I am a big believer in manifesting my goals
I have a pretty big list of goals that I have already created for 2022. Not gonna lie, I’ve been working my tail off behind the scenes (more specifically, last part of Dec) to come up with a very detailed list. And just to be totally transparent, I only started setting goals 2 years ago. This will be my third “New Years” goals, and I’m pretty pumped about it! And to keep it real, this girlie is 51 years old young. But if I started at 49 years old, you can start setting goals no matter your age.
Biggest take away I’ve learned about setting goals is to just.get.started. And ha! I’m a perfectionist at heart - I’m a Virgo! Lol! I'm sure some of you Virgos can relate, right? But the temptation is very real to have everything figured out up front. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized to not put that pressure on myself and just get started on going after my goals.
So, what are my 2002 goals, you ask? Thought I’d share what I’ve got on my board (yup, my dry erase board that is clouded with blue and green marker from years of coloring with my kids).
Here are my 2022 Small Business Goals:
ART GOALS
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Paint more cat art. My book, "How to Pet a Cat" launches in March and I'd like to have more cat products to offer with it. Don't worry dog lovers, I'll be working on more doggie products for you too!
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With all the traveling I've been doing (and will continue to do with my travel planner hubby @anydirectiontravel, I'm definitely in the zone to create new travel art! However, the big goal for 2022 is not only to create more travel art, but to first figure out which style and medium I'd like to use.
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And as many of you who have been following me for awhile, know that I'm a huge plant lover! So yes, I'm definietly pumped to create more green-inspired art soon!
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Lastly, my art goals will get a little more granular this year. And by that, I mean that I am narrowing my focus onto how I am going to create all of this new art...and then SELL it! It's not enough for me just to create it. I need to get very specific on the different avenues on how I want to get my art out into the marketplace. On my 2022 list is: 1) sell direct to consumer, 2) art licensing - where I sell the rights to my artwork to manufacturers that, in turn, sell to retailers, 3) wholesale - where I sell my products directly to retailers, 4) online classes, and 5) editorial illustration - magazines, etc.
MARKETING GOALS
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Holy cow! I've got a lot on my list this year, and I want you to hold me accountable to achieving all the things! Here they are: Pinterest, this here blog, email newsletters, refocus my Facebook Page, niche down my Instagram, and add SEO and keywords to my website. Yeah, gulp on that one! It's a lot, I know. But I definitely know all those marketing bits need some attention and why keep kicking the can down the road? It's time to start!
FINANCIAL GOALS
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This is the first year I am attaching dollar amounts to each part of my income streams (the ones I mentioned above in my Art Goals). I want to be realistic with what each income stream can contribute (as a percentage of my business), and get very granular with the numbers. If I set a dollar amount to each income stream, I can more specifically focus on "how" to achieve that goal.
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Figure out a good system to use to capture all of my expenses and profits. I'm running an Etsy Shop, my Website Shop, art licensing, commissions, and editorial illustrations. Soon, I'll be doing wholesale and online classes. I definitely need to create a comprehensive Profit & Loss Statement and get all of my finances in one place.
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I set a target amount for how much profit I would like to make for 2022. I set this number higher from what I've done in recent years, only because I think this number is achievable with a better focus on my goals. I think the majority of my income will be come from selling products direct to consumer this year. I do have some exciting art licensing coming up, but the returns on those collections might not come until next year (licensing always takes awhile). I also think it will take some time to set up my online classes. So, any profits from those will come later in the year.
And that's what my big dry erase board looks like! It started with free-flowing thoughts. I just let my subconscious go. I didn't let my perfectionist Virgo get in the way. I put everything down that I wanted to accomplish this year. Now, let's be real. The perfectionist side of me did creep up and erase, tidy up, and rewrite my goals in a very clean, color-coded, orderly way. That's just my nature. Ha!
But, there is something very liberating about putting all of your wishes on paper (or smudgy white board). It starts with the "what" and then has to resonate with your "why" (why do you want those goals?). Then you map out the "hows" (how are you going to achieve each of your goals?). And finally, the golden nugget that will determine if you will reach your goal...is the "when". You need to set target dates on when you will achieve each of your goals. Without target dates, your goal is only a wish and will not materialize. You need a deadline.
I hope the sharing of my 2022 goals has inspired you! Remember, I just started a few years ago! I'm a newbie. But I see the huge potential in setting just a few. The whole idea is to just keep moving forward, one little (or big) step at a time. You will reach your goals if you keep on going! I can't wait to see what 2022 holds for you!