You know that old saying -- if you don't know where you're going,
any path will get you there. That's what happens if you don't
take the time to figure out what your goals are and WRITE them
down. There's power in writing things down. Trust me, I'm a
writer. I KNOW.
Figuring out your goals is probably one of the most important
and one of the most overlooked steps for creative professionals
starting their business. Ideally you should put together a
business plan. However, I have yet to meet a creative
professional (including myself) who has one. (In fact, if you do
have a business plan, please contact me. I'd love to chat with
you about it.) Second best is getting your goals down on paper.
Here are some things to include.
* Your personal mission statement. What do you want to accomplish
in your life? Not just as a creative professional, artist or
writer, but as a person. Knowing your mission will make
organizing your time much easier.
* Your creative or artistic goals -- both long-term and short-
term. What do you want to accomplish in three months? Six
months? This year? Five years from now?
* Your financial goals -- both long-term and short-term. Don't
forget to write down how much money you want to make.
* Your plans for your business -- both long-term and short-term.
Break it down the same as your creative or artistic goals --
three months, six months, one year and five years. Include a
marketing plan as well. It doesn't have to be elaborate, just
figure out who your target market is, where your target market
is (i.e., local, regional, specific cities or national), and
how you're going to reach your target market.
* Action steps for each goal, including the marketing plan. Break
each goal into manageable steps, number each step and add a
completion date. Make a separate copy of this and put it
where you can incorporate these action steps into your daily
activities.
Don't rush this process. In fact, you should make it a treat for
yourself. Go on a retreat. Try and get away for at least a day
if at all possible (a couple of days would be better yet). Go
somewhere where you won't be interrupted (and that includes the
cell phone). Allow yourself some quiet time to really think. If
it helps, do some meditating or journaling during this time.
Don't worry about it being perfect either. This is a working
document. Ideally you should review it every six months or a
year and see where you are and what's changed.
Now, when I first started my business five years ago, I hadn't
planned anything or written anything down.
This was a mistake.
Sure I had some vague notions in my head of where I wanted my
business and my writing to go, but by not committing anything to
paper, I didn't end up there. My first three years of my business
I was busy and making money, but I wasn't getting anywhere near
the vague notions dancing around in my head. Even more amazing,
I couldn't figure out why.
So two years ago, I started a regular practice of writing down
my goals and plan (much like the above). I do it twice a year,
and you wouldn't believe the difference. Sure, my plans are far
bigger than what I actually accomplish, and I've also found
myself modifying and changing my action steps (the goals remain
pretty constant, but how I attain those goals does change).
Best yet, I'm now seeing results. I'm accomplishing my goals.
Take the time to go through this process. The rewards are worth
it.
Creativity Exercise -- Goal setting and creativity
If every year you find yourself setting goals and never making
ANY strides toward reaching them, perhaps it's time to ask
yourself why. Could it be they aren't YOUR goals but someone
else's goals for you?
I don't care what the goal is -- stopping smoking, losing weight,
starting an online business, writing that novel -- there's a
reason it keeps climbing up, then falling off the goal list. And
until you figure out WHY that goal is stuck in the never-never
land of goal setting, you'll never actually pull it into reality.
Is it because you don't know where to start? Or is the project
so big you're afraid to start? Or you're stuck somewhere in the
middle and don’t know what to do next?
Or is it because you really don't want to do it?
Okay, I'm probably dredging up all sorts of demons now, but
truly, those demons need to be exorcised or they're constantly
going to be standing between you and your goal.
What I suggest is to take some quiet time and do a little soul
searching. Journaling and meditation are both excellent ways of
opening up a dialogue between you and your muse. Your muse is an
excellent resource for you. If you ask, it will tell you which
goals really matter and really don't matter to you.
And, if it turns out that goal is something you don't want to do?
Then stop putting it on your goal list. I mean it. Quit making
yourself feel like a failure by constantly sticking it on that
list.
What if the goal is something like quitting smoking? Something
you know you have to do because it's hurting your health? Try
this instead. Rather than making it your goal to quit smoking,
make it your goal to figure out why you don't want to quit. And
what you can do to help yourself become committed to quitting.
Whatever you do, don't make turn this exercise into a license to
beat yourself up. Be nice to yourself. You're doing this to help,
not hurt, yourself.
|
