Without a Vision the Artist will perish

A very wise man once said that “Where there is no vision, the people will perish” Proverbs 29:18; very simply put you need a goal. Why is goal setting so important? The short answer is without a goal you have no way of determining whether or not you have moved yourself forward. In my Art classes and lectures on Business I always ask the group to set a goal for themselves around the class.

The goal must fit some of the following criteria:

1. It must be able to be accomplished in the time allowed; there is no point in setting to lofty a goal for a short term project when only days or hours are available to dedicate to it. Certainly there is nothing wrong with setting long term goals just so long as you see them as such and set a series of short term goals to get you from here to there.

2. It must be tangible and measurable; do not set the goal of being rich some day as your goal after all my idea of rich may not be yours. Instead if you want to earn a $100,000.00 a year, month or per appearance then make that your goal. If you want to play at certain clubs or show in a particular Art Gallery then state it. Do not be afraid to aim high.

3. It must move you forward; always look ahead to the next level or best venue. If you want to perfect a particular talent do it only if it will move your work forward toward your goals. Don’t set a goal of perfecting abstract painting if your goal is to be the next best thing to Robert Bateman. Instead set goals that will move you toward the style of Art, Music, Acting and Dance you want to be recognized for.

So now we understand about setting goals what exactly will those goals look like? The time honored way to get a visual of your short and long term goals is to make a Vision Board. This can be done with Foamcore Board, magazines, scissors and glue or now with the magic of computers we can set it up with any document maker, save it as a PDF and make it wall paper. Have the Vision Board show all the things you wish to accomplish while you are building your career both easily attainable and those that may seem “Pie in the Sky” to others. Keep this Vision in a place you will see it everyday and remind yourself daily that this is your Dream and you will see it come true.

The flip side of this is that without the Vision and the goal setting you are not focused enough to take yourself there. There is no magic Fairy Godmother; no Genii in a bottle; no amount of wishing and hoping that will get you there and soon the dream will die. This is sad but true. The good news is as soon as you realize the power of having a Vision and Goals you can be well on your way to success, a little late but better late than never.

As a footnote, hang out with other Visionary Goal seekers they will help inspire you and uplift you.