Let's Celebrate Success!

I have to venture into my life as mom for a brief moment. We got news yesterday that my son has been chosen as a semi-finalist for a 100% scholarship at a great school on the east coast. I am very proud of him and glad that he has been able to achieve all of the honors he has been awarded of late. Here's a picture of him performing at a recent coffee house fund raiser at Church. We will have to celebrate this week!

I also received a new shipment of wool this week from Australia. I took a break on Friday to work on some colors for spring, a much needed break from doing bookkeeping/tax return/FAFSA (the financial aid form required for college). Now I have the materials I need to finish goal #1 from my last post. Let's see if I can get that scarf kit done, a newsletter out and the financials finished by Valentine's day. Lofty goals!

Short Term Goals

Just read a really inspiring post about goal setting on Renee Phillip's blog (Renee's business is "The Artrepreneur Coach") -- she speaks about setting goals as a way to feel empowered. Defining success for yourself then bringing it into your life is a powerful thing! Here is the blog post: http://reneephillips.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-are-goals-so-important.html. Here is my favorite quote from the article: "It reminds me of a simple concept that a goal is a dream with deadlines. The process of creating goals may be more important than the goals themselves."

So, here are some short term goals I have:

1) To create a new scarf kit modeled after this example

This was a really fun and easy scarf to make!

2) To create a Nuno Newsletter that features the work of another artist in each issue -- we learn so much from each other! Also I want it to have a resource section for classes, exhibits, etc. Please send information if you'd like your work to be included or you know of some wonderful classes in your area.

3) To create shibori pieces for sale.

I have many more goals -- perhaps that is my problem, I just have too many ideas and goals. Well, I guess it's off to work...

Reflections on Starting a Business and Setting Goals

Somehow I find myself caught up in all of the normal things that go on at this time of year. I cleaned and organized my studio, set up some new organization systems and am even considering how I might manage to lose 10 pounds. Hmmm...I guess all of the excesses of the Christmas Season make us long for the other side of the pendulum...

I also find myself avidly reading several books about life/running a business including Allison Stanfield's "I'd rather be in the studio". Great book! She breaks out tasks for marketing yourself and describes them in manageable chunks. The first task, which she describes as non negotiable is to define success for yourself and write it down. She has some wonderful free downloads on her website which is www.IdRatherBeintheStudio.com.

Here's what I think about this whole process: after many years of working at creating a business for myself, I think you need to capture the following ingredients 1) Find the passion inside of you -- we all have it but sometimes (most of the time) it has gotten buried. 2) Let yourself believe that you can have this dream (this is KEY!!!). 3) Write down some specific goals about this dream, things like monetary goals, production goals -- I do believe there is magic in writing things down.

4) Do something every day to work towards your goals.

No doubt I have never worked as hard as I have for the last 2 years, but I feel passionate about what I am doing. I love playing with fabrics and ideas and I love seeing smiling faces leave my classrooms. Slowly I am starting to find success. It has not been easy but I am hear to tell you it is possible!

Happy New Year! Write me if you'd like to discuss any of this further!