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It’s 2013: a new year and a new start! So what do you want to accomplish this year?
As with social media and marketing and even acting (according to Stanislavski) it is always important to have an objective, and this applies to your year too! If we have objectives/goals it gives us something to aim for and drive towards. But hey its not just me that thinks so, there are studies!
Proof
There are varying statistics but all agree that writing down your goals is a good idea:
“Committing goals to paper and reviewing them regularly gives you a 95% higher chance of achieving your desired outcomes. Studies have shown that only three to five percent of people in the world have written goals – the same three to five percent who have achieve success in business and earn considerable wealth.” – Tony Brooks, Building Bridges
Dr. Gail Matthews in America found that people who wrote down their goals, shared this information with a friend, and sent weekly updates to that friend were on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their stated goals than those who merely formulated goals.
Goal Writing Tips
Well that all sounds good doesn’t it?! But how should you go about it?
1. Have a brainstorm and then write your goals on a piece of paper in a list. Think about your personal life as well as your career.
2. Be positive. Concentrate on what you want to achieve rather than what you want to leave behind.
3. Be specific. Know exactly what you want to achieve and in what time scale. For example actors you don’t just want to book a job, maybe you want to book a feature film job or be in a horror film or soap. Writers perhaps you want to finish a screenplay and get feedback but when do you want to finish it by and how much feedback do you want eg. finish screenplay by May and get feedback from 5 industry professionals.
4. Have measurable goals eg. use numbers or amounts. So Casting Directors might have a goal of casting 100 commercials in 2013 or 5 feature films or both! Actors might have a goal of going to 52 auditions in 2013 (one a week). Artists might have a goal of selling 15 paintings in 2013. This way at the end of the year you can directly measure how successful you were.
5. Have believable goals. Give yourself something exciting to work towards: challenge yourself but also keep your goals within the realms of possibility. ie. if you are currently earning £15,000 a year a goal to earn £150,000 might be a bit of a stretch! Make your goals achievable!
6. Don’t loose or file away your written goals, put them up somewhere prominent! Your goals need to be somewhere you will see them daily/weekly to remind yourself of what you are aiming for. Keeping them on the inside of the wardrobe door is my favourite, but on the fridge or next to the mirror in your bathroom or keeping them on the back of your toilet door means that you can’t help reminding yourself of them.
7. As well as reminding yourself of your goals you need to keep reviewing them. Tick them off as you achieve them and even alter goals that you achieve too easily. This will keep them relevant and will keep you motivated.
8. Believe! Believe in yourself – yes its sounds a little American, but you can achieve your goals! Trust me, if you strive for these written goals you will be very happily surprised by how much you have achieved come 2014.
Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is one penguin with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping my way into the arts industry and helping creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.
Contact me any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.comorFacebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to my website:www.penguinintheroom.com
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