I'm a huge fan of Becka Robinson's
Life As An Artistpreneur blog. She is an
international wedding photographer based here in central Florida. I love she and her husbands work, but I'm even more in love with her personal blog. She started a new series called coffee cup chats every Monday she talks about some topic and although I'm pretty sure I've read some of these tips somewhere on her blog once before, she posted this particular topic about goal setting this past monday! I wanted to share...(
all material comes from her blog).
"I started seriously setting goals for myself in 2008. I'd always been a
list-maker and goal setter but in 2008 I started to take it a bit more
seriously. And in 2009 my world was changed. 2009 was the year that
taught me how important having clearly defined goals is because, dear
friends, that's how you make big things happen in your life.
I know it sounds too good to be true, or too easy, and in some ways it
is. In others, it's the hardest thing you can do. There's a lot of
things about goal setting (and reaching) that are scary and extremely
difficult.
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that goals have a huge return on investment.
Those goals, whether you realize it or not, are deeply rooted in your
brain. As you go about your daily work, your decisions, your
brainstorms, those goals are there building interest as you pour
yourself out working towards them. And then you get the email, the call,
the paycheck...and you realize that you just reached one...no wait...
you surpassed it!
So for those of you who are interested in trying it out, here's some
easy steps that I go through when setting out new goals for the year...
1. Make the right space.
Schedule the time for your goal dreaming session. Clean up the room
you'll be in, play music, light candles, do whatever it is that you need
to do to create a sacred space. If you're setting goals with someone
else like a business partner make sure you're both in the right state of
mind. Don't sit down to make your lists of goals after a day of
fighting. Goal dreaming comes from your soul so make sure you're created
a space worthy of such an important moment.
2. Be bold.
I've said it every year: "I should have written down something bigger."
Don't be afraid to set a big goal. Why can't you get your work
published/ be recognized nationally for your work/ quit your shitty day
job/ buy that new piece of equipment/ pull in 6 figures this year/ buy a
house/ etc....
3. Write it down.
Literally write it down and put it somewhere safe.Writing it down makes
you accountable to it later on. It also takes it from your soul and
puts it out into the physical world. Baby steps to turning that dream
into a reality.
4. Make it visual.
My vision board for the last 2 years has had everything from photos of
rooms I like and want to live in to pieces of clothing I want, to
calendars, to fake checks with very specific dollar amounts. (Jim Carey
did this too! In 1990 when he was still a struggling comedian he wrote
himself a check for 10 million dollars for "acting services rendered"
and dated it for 1995. He carried it in his wallet for the next 5 years.
By 1995 the success of the Pet Detective movies had driven his acting
paycheck to $20 million. Doesn't hurt to try. I'm just sayin...)
4. See it done.
Close your eyes and see that goal accomplished. Really visualize the
entire scene. Imagine how you'll respond when you see it/feel it/touch
it/celebrate it. Who will you call first? Where will you go out to
dinner to celebrate? What do you feel? Now how will you act?
5. Behave like you've already accomplished it.
How would your behavior change if you had already accomplished the
things on your list? Start acting like that now. Right now. Would that
publication of your work make you more confident? Be confident right
now. Would that extra income allow you to give more? Give more now.
Would you be more dedicated to your art if you could quit your day job?
Be that dedicated now.
6. Baby steps.
On a different piece of paper, re-write your goals. Then take a moment
with each one to break it down into baby steps. Those baby steps made
the goal seem much less daunting.
7. Keep it sacred. While
there is nothing wrong with publicly sharing your goals, keep them
sacred. They are not resolutions for you to work 110% on for a month and
then forget. Only share your goals with people who you know will be
able to stand behind you and lift you up toward achieving them, no
matter how big they are. (If you post them online, you may want to close
comments or have a friend moderate them for you and delete any negative
nay-sayers.)
8. Give yourself space.
Having a deadline is fantastic. Which is why I like to make new goal
lists every year. But at the same time, allow yourself space to carry a
goal over if it has not yet been completed. Don't be too hard on
yourself if your big dream doesn't happen in a short time frame. As long
as you're moving forward, be gracious with yourself.
9. Have one goal that scares you. At the end of each year, as even the biggest goals are achieved, I always wish
I had set the bar even higher. Why not? There's no harm in trying. This
year I'm going to be adding one crazy big goal. One scary big one.
10. GO! Start right now.
There's no reason to wait. Take your first baby step. Email a peer
asking for advice. Start researching how to get your work published.
Write the first paragraph of your novel. Start sketching out the
floorplan for the home you want to own. Get your business license.
Purchase the domain. Write the cover letter for your new resume. Goals
don't just accomplish themselves. You've got to put yourself out there.
And then.....
Party like it's 1999 when you check one off. I'm talking pop open the
bubbly, victory dance around your living room, celebration dinner
complete with the death by chocolate cake for dessert.
I can't wait to take
2012 by storm with all of you!"
