We’ve all been there at the start of the new year with wild dreams and plans for the future that we either forget about or fizzle out on quickly. Now that it’s September, we thought it would be a good time to check up on our creative goals for the year, because it’s never too late.
We asked our team how they set achievable goals and this is what we found out:
1. Shift your mindset around your goals and make it a habit.
If we’re looking to create a sustainable change in our lives, it has to become more than just a task on our to-do list that we dread. It has to become a part of our lifestyle. Start small and implement this into your morning or night routine. Want to sketch more? Set aside 5 minutes a day to sketch. Maybe it’s while you enjoy your cup of coffee, or as you begin your nightly wind-down away from technology. For me, I started my habit by sketching with lunch everyday, but I switched to sketching before bed so I don’t feel rushed. Create a habit that makes sense for you as you evolve your lifestyle.
2. Write your goals down and put them where you can see them!
Remember those commercials on TV from when you were a kid? The ones that you can probably still quote today? They were so memorable not just because they had amazing jingle writers on staff that used the psychology of sound to influence us, but because they had quantity on their side – they aired frequently. We think that same thought applies here. Stick a reminder of your goal where you can see it every day and it’ll stare you down like that obnoxious commercial. Maybe it hangs on your wall next to your desk or it’s just a note on the bathroom mirror or refrigerator. You’ll be reminded to work towards it every time you see it. Which will be a lot. Also, in a less annoying way – it’s totally a form of manifesting.
3. Aim for progress not perfection.
The only way to make your goal a reality is to do it – and remember we’re starting to form a new habit here, not just reach a goal. Maybe you’re not satisfied with the quality of your work at first – that’s okay. It can be a good thing – it means you have taste, expensive taste even, and your skills aren’t there yet so keep going. Let your hands catch up with your eyes! Worry about making a mark on the canvas, not making the perfect mark. Each time you work a little on it you’re closer to achieving your goal than if you had never started. And you can always edit later.
4. It’s okay to change your goals if it’s truly not aligned with what you want anymore.
Don’t give up because it’s hard, give up because you absolutely cannot spend one more minute doing this horrible thing that brings you no joy. You set the goal for yourself so you make the rules! If that juice isn’t worth the squeeze anymore – change! Setting and achieving goals is a powerful thing, but only work on the habits that align with what you want. It’s always okay to change your mind. Life is ever-evolving so your goals should be too.
5. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.
It’s hard, like really hard, to not compare yourself to others or even have that little jealousy monster sneaking up on you when you see someone else do something cool. Compete with yourself and focus on what you’re doing. Really, it’s that simple. However, not always so simple to put into effect. Just like our first suggestion, just try to make it a habit when those jealous feelings arise to acknowledge them, let them go, and focus on what you can do to achieve your own goals.
All that to say, there’s no right or wrong way to achieve your creative goals – or perfect timeline. Do what works best for you and we hope our tips helped! Let us know your tips and tricks around creative goal setting in the comments below.
