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It’s a new year. "New year resolutions" are almost inevitable. And, if like most of us, you need jump start, following are some steps toward setting and implementing your goals.

If you don’t know what you want, you can’t aim for it - and you won’t know when you have it! Just being aware of your dreams, wishes and wants is the beginning. When you start thinking about what you really want, whether it is something tangible like a new and bigger studio or something intangible like being a better artist, you are on your way to accomplishing it.

Over several days, a week is best, do the following:

1. Purchase a special notebook and pen. Title the first page "Dreams, Wants and Wishes" (DW&W's). Section off three columns, making the middle one widest. Title the far left one "Ranking", the middle one " I want…", and the far right one "Date".
2. Carry your notebook and a pen with you all the time. When you find yourself saying "I would like to…", "I wish…", or "I want…", take the time to write it down at that moment.
3. Spend time brainstorming, by yourself, with music or without. Set no boundaries on your DW&W’s.
4. Write everything down. Don’t omit something because it is silly or because you don’t think you can do it or because your family or friends might laugh at it. Or because you think it is impossible! No one needs to see the list unless you want them to - and it might be better not to share it with anyone for now.
5. List short and long range DW&W’s. What would you like to accomplish next week or next month? Picture yourself one year from now - five years - ten years - twenty years. Where do you want to live? What would you like to be doing?
6. Use as many pages as you want or need. Make sure you fill in the date - it will be interesting to look back at this list later in your life.
7. Continue to add to the list whenever you want - or feel the need to focus on goals.

 

You should have a long list of various Dreams, Wishes and Wants. Spend some time looking at the list, thinking about each and picturing your satisfaction if you were to achieve it.

1. Put a star beside the ones you feel are most important to you. Find the one item that would give you the most satisfaction - your most coveted Dream, Wish & Want. Put three stars beside it. Now find another item that is almost the most important to you. Put two stars beside it. Find a third item of importance and put one star beside it.
2. Now you have three Primary DW&W’s , with many sub-primary and many more common ones. This is enough to begin with and not too overwhelming.
3. Several pages into your notebook, leaving some blank pages for future DW&W’s as you think of them, title a page "My Primary Dream, Want and Wish is (goal)". Put today’s date on the first line, followed by "I want to accomplish this goal by (date)".

 

The prior activities have been easy and probably fun. Now you will work out the details toward achieving your goal. Plan to spend some time on the following steps. You may find that your PDW&W is not as important as you thought. Or that you have to accomplish one of your other goals before you can achieve your PDW&W. If so, incorporate the secondary goal into your steps.

1. State your goal in detail. Explain why it is of the utmost importance to you and in what ways you will benefit from it.
2. List possible obstacles to accomplishing your PDW&W and how you can/will overcome them.
3. Now plan your strategy for accomplishing your PDW&W, in numbered steps with target dates.
4. As you accomplish each step, mark it out.
5. When (not if!) you accomplish your goal, start on another.

One common tactic in every goal setting program is the use of affirmations. These help you overcome self-doubts. They also convince your "internal judge" that you are entitled to your PDW&W. An affirmation is a statement of positive-ness and helps to counteract the negative thoughts you might have.

Following are some "creative affirmations" from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron:

I am allowed to nurture my artist.

Through the use of a few simple tools, my creativity will flourish.

I am willing to create.

I am willing to let myself learn to create.

I am willing to use my creative talents.

Create several of your own affirmations based upon your PDW&W. Write them on 3x5 cards and carry them with you. Anytime you begin to feel stressed, overwhelmed by negativity, depressed, or losing faith in yourself, pull out the cards. If you can say the affirmations out loud, do so. If not, at least "shout" them to yourself in your mind.

Of course, there are many books and programs for helping you to set goals and implement plans for accomplishing them. And there are many different methods with many different ways to accomplishing your PDW&W.

Most will suggest you separate your PDW&W’s into categories such as Business, Family and Spiritual. It is important to have balance in your life - and that could be a goal!

Almost any method will work.  And when you are aware of what you want and not letting life knock you back and forth, serendipity seems to work in mysterious ways. The important thing is to think about your goals, plan how to accomplish them and then act on your dreams.  

Resources:  Dynamics of Personal Goal Setting by Paul J Meyer; The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron;