AUTHOR: Alisha TITLE: Goal Setting - Acknowledgements DATE: 2/27/2006 08:05:00 AM ----- BODY:

Last August I was honored to be one of two invited keynote speakers for a weekend art business event put together by the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program and the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft. I talk about goal achievement quite a bit, so when I was told that the theme for the weekend was about "achieving and setting goals", it didn't phase me. I thought, "no problem!" Of course this was soon to be followed by, "Wait! How DO YOU go about SETTING a goal anyway?" All these years I've been preaching steps towards achieving this or succeeding at that, but what about that special inspired moment before all the work sets in? Goal setting, in my mind, is 1 part enthusiasm and 2 parts fear. It's the terrifying part of visioning the goal that usually stops us in our tracks. So, in the coming days I'll share with you what I wrote before and after my Kentucky Goal Setting talk. Today, we start with several ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ON SETTING GOALS. You've got to be a believer if you want to feel the wave of art business religion wash over you! #1 ) Know that business goals aren’t linear. Businesses rarely operate on a "do this, then this, then you're a raving success" model. Usually you start in one area and find yourself weaving a winding path towards your success marker. #2 ) Recognize that within yourself, you already know what steps to take. Somewhere in you is motivation, enthusiasm, interest, and background knowledge. In fact, somewhere in you is even a spot where you know what you aren't great at and need to pick up knowledge on! #3) Welcome the idea that you don’t have all the tools. As I said, somewhere you already know what you don't know. But in order to achieve your business goals, you have to be brave enough to admit it and deal with it. Eventually this may mean learning, hiring, contracting, or apprenticing just to cover the areas you lack. #4) Accept that ideas aren’t goals until you begin trying to achieve them. Think about that a minute. There is a difference between an IDEA and a GOAL. What is that difference? Well, it's action! #5) Believe that you can and you likely will. There is a lot to say for possitive thinking. And certainly if you can't envision success of one sort or another, there's little likelihood it will drop into your lap. #6) Losing sight of what made the idea interesting or fun handicaps your success. Don't forget what it was that made a light bulb go off for you in the beginning. When you lose this simple starting point, you lose a great deal of energy and joy. The hard work begins to cloud over everything. And, THIS is the spot where most businesses... or most artists... throw in the towel, feeling disillusioned.

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