SMART working

Working as an artist is tricky – the right brain is creative and emotional while the left brain is logical and practical. Keeping a balance is essential, because without a bit of business/organising savvy, the career of the artist is elusive.

So, if like me, you’re faced with a body of work to complete (without it, I can’t earn any cash…), then a very simple, memorable acronym can help you a lot with your goals….SMART

The acronym SMART has a number of slightly different variations, which can be used to provide a more comprehensive definition for goal setting, so you can tailor it to suit you:

S - specific, significant

M - measurable, meaningful, motivational

A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented

R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented

T - time-based, timely, tangible, trackable

When you are next faced with a project, take a moment to consider whether your goals are SMART goals. Then set it out on paper and pin it to your Dream Board.

Be open to change. Goal posts shift all the time, along with motivation. Face the changes head on, and set new goals to deal with them. Perhaps set a regular appointment with yourself to check your goal setting. Taking 10 minutes once a week would be acceptable for short term goals, and once a month for longer term goals.

If you find it hard to do this by yourself, enroll a friend you can trust to help you keep on track.

Good luck, and watch your success grow with pride.

painting above right : Bridging the Gap (c) 2008 Deborah Eileen Burrow