Creating Action – Part One

 

image courtesy of Tara Gentile

A few days ago, I mentioned that I had signed up for Tara Gentile‘s Creating Action course, as part of my ongoing effort to get myself and my business wrestled into some sort of manageable order. It’s a 3 week course involving 8 “assignments”, and today we begin the journey:

Assignment 1: What’s your Goal

“Having a destination makes all the difference,” says Tara. “Determining what you want to achieve is the first and foremost action in creating accomplishment.”

 

My first thought on reading this assignment was that I had no idea what my goal was. Honestly. I’m so scattered and all over the place – was my goal to continue to improve in metal clay, or to branch out into glass, or to get a BFA, or to become an instructor? Augh!

Good thing Tara had already read my mind:

“Of course, you might say to me that you’re unsure of what you want to achieve. I say you’re wrong. I talk to a lot of people about what they want out of life – out of their businesses – out of their creativity. By in large, people know what they want and they’re afraid to say it. Their “destination” is too grand, too unachievable, too uncomfortable.”

Hmm. Maybe she’s right. OK – lets give this a whirl:

I want to make a living wage working with my art, whether that be through selling my finished work, teaching workshops, as an artist-in-residence, or some combination of the three. I want the amount I make as an artist to be enough to support me were I to be living on my own. I want to bring that level of self-confidence into my life, my business and my marriage.

As a secondary set of goals, I have the following list:

1. Establish a regular working schedule
2. See my work for sale in multiple galleries/shops/boutiques
3. Set up a teaching studio
4. Define and refine my vision and voice as an artist

Phew. That feels good! Somehow, defining the larger goal helps me see the smaller day-to-day decisions as just stepping stones, and that makes them much less intimidating. There really is a sense of empowerment that comes from simply stating your goals!

As Tara says,

“Dreams are left unsaid. Left unrealized. Goals are verbalized, realized, understood. Goals have road maps, turns, directions, and even rest stops. Putting your goal into words makes it real.”

So, what are your goals? Leave a comment and let us know what you’re aiming to accomplish in your home or business. We can cheer each other on!