I’ve been under the delusion from a young age, mostly due to my parents never turning down the goofy projects I cooked up, that I could do anything I wanted. I feel like I’ve achieved a lot on the 27 years I’ve been alive. I’ve gotten my BA in journalism, started a career at one of the top local TV stations, won an Emmy for my design work, trained as a competitive ballroom dancer and an aerialist, performed in a myriad of musicals, ran an award-winning feminist organization, won a local business award for up-and-coming 20-somethings, and bought a house and a car all on my own. So I figured, this being the time of year for goal setting and all I’d share a few of my secrets for going after your goals.
The first part is just plain luck or fate or whatever you want to call it. Knowing the right people or being at the right place at the right time can make great things happen. The stars align, angels sing and BAM goal achieved! If I hadn’t stumbled across the ad on CraigsList I may never have applied for my job. If I hadn’t started blogging, set up the 20SB Michigan meet-up and hung out with Miss Ginger Mandy I would have never ended up swinging from a trapeze.
The second part, at least in my case, is being incredibly stubborn. There were a number of people who looked at me like I was crazy when I was 22, single and saving for a down payment on a house. If you say there’s no way I can jump over that hill then I’m sure as hell going to shoot for a mountain just to prove you wrong.
The last and most important part is getting out of my own way. But I can’t take credit for this portion – I attribute it to a friend who is a great, ass-kicking advice giver. Generally, when I’m going after something big, this is how it goes: I lay out all my reasons excuses for why I can’t accomplish my big impressive goal and he tells me to quit whining and lists all the ways I can get past those excuses. In essence, laying out a plan for what I need to do. As much as I just wanted to be coddled and told ‘you can do it!,’ once I get over being annoyed at his response I always realize he’s right…I just needed to shut up and get to work.
I spend a whole lot of time working things out in my head, but I’ve come to realize if I start writing out an action plan, one with dates and numbers and mini-goals, it’s much easier to see how things could work out. It also takes away some of the stress and squashes the constant what-ifs gnawing at my brain.
A little inspiration always helps too. I find two things really send sparks to my brain and send me flying toward my laptop needing to write all the thoughts shooting through my head. 1.) Hanging out with accomplished, creative, positive people. People already under the crazy delusion they can do anything they put their mind to. I just feed off their energy and it fuels my own. 2.) Shows about people accomplishing things and/or helping others. See: The Buried Life, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, CNN Heroes, The Biggest Loser. (AKA shows that totally make me cry haha)
So let’s talk, what are you goals, what are you excuses, and what’s your plan? And what are your tricks for hitting big goals?
(My 2010 wrap up and goals for 2011 are coming soon!)
Pics from WeHeartIt
Comments (10)
I can’t believe that I stumbled upon your blog the same week that I’ve been made redundant (the charity I work for has lost 60% of it’s funding. The week before Christmas and all). I’ve always enjoyed being creative and would love a more arty career, so perhaps losing an office job isn’t a bad thing at all. Thanks for this post, it’s been really inspiring. I’m going to make sure that 2011 is a big year for me! xx
sillygrrl Reply:
December 21st, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Losing a job is always a huge (yet rough) jump start. You’re in the perfect position now to create a career out of your passion. Good luck!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this post. Thanks for sharing. I’m at a turning point in my career and I have a long list of excuses as to why I can’t dream big — the advice about getting out of your own way really speaks to me.
I have big big big goals for 2010 and I have to get out of my own head and get to work. Thanks for the inspiration!
P.S. — found your blog through elsiecake.com :) so glad i clicked!
sillygrrl Reply:
December 21st, 2010 at 6:10 pm
You’re welcome! Kick those excuses in the ass and do something amazing!!
My goal is to get better at my drumming. My inspirations are Eric Carr, Chuck Biscuits, and Dave Lombardo. I’ve always had a bad feeling about not starting lessons when I was 5, like most of the kids who show up at my music school. Nope, I’m 18, but I started, I think, when I was 15 or 16. The teacher that I have is wonderful, and bascially is teaching me what I need to know. Which I want to be a Heavy Metal drummer. I want to join an all guy band (excluding myself) and play some glam metal. Whenever I think about my goal I always feel pumped and ready to do some drumming, it just excites me. Drumming makes me the happiest. It got me over my boyfriend breaking up with me and it just keeps my mind set on thinking about music, and how to better my skills. I was in a band with my ex-bofriend but that didn’t work out so well. I had trouble playing in front of him and he never really encouraged me through the whole thing. Now I’m more set on finding a metal band to play in in college. I’m going to college in downtown Chicago, at the American Academy of Art after Labor Day. I’m studying Illustration and, well, bascially my back up is to be a comic book artist. It sounds like it should be switched, huh? Ha ha. Well, I’m making the right friends and sticking to what I love most and boasting about it when I can. Music never lets me down, ever. Basically my plan is to keep on practicing and searching out for some friends who love the music I do and start a band. It’s a simple plan, but it’s a life long process.
sillygrrl Reply:
December 15th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
That is a fantastic goal and a fantastic plan! I can’t think of any female metal drummers, so you will be a pioneer blazing a trail those that come after you. I ended up in aerial trying to take my mind off a breakup…such good motivation, right? Let me know when you’re a rockstar touring through Michigan and I will come cheer you on!
HOLY CRAP, SARAH.
I had no fucking clue you were so accomplished. I mean, I knew you were bad-ass and pretty motivated and really creative and talented, but not to the point that you have achieved so much in such a short life time! You truly are an inspiration.
XX.
Mae Lu, @ thereafterish.
sillygrrl Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
AWEEEE MAE! You’re my favorite <3 <3
over the past year i think i’ve gotten to know a lot more creative people (especially you michigan bloggers!) and it’s helped me put into perspective how important it is to set goals and tackle them. i had SO much happen this year and feel like 2011 is going to be twice as big with things i have planned and the new mindset i have about what i want to do. 2010 seemed like a really big transformative (is that a word?) for a lot of people.
also – i was thinking the other day about how if i didn’t spontaneously go to an art show with a guy i met online that turned out to be a horrible awful asshole, i probably never would have seen micha perform, so i never would have googled until i found the studio, and who knows how or when we’d ever find out about aerial yoga?! so as terrible as that date was, it was certainly a good thing i went, huh? :) (although i like to think we would have found it eventually anyway)
sillygrrl Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Yes it’s a word ;) I agree, I think 2009 was so terrible that 2010 had to be transformative. There was no way I was going to have such a shit year again. We would have found our way to the Flyhouse eventually, but I sure am glad you went on that date!