appalachian grasshopper

there seems to be a culturally significant season – a predetermined time of year – to set goals. but why?

this year, I started a new tradition where I print out a blank bingo card and I fill it in with my goals for the next year. if you want to do that with me, you can grab a blank copy here:

i don’t see why they need to be explicitly stated at any specific time of year. well, as someone who actively takes interest in patterns (and breaking them), I set my goals in October instead of waiting on the new year and all the pressure and hype.

using a bingo card for goal setting

in 2025, I kept hearing the phrase, “that wasn’t on my bingo card” and it stuck subconsciously I suppose. well, I heard it enough times that i decided to actually print off a blank bingo card and write out my goals.

in the “bonus” or “free” space we want to leave room for an unexpected but cool win. in the rest of the card, we left room for personal, business, school, relationship, or even health goals. I tried to randomize mine, but I’m sure you could break down the different categories to align with the word “bingo” if you really wanted to. I wanted something simple and easy to share.

so, if you think this is something you’d like to do for yourself, you can download the same bingo card I used here:

my goals for 2026

October is as much about letting go of the old as it is about looking forward to what comes next. this year, I’m wrapping up my bachelor’s degree in business administration through the university of phoenix. for the next foreseeable future I’ll be torn between a traditional “role” at a company and carving out my own “role” independently.

for starters, let’s review my top 5 big goals, or you may also consider them “stretch” goals as I believe they will certainly feel uncomfortable at times. here’s what I’ve got:

• publish 100 blogs on Appalachian grasshopper
• finish writing my novel (currently at 50K words!)
• grow my LinkedIn community – on WhatsApp
• reach 100+ community members and / or blog subscribers
• pay off all student loans (right under $10K)

so my focus is primarily stability and future career orientation. i think it’s safe to say we’re all craving stability. feel free to correct me if that doesn’t reflect your world right now.

100 blogs

as for the 100 blogs, I tend to talk (aka “yap”) about my ideas, opinions, experiences, theories, and passions. since you’re here, you might be interested in what topics I might cover. I respect your curiosity, so here is a general list of themes I may write about on this blog:

• faith
• business
• marketing
• appalachia
• book reviews
• feature collabs
• resource roundups
• my writing (fiction) journey
• recipes and cooking
• homesteading
• homemaking
• creative endeavors
• my journey pursuing the influencer industry

so if any of those topics tickle your fancy, please smash the subscribe button and let’s be friends!

fiction writing

as for finishing my fiction novel, I just finished storyboarding my ideas at the recommendation of a friend. If I’m not mistaken, i fully believe this novel is roughly halfway finished.

I’ve had a passion for writing and stories since a young age – tearing through novels in first grade and writing my first stories in middle school. I started this specific writing project in December 2024, so we’re coming up on the project anniversary as I write this – which is wild to me. but I have enjoyed the process of writing a novel, and I would do it again just to know that I could.

in the process of writing my first novel, I’ve written about and researched pirates, ships, sea shanties, magic systems, and fantasy creatures. this novel is the combination of imagination and creativity, mixed with everything unexpected

overall, my experience writing has taught me many things about myself and my creative flow. more specifically, to respect the ebb.

friends chat on whatsapp

concerning the community and linkedin – recently i opened a group chat on whatsapp. i just wanted to connect with other people who are just going through it. we’re all human and we all crave connection and companionship.

this has been a nice little side quest and through it i’ve met some amazing and wonderful people. i really hope they know how grateful i am to have them in my little corner of the internet.

fans and stans

I’ve never grown an email list or engaged following bigger than 100 people, and I want to commit to that. i can do that.ironically I reached 2K on Linkedin today, so that’s cool. to get a subscriber base of 100 shouldn’t be overly difficult. it’s a measly 5% of followers to subscribers and counting.

I’m interested to see how this progresses. it’s a general goal, and I don’t really do “email” so this blog is exactly what my subscribers would receive in their inbox ❤

financial freedom

last but not least, I have committed to paying off my student loans asap. there’s not that much there, and I could do it in a few months if i could secure some brand deals, business partnerships, or a significant role at a stable company.

next we need to focus on saving a downpayment for a new car. ours is getting up in miles and I want my kids to be able to travel in safety.

conclusion

goals and motivation are the very things that keep us going. it’s important to know why we go to work every day. these are my reasons. these are my why. when motivation and inspiration dips, I have goals to reflect on, something to choose from and a goal to work on

if you use the bingo card method and you want to share your goals, tag me on Linkedin! i would love for us to start a movement.

do you set goals at an unconventional time of year? if so, what’s your process like? comment below!

until next time!

xx

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