, Creating Great Choices, and Fast Forward.
  7. Set up a Blueprint Model and update our budgeting money plan system :: Check! Okay, this was mostly Wes.
  8. Finish decorating the master bedroom in our new house :: Check! Pretty much. 🙂 It’s restful, at least!
  9. Make a perpetual calendar & get stockpile of cards so I quit forgetting everyone’s birthdays :: Check! Click here for the free download I got from Emily Ley’s website.
  10. Go to my first mastermind event :: Check!

Jenna Kutcher Mastermind Waco Texas Magnolia

Weekly Goals:

  1. Go on a date with Wes :: Check! We had LOTS of dates this month, unexpectedly.
  2. Hold Marketing Mondays :: Check!
  3. Prepare for and love 30 Blueprint Model students in my affiliate program :: Check! We actually got 36 sweet women, and I’ve had MORE fun talking about how copywriting correlates with their sales goals and the lives they want to build.
  4. Update 2 workflows a week :: Eh … I wrote 4. Half goal. 😉 I blame the unexpected snow days.

Daily Goals:

  1. Hold to my workday winddown routine
  2. <3 Wes well
  3. Recite scripture memory
  4. Get 7 hours of sleep

 Powersheets Progress: February Goals

Sweet, short little February.

I feel like these winter months take a lot of hate, but I happen to like February. I think growing up as a teacher’s daughter has its perks, because I just see construction paper hearts and Valentine’s in my memory, and remember when my first Valentine, Daddy, gave me fancy soap when I was five. I still remember how the glycerin smelled.

Oh, but here’s my *actual* Valentine.

Monthly Goals

  1. Prayerfully walk into Lent and my Esther study :: As many of y’all know, I LOVE Jen Wilikin Bible studies (and dey FREE!!), but I’ve done them all. Trying Precepts this month!
  2. Read 3 books :: I use Michael Hyatt’s LeaderBox subscription service, and pick one book on my own. Mere Christianity is up to bat this month.
  3. Settle our guest bedroom :: That new paint smell is gone, but I want our guest bedroom to be so welcoming. The Lifegiving Home impacted me greatly.
  4. Go to the ballet and to the High Museum :: One of my Christmas presents from Wes was museum membership—I mean can we give it up for the boy or can we give it up for the boy
  5. Enjoy a copywriting conference I’m headed to in NYC (and get through my panelist presentation without melting in front of some of my idols)
  6. Build out and deliver curriculum at the Castle Getaway :: SO honored to be a speaker at this sweet event for bloggers, focused on finding joy amid the comparison games of online businesses.
  7. Have people over to our new house this month or next
  8. Prepare well for our April Copywriting for Creatives students :: MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR!!!
  9. Write 2 blogs, deliver 1 new video training, send 1 newsletter, and host 1 live each week

 

Weekly Goals

  • Hold my Blueprint Model money date on Fridays
  • Workout 3/4/5x a week :: I hate counting since eating disorder recovery, but I should *probably* go to the gym a bit—I also I love my gym community!
  • Enjoy time with the girls
  • Take off one full day a week—no emails, no social media, no work
  • Take 1.5 hours each Friday to learn something new
  • Practice calligraphy JUST FOR FUN

 

Daily Goals

  • Eat greens
  • Pray for Wes
  • Get texts & Slack messages down to 0 (I told my assistant Sarah recently I don’t believe in “inbox zero,” and I don’t, ha!)
  • Leave work by 6 p.m.
  • Get 7 hours of sleep

 


Again, I always appreciate the chance to share my Powersheets goals with you—it really, REALLY helps me to blog my goals … and I’m SO excited to get to bring you this new video series each month.

Be sure to watch it, and hit subscribe to catch all the videos in the series!

Reading Time: 5 Minutes Reading time: 5 min. I’ll be honest: January wasn’t what I expected. We went from a year of a big move, December of Wes being groomsman x2  (spring? x4. He’s popular.), slowing a business WAY down, and a December where I’m quite positive I worked nearly every day just to calm things down and do […]

2/02/18

comments +

  1. These posts are always so inspiring! I don’t think the video was too long at all (but I’m a long-winded talker and listener ;-)). I love the concept of a weekday wind-down routine and would love to hear how you do it! It’s hard to work from home and jump straight from my desk into the kitchen (or whatever is next on the agenda!). Keep it up, lady!

    • Hey Chelsea, thanks so much for your encouragement! My Weekday Wind-Down looks like this:
      + One last email sweep
      + Fangirl time – get on instagram and facebook to comment, engage and encourage my online friends.
      + End of Day Optimizer: 1. What went well? 2. What did I do today? (Updating my Simplified Planner.) 3. What didn’t go well? 4. How I can fix that? 5. Score 1-10 on Energy, Focus, Movement, Nourishing my body, Social interaction.
      + Pick three things that I’ll do the next day
      xo. Ash

  2. alexisgirvan says:

    Grateful for your honesty, transparency and straight up RAW of sharing your life with us, Ash. You are encouraging me daily up here in the freezing North East!! Thank you a million…

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