Blog 2025/4
Setting your goals for 2025

I partially covered this in the previous blog when I talked about manifesting what you want to happen in your life. Here though I am going to take you through some steps which will help you set those goals.

You know what you would like to happen in your art world but how are we going to make that happen and how do you measure your success?

To begin with I suggest you set goals which are measurable.

This could be that you want to paint 12 paintings this year: to make a sketch every day etc. It could be that you want to sell 30 paintings this year or that you want to make a certain amount of money in that time. Knowing where you are heading will help you get there but you need to write it down and measure it.

Define your vision – having a clear vision allows you to create goals which align with the future you want.

Create your goals – goal setting is really about creating good habits or practices. Creating a set of goals allows you to develop your skills and create a positive attitude to help you achieve them.

Make the goals manageable – there is a lovely saying: “How do you eat an elephant? One mouthful at a time but mayonnaise helps.” In other words, you need to break your goals down into manageable chunks.

Create the best environment – by this I mean have all the supplies you need to be able to complete a project. If you intend making those 12 paintings, do you have the paper, brushes, paints, mounts, frames varnishes, whatever it is you need to complete the project? If you have everything you need you will remove any blocks to finishing the goal.

Accountability is key – you need to hold yourself accountable. If you struggle doing it yourself, and lots of people do, find someone who can be your accountability buddy.

Applaud yourself – when you have set your goals, created the project and completed it, applaud yourself. Buy yourself a bunch of flowers, go out for coffee in a new coffee shop, visit a new park, do something you really, really enjoy as a reward for your success. You deserve it.

Last but not least record your success. Have a page at the back of your diary, for instance, where you list the goals you have achieved. Personally, I get huge pleasure from seeing my list of achievements grow.