This Post is by Daniel J. Keys, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews.  You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.

Now more than ever I’ve come to understand the importance of setting goals; Not so as to give in to the idea of being anal and manipulative about everything, but rather as a means of having a clear understanding of where I’m headed in my career as an artist. 

Eliminating some wrong information 

 I’ve found that that old Daffy Duck song I frequently heard as a child while watching Saturday morning cartoons “You don’t know where you’re goin’ til you get there” is false: If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you’ve arrived at your destination? And if you don’t have a destination in mind, what’s the point of taking another step?  

The simple truth is that with a better understanding of where I want to go in my career as an artist allows me to know what opportunities to lookout for; and edit - or cut out – whatever may be holding me back and keeping me from accomplish my goals. 

When I know what it is that I’m after, I can say no to prospects that I’m sure won’t fit into my plans, and thus keep from hindering myself from being able to say yes when the right opportunities come along. 

What setting goals can accomplish 

Recently I’ve had a huge goal of mine come to fruition: I’ve always wanted to be in a “National Level” art gallery, and have my work be regarded - and invested in - by the top collectors in the world. After working diligently to put together a professional looking portfolio, and presenting it to one of the most prestigious galleries in this country, they have eagerly consented to represent me and my work! 

It’s a dream come true, however I can now look back and see how proper planning has played a crucial role in this ambitious attempt to move forward. 

Some useful tips for successful goal setting

Write down ten goals and begin to classify them in the following approach: 

Of these ten goals, which one can you bring to an end right now, without hesitation? Let’s call this your immediate goal. Place this at the very top of your list. 

Which of your goals can realistically be accomplished within a year’s time? We’ll call these the semi-short term goals. Position these just under the top goal listed. 

Which will probably require more than a year to be completed? We can identify these goals as long-term. Arrange them toward the bottom most part of your list. 

Start at the top 

Work on that one goal that can be accomplished in the shortest amount of time.

 Perhaps it’s ordering that art instruction book that you’ve been putting off, or heading out to the art store to pick up some new brushes because your old ones are falling apart. Do something that can be done without hesitation, and cross that off your list. 

The power progress 

Now look at your list again. There are only nine goals left! Go to the next one that will require the least amount of time, and work towards completing that. 

Continue to work down the list, and feel free to add more as you go. The truth is that you’ll never run out of things to labor towards, but writing them down and seeing them checked off one-by-one will encourage you to stay focused and get organized. 

 
We must plan ahead 

Will everything always go as planned? Probably not; but to plan is to also make room for surprises. Except for a few definite things on your list of objectives, it will always be evolving. That’s a good thing! Change means that you’re growing! 

So many things can be accomplished when we take the time to intently focus on achieving them; and doing exercises such as this can help us see our plans flesh out – becoming realities in our lives. 

Remember that, when you know where you’re goin’, you’ll know exactly when you get there!