The Profitable Artist SMART Goal setting

S: Specific - The goal should identify a specific action or event that will take place.

M: Measurable - The goal and its benefits should be quantifiable (whatever that means...$)

A: Achievable - The goal should be attainable given available resources

R: Realistic - The goal should require you to stretch some, but all the likelihood of success. Your ultimate goal is to succeed at whatever you set out to do.

T: Timely - The goal should state the time period in which it will be accomplished

Sigh. Uggh. This is the hard stuff here.

Tips:

*Develop several goals. A list of 5 to 7 items gives you several thing to work on over a period of time. Too many portends failure.

*Attach a date to each goal. State what you intend to accomplish and by when. A good list should include some short-term and some long-term objectives.

*Be specific.

*Write down your objectives and put them where you will see them. The more often you read your list, the more results you get.

*Review and revise your list. Experiment with different ways of stating your goals. Goal-setting improves with practice, so play around with it.

OK. Here goes.

Identify your goal: My current goal is to receive at least 2 commissioned Temple paintings from the 60 new contacts I got at the La Caille Bridal Expo I spent $600.00 and several hours obtaining.

Outline all potential obstacles or concerns: Well, so far I have emailed all 60 brides, and looked for them on Facebook. I have one potential client so far. I'm waiting for her to tell me when I can drive out and meet with her and her fiancé to plan the project. I'm thinking I should text all of them also. Many young people do not use email anymore, but texting is almost universal with that age group.

Steps:

1. Clean up my contact list....yikes! It's a royal mess. I had the guy at the Apple store sync iCloud with my iPhone and my iMac and ended up with a ridiculous contact list...I may delete the whole list and start over manually.

2. Put all the brides in my contact list, and then text them all with an invitation to receive a beautiful temple painting as a wedding decoration at their reception, that will increase in value, both monetarily and spiritually as it will also serve as a reminder that their eternal vows are beyond value.

3. Order cards from fineartamerica, and one month before date of their wedding send them a lovely card to remind them of my services and congratulate them again on their wedding plans.

Well, that wasn't so hard after all...I can get that all done tomorrow maybe. So, now it is time to set the next smart goal since I do not plan on creating another blog until next Sunday.

Observation: After Monday's craziness...Monday's are always crazy, Sundays seems to be a goal setting day for me always. First I spend 4 hours at church and get all kinds of advise on what I should do, and I write it all in my church journal. I find myself feeling positive and excited while there, but a bit overwhelmed when I get home and begin planning my week. And then Monday comes...and I think I have to get it all done on Monday. I have to vocally speak to myself and say "You have all week to do all this stuff-one thing at a time! Breath! Breath! Breath deeper! Yoga is the best thing I do for myself each day, especially Mondays! (whoops, rabbit trail)

My next goal: Find a photo of the temple I want to draw, hopefully one I took. It has to be recognizable as a specific temple. It does not have to be the whole temple. It has to be a great composition. I have to be able to put a couple in front, in the foreground after the entire temple is painted. I will paint the temple as a finished painting, photograph it carefully, and then post it on fineartamerica. Then I can sell prints of the temple without the personalization. I will also keep the pattern that I draw so I can paint the same temple again if necessary. (For a new commission of the same temple.)

Steps:

1. Transfer only the best photos (particularly Temples) from my older external hard drives. (This may take the rest of the week)

2. Chose one...make a decision. Then draw it carefully.

3. (Process) Paint the background in watercolor on the 24 x 36 Fredrix watercolor board. Check YouTube for tutorials about pouring on watercolor...the texture of the watercolor board does not respond like watercolor paper. I've already scrubbed off a sky I painted and am ready to start over. When I absolutely love the sky I will apply clear gesso over it, seal the edges also, and than transfer the drawing. Then I will seal the drawing with another coat of clear gesso. Begin oil painting either the SLC Temple or the Oquirrh Mountain temple regardless of obtaining a commission. My panel is 24x36 and just waiting for a beautiful temple painting!

I am so excited! I can hardly wait till Tuesday!!! But wait...if I get some commissions I'll have to do some traveling and meeting with clients...wouldn't be such a bad diversion.

It's such a fun challenge-being my own boss!

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