The holidays are over and you’re four days into a brand new year. You want to make the best of it. But when you think of how to do that, it’s a bit overwhelming.

So since you’re starting all over again, how do you set yourself up for success in 2014? Here are a few things that can help:

Accept Where You Are. Why? You’ll waste time if you don’t. Didn’t write over the holidays? Fine. Move on. Don’t let hours tick away from today lamenting over what you didn’t do yesterday. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Abandon Your 2013 Goals. Yes, you read that correctly. If you have 2013 goals you haven’t met, you’re four days too late. Set new ones. You can move those unfinished tasks to the new year and get busy checking them off. Not only will you cut yourself some slack for missing your goals, but you’ll get the jump on your goals for 2014.

Don’t Look Back. You can’t go back and change anything so focus ahead and move forward. No one ever made it anywhere in life by looking back. It’s a new year. Look ahead and get it in gear!

Write your goals before your book. Period. If you don’t record it, you won’t get it done. But, if you write it down, you can make it happen. So, write your goals down. Make several copies and place them where you can see them regularly.

Develop and attitude for success. Determine that you will meet your goals this year. Set time aside to work on your progress. Even if you only have fifteen minutes while waiting at the doctor’s office, use it wisely. Outline your next scene. Review your last one. With just a little bit of forethought, you can maximize your lunch break, while you wait for the bus or even sitting in traffic.

God only made twenty four hours in a day. No one—not even those wildly successful authors—have more than that. If you approach the new year with the right attitude, do some really good planning and work your plan, your name can be among them.

Welcome to 2014. This is YOUR year. Make it count.