Goals?! But I'm an ARTIST!

[Dan Goodwin]

What are your thoughts on setting goals? Is it something you do in your creative life? Or do you think goals are just for business people or self help gurus?

Share your thoughts and experiences on goal setting as a creative person with us below...

[Susan Hosken]

I have tried a few times to set myself goals with my art work but find I don't achieve them because I am mood driven with my art work. I need to do things when I feel like it rather than having to do it because i have a goal. I definitely choose the things I am going to focus on at any one time. I always do my homework for my writers group each week. That could be a goal ...to do my homework but I still leave that open ended as well.

[Dan Goodwin]

Susan, I think there are different kinds of goals and you can adapt to allow for being "mood driven" as you put it.

You could have the goal of: "I'm going to write ten new poems in the next month, one about anger, one about my first love, one about..." etc. That's very precise and doesn't allow for much creative deviation.

Or you could have a goal more like: "I'm going to explore some themes of anger through poems and will spend 20 minutes a day on it over the next 30 days..."

This is still a committed goal, but it has the flexibility within it to let your creative expression come through. Plus it gives you a structure in terms of time, and a starting point to create from, even if you then deviate from the original topic as you go.

[Millie]

A good thought. Well my goal is to fill a sketchpad with my original compositions (pen, watercolor or pencil). Yes, its something to do with my creative life and i want to express them through art works with my own style...but i still cant figure out what my style is, i guess that would be my 2nd goal. For now i'm still learning. I think every artist is a self help guru, achieving ones style is a goal itself.... making a difference i guess.

[Dan Goodwin]

They sound great goals for you Millie.

Will the goal of figuring out your own style have a definite point though? And if it does, what happens when you reach it?

You said "for now I'm still learning"... I think an artist will always be "still learning", that for me is a big part of having a creative mindset - being open to new ideas, experiences, techniques, being curious and wanting to explore. You're an artist today, because you create art, not an artist-in-training-but-not-yet-qualified because you haven't found a definitive personal style.

What do you think?

[Millie]

Yeah, you have a point there and i totally agree with you. Im an artist with or without personal style. With that in mind, if my artworks expresses my style later on I'll be more than happy to share them... and it will definitely evolve, i dont want to limit myself. I love learning new things... and yes explore.

[Dan Goodwin]

Millie, how will you know your "style" when you find it?

"I dont want to limit myself. I love learning new things... and yes explore." - this is great to hear and I think sums up the essential persona of a creative person.

I think there's a difference between creativity and productivity. Creativity is about continual curiosity, exploration and innovation in your chosen field(s) of art. Productivity is about volume, how much creative "stuff" you produce.

The ideal (goal) most of us strive for is a happy combination of these two - creating lots, and it being a constant adventure and artistic evolution...

[sabrina]

One of my goals, is to find the songs that I had written a few years ago, and post the lyric's.
In doing so I can express a part of myself, that I presently haven't been able to accomplish.
I'm at a crossroad right now, and just taking those first steps.

Sabrina

[Dan Goodwin]

So where are you with finding the songs Sabrina? Are the lyrics written or typed out? Are the songs recorded? What's your next step?

Dan

[sabrina]

I haven't found them in my bedroom drawer which is where I use to keep them organized. I haven't a clue where they could possibly be, but I intend
to check the den. All of the lyric's to the songs are written, and they haven't
been recorded. My next step is to scream... yell and ....sing a song.
Singing, is how I handle my frustrations. I'll..be there..to love and comfort you
ooo. Sorry couldn't resist that. It just came to my mind.

Sabrina

[Dan Goodwin]

I'll be your strength / I'll keep holding on...

Sing what makes you happy Sabrina, sing it loud!

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

I know what it's like to misplace things! And to be at a crossroads. Matter of fact, I have a folder on my computer called crossroads. I just put stuff in it that I find helpful, plus things I write. Letters I don't send, stuff like that. Helps me to look at it once in a while. But journaling in the mornings helps most of all ... I try to do three pages but even if it's only half a page, it helps.

I hope you find what you're looking for, Sabrina ...

[sabrina]

I've been journaling about 14years now, and It's become a part of my life.
Sometimes I can Write as much as ten pages, and at other times I only write a
few. I think I need to buy some more folders, so when I find those songs
I'll know exactly where they are this time.

Sabrina