Goals of Summers Past

At the beginning of summer I always have a list of goals I want to accomplish before the school year starts again the fall. Boring and predictable, the list usually looks something like this…

• Clean my car
• Plant flowers
• Spray weeds
• Make a doctor appointment
• Read
• Meet with friends
• Draw
• Organize my closets and drawers
• Take naps
• Clean the garage and have a yard sale
• Organize my photos

It’s safe to say that this is not a list of goals that require a detailed plan. I really don’t even need to write them down.  Every summer I start with basically the same vision–try to relax as much as possible but get as much done as I possibly can–counter productive at best. The only reason I even write a list is so at the end of the summer I can look back at what I’ve crossed off and feel like I’ve haven’t wasted the days away.

Summer of 2016

This summer I want to be more productive and I have several very specific things I want to achieve.  As I mentioned in a earlier blog post, 7 Ways to Make Shit Happen, it is important to STATE you goals and WRITE them down. This is the starting point. You also need a list and a plan.

Why should you write down your goals?

Writing down your goals motivates you to take action. It helps you overcome resistance and it enables you to see your progress. Written goals also keep you focused.

Your dreams are only your dreams until you write them down…then they are goals!

I have done exactly that…written down my goals. All of the following are connected to my overarching goal of starting a successful art business. Some of them are directly related and some are more for personal growth. My hope is that I can tackle the entire list but if I don’t, I know that I can change my plan. Like I said in Ways to Make Shit Happen …sometimes shit doesn’t go as planned and you have to re-write and MOVE ON.

MY Starting Point

In no particular order, here is my list of goals for summer 2016…

• Complete and enter 2 (possibly 3) pieces of art to the Gateway to the Rockies Art Show by August 1st. One portrait and possibly a watercolor.
• Purchase a Artograph Prism Art Projector
• Draw a still life–probably a stack of my favorite books
• Join Odessa Denver–an online community that helps artists create and connect
• Complete and enter 1 piece of art to the Colored Pencil Society of America‘s online art competition . I’d like to complete a portrait but am in need of ideas/subjects (IF YOU CAN HELP, TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW)
• Put together price info/policies for commission work for my website
• Finish Wendy Layne‘s Portrait Workshop
• Contact Coffee Place Cafe, a local coffee shop in Aurora, to request my art be featured in one of their monthly displays.
• Find a good method or system for selling prints of my completed art online
• Attend First Friday Art Walk in the Art District on Santa Fe

I still plan to do all the regular summer stuff…relax, read, hang out with friends, take naps, go to the pool, golf, clean the garage, yard work, organize and clean. My hope is to find a balance that allows me to get shit done, get closer to my dream, and enjoy myself while doing it. Stay tuned in the fall when I update you on my progress!

A Goal Not Written Down is Only  Wish

What goals do you have? Remember…Write. Them. Down…Now

And feel free to share a few in the comments box!