GOAL SETTING FOR ARTISTS
GOAL SETTING FOR ARTISTS
In a workshop led by the esteemed Krista Senna, artists were advice on setting meaningful goals. Krista, a noted independent curator and gallery owner, shared her experiences and strategies to help artists at various career stages navigate the often murky waters of the art world.
THE TLDR:
SMART Goals: Use the Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound approach for clear, attainable goals.
Consistent Practice and Big Picture: Daily activities like visiting exhibitions aid growth, while larger goals like securing studio space contribute to long-term success.
5-Whys Technique: Explore deeper motivations behind your goals to ensure they align with your values and long-term vision.
Goal Setting Exercise: Engage in short-term, long-term, and very long-term goal setting to clearly define and commit to your artistic aspirations.
FACT: studies show that writing down your goals makes it 42% more likely you achieve them.
Goal Setting: The Foundation of an Artistic Journey
Setting goals is like giving yourself a compass in the art world, which can be pretty confusing and lacks clear direction. By having goals, artists can confidently find their way and steer their own path. Just keep in mind that reaching your goals is more like running a marathon than a sprint; your goals will change and grow as you do on your artistic journey.
Before we get into the best tips for make clear defined goals, lets remember the great Einstein quote on how to solve difficult problems - and what’s a harder problem than making a successful art career?!
"If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes." This quote highlights the importance of fully understanding a problem and framing the right question before attempting to find a solution.” - ALBERT EINSTEIN
SMART GOALS
SMART goals provide a framework for transforming broader objectives into specific, attainable targets. They offer a deeper comprehension of your aspirations and guide you in effectively realizing them.
To make an effective SMART goal, as discussed by NPR's Allison Aubrey with inputs from experts like Keisha Moore and Elliot Berkman, consider the following steps:
Specificity: Clearly define what action you will take. Avoid vague goals. Be as detailed as possible about what you want to achieve.
Measurability: Ensure your goal is measurable. This allows you to track progress and know when you have achieved your goal.
Achievability: Assess whether the goal is realistic and achievable. Set goals that are challenging yet possible within your current circumstances.
Relevance: Align your goal with your core values or bigger priorities. This ensures that your goal is meaningful and motivates you to stay committed.
Time-bound: Set a clear deadline or timeframe for your goal. This helps in maintaining focus and urgency.
FACT: setting specific and challenging goals can lead to higher performance 90% of the time, compared to easy or vague goals.
Additionally, consider the following strategies:
Time Management: Acknowledge that achieving goals requires time and may necessitate restructuring your daily routine. Time is a limited resource, so prioritize activities that align with your goal.
Executive Function: Stay focused, fend off distractions, and resist impulses that deviate from your goal. Unlike habitual tasks, goal pursuit requires concentrated effort and slow thinking.
Reflection and Core Values: Reflect on your high-level core values and how the goal aligns with these. Goals connected to personal values are more likely to be achieved.
HERE IS A GREAT NPR PODCAST IN MAKING ACHIEVABLE GOALS
Embracing Limitations AND BIG PICTURE GOALS
Not all goals will be accomplished over night, and sometimes tiny steps can be the start to a traveling long distances. Our best advice for long term success involves daily practices. Simple yet impactful activities like reading art reviews, visiting exhibitions, and engaging in online art communities. These small steps are crucial in building confidence and connecting with the contemporary art world.
In our video workshop above, Krista shared inspiring stories of artists who have turned limitations into opportunities. She recounts the journey of Patrick Juel, who created a new body of work during his subway commutes, every day doing a little bit proved to be a constraints and a source of creativity. Juel later received a show of these works.
Larger goals such as building a website, finding studio space, and engaging in the art community are keys to building a successful career. They may take planning, but can also be divided into achievable steps. These goals evolve over time, from establishing career foundation (getting a studio) to achieving milestones like solo shows and international exhibitions.
LOOKING DEEPER: THE FIVE WHYS
The "5 Whys" is a problem-solving technique that involves asking the question "Why?" five times in succession to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem. Its primary goal is to determine the root cause of a defect or problem. The technique was originally developed by Sakichi Toyoda and was used within the Toyota Motor Corporation during the manufacturing process.
HOW TO APPLY THE 5 WHY TECHNIQUE:
When applied to goal setting, the 5 Whys technique can be incredibly useful in helping to clarify and refine goals. It assists in understanding the deeper motivations and reasons behind a goal, ensuring that the goal is genuinely aligned with personal or organizational values and long-term objectives.
State Your Goal: Begin with a clear statement of your goal.
Ask Why: Ask why this goal is important. Your first answer will typically reveal a surface reason or motivation.
Go Deeper: After the first response, ask why again, digging deeper into the initial answer. This second why tends to go into more detail and can reveal underlying motivations.
Continue the Process: Keep asking why, each time moving a layer deeper into the reasoning. With each why, the aim is to peel back the layers of symptoms that can lead to the root cause of the desire or need for this goal.
Identify the Root Cause: By the fifth why, you often reach a more profound, fundamental reason for the goal. This root cause can provide significant insights into whether the goal is valid, meaningful, and worth pursuing.
Interactive Goal Setting: Fostering a Future Vision FOR YOUR ART BUSINESS
Our workshop had an interactive goal-setting exercise, encouraging artists to set immediate, short-term, and long-term goals. This exercise aimed to help artists visualize and commit to their future objectives.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE WORKSHEET ON MAKING GOALS FOR ARTISTS
SAMPLE GOALS FOR ARTISTS:
Here are a bunch of goals we’ve heard from artists. You might find some of these sound pretty familiar. If you're the go-getter type, chances are you've got a few of these on your own list – and that's awesome! Just a heads-up though, we're all human and there's only so much we can handle at once. When it comes to setting goals, think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, pace yourself, and remember, steady wins the race.
Understanding my style and voice better.
Have a daily writing practice.
Sell more art.
Get a better studio or clean up my studio.
Apply to and win more opportunities.
Re-do my website.
Have a group show
Have a Solo show
Work with a gallery regularly.
Network more.
Learn a new skill.
Close out a project.
Collaborate more with other artists.
Curate a show.
Get more press.
Conclusion: The Art of Goal Setting
Wrapping it up, remember, writing down your goals isn't just for show – it significantly boosts your chances of achieving them. With SMART goals, you're equipped with a solid strategy to break down your big dreams into manageable, achievable steps. Daily actions are crucial, whether it's immersing yourself in art shows or engaging in the online art community.
Don't overlook the power of the 'Why?' method. Asking 'Why?' five times isn't just about curiosity – it digs deep into the real reasons behind your ambitions. And remember, this isn't a sprint; your artistic journey is more like a scenic marathon, with your goals and art evolving at each stage. So, take these insights, set your goals, and watch as your artistic path unfolds in exciting and unexpected ways. Here's to your creative journey!