Adjusting Your 2020 Goals to Thrive
Talk about a historical year!
January and February were such a tease for the reality to come.
During the second week of the year I found myself sitting poolside in Miami reflecting on 2019, writing my goals for 2020, prepping for a business expo, and finalizing a client project before closing the laptop in preparation to embark on my first-ever cruise.
I was stoked for 2020!
Then six weeks later I had totally forgotten about my goals as I found myself glued to the news trying to make sense of it all.
It’s been rough for so many people.
I’m not going to lie — I’ve been very skeptical about the success of my business. It’s hard to have hope for the future when you’re emotionally and mentally exhausted from world events, let alone those early client connections falling through as everyone scrambles to keep afloat.
But part of being a creative and an entrepreneur means knowing when to pivot and keep going even when it’s a challenge. Fight for what you want.
So here we are, half way through the year and it’s time to review my progress since January to see where I need to shift and adjust my focus.
To my surprise, I have subconsciously been working away at my little list!
These were my aspirations:
1. Triple my income
2. Start blogging
3. Connect with more people both personally and professionally
4. Start a new publication series
5. Read more, TV less
6. Run my first 5k
Triple my income:
Set the bar high and put in the work.
Tripling my income was a lofty goal to start with, but it was one that helped me solidify what I wanted and propelled me to put in the work towards it.
To be honest, it’s been hard navigating how to achieve this goal during a pandemic. So, I’ve reevaluated the importance of it. Obviously the world was not aware of my goals, and so I’m not where I thought I’d be at this point in the year.
Who knows? There’s still time.
Can’t stop, won’t stop.
In the meantime, I’m just living life knowing that I’m okay at this moment and I’m thankful for the clients and work I do have right now.
“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.”
– Bo Jackson
Start blogging:
The more you do a thing, the better you get at it!
Case in point- here we are.
I knew writing was an important part of growth for my business. Not only does it strengthen my expertise, but as a subject matter expert I’m able to share my knowledge with a broader audience than just my clients.
My writing has taken off this year. I am such a different person than I was last year when it comes to articulating my thoughts through written words. I really enjoy it and no longer dread the idea of writing.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
– Tony Robbins
Connect with more people both professionally and personally:
Human interaction is key to our social skills and general well-being.
When I wrote this goal in January it was “Acquire a New Design Mentor” for recurring check-ins throughout the year.
Then, after reconnecting with a friend/mentor in March, it transformed into connecting with people in general. At first this seemed like an unspoken objective, not even a goal. Duh, right?
Yet, you wouldn’t believe how easy it is for me to just focus on client interaction and forget to check in on my colleagues, friends, and family “just because” without an agenda.
Again, by adjusting my expectations it just kind of happened naturally, despite the inability to hang out in person. Plus, I didn’t expect my publication series to be a big reason this goal is thriving.
Funny how that happens!
“Sometimes simple things are the most difficult to achieve.”
– Keanu Reeves
Start a new publication series:
Surprise yourself with a fulfilling challenge!
As a creative person it’s always important for me to do something totally unrelated to my work life projects. It allows me a chance to challenge myself. Learn a new skill that I haven’t been able to try with clients.
But I must admit, I have a bad habit of starting and stopping because it’s not client work. For years now I’ve wanted to start a recurring printed publication. I literally have it all planned out in notebooks and various versions of drafts designed in “WIP” folders. This is why I finally made it a goal. Something I had a due date on.
However, early on (about 3–4 months into the year) I adjusted this goal without even realizing it. It’s not exactly a publication, but it is for sure a series. And I have to thank the quarantine for helping it naturally come to fruition during my downtime and giving it a purpose and direction to thrive.
Progress, people, doesn’t happen overnight.
Check out all the details here.
“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
–Pablo Picasso
Read more, TV less:
Improve your focus and give your brain a rest.
The distraction game is rough. Something is always pulling your attention in multiple directions these days. When you read, your brain is able to focus on one task rather than trying to multitask. I don’t know about you, but TV watching usually involves me scrolling on my phone.
Plus, reading goes hand in hand with writing. I knew that the more I read, the better my writing would naturally become.
So far, I have read a book a month. Everything from fiction, to memoirs, to design education.
As for TV, I know I watch much less, but when quarantine hit, I will admit, my husband and I enjoyed escaping to other places via TV series.
“I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to be who I really am. I’m going to figure out what that is.”
–Emma Watson
Run my first 5k:
Condition your mind and body, for they are one!
Running a 5k probably isn’t going to get me new business, but it’s still a goal that affects my business.
Actively keeping my body healthy and physically challenged is a must for entrepreneurs. I need to burn off pent up energy and emotions after a long day. It’s a multipurpose goal.
Although I was looking forward to enjoying it with other people, I quickly modified my plan. I went ahead and started training and bought my first pair of real running shoes. Not just some random pair of old sneakers I had lying around.
And sometimes I wonder if I jinxed myself — you know how they say you don’t need new workout clothes to workout. I haven’t made it a solid 3 miles yet, but there are still 6 months left.
“You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”
–Brené Brown
🥳 Cheers to progress this year, despite the change in the way the world operates.
What were your goals and how have they transpired or adjusted this far? I want to know! Tell me about your goals and how you’ve pivoted this year!
On the hunt for a goal planner? I have been using MiGoals Diaries for the past 3 years. It’s the perfect set up for my work style and they have several options to help you Get Shit Done! Plus it’s filled with quotes, including the ones written above.
Don’t forget to check out the series I mentioned! It’s officially live! The podcast can be found on iTunes and Spotify. And the blogs live here on Medium.
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