THIS BLOG CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS

Saturday, January 5, 2008

2008 GOALS!


Yep, I make 'em every year... not so much resolutions, as goals. I have been making goals since I first explored how to make money with crochet back in 2003. I made lists and lists of different things, sell at shows, do custom orders, do internet orders, publish patterns, with pros and cons for every angle. I finally decided that publishing patterns was the way to go for me. With a 3 yo and an infant (at the time) I knew that sitting at shows from dawn till dusk every weekend was not going to be practical.

Some early goals were "submit to two publishers" and "make business cards" and "keep an account of money".

Usually in July every year, I take a gander at the list of goals posted here, next to my computer, to assess how it's going. At the end of the year, I go through my goals "file" on the computer and comment on each goal. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I didn't. I make notes about what worked and what didn't. I don't beat myself up for unreached goals, sometimes it's not my fault. Sometimes I lose interest in a goal and decide it wasn't worth my time after all.

Sometimes, I surprise myself and achieve things I didn't even set out to do! I celebrate those things by adding them to the list of accomplishments even if it wasn't stated in a goal.

For 2008, some of my goals are:

1. Be in the Black (yep, it's easy to be in the red)

2. Make less gifts. yes, I said it. Last year, I made many gifts and I was delighted to share my stuff with my friends and family. They didn't ask for gifts (well, some did), I volunteered to make gifts, and I don't regret it. My bottom-line, however, suffered and so where 2007 was the year of the gift, 2008 will be the year of the ???? I don't know, something else... the year of learning perhaps?

3. Make a standard PDF format to use and make 3 good PDFs to sell on here or on my Etsy shop. (this will require some learning).

4. GO To CGOA!!!! (though, there are other people to consider when trying to achieve this goal....)
if I go to CGOA.... my goals are to:
wear at least one garment of my own design
submit something to the fashion show, even if it's a "throw" that I wrap up in
carry one new tote of my own design each day

5. Get/Learn one design software (though I'm not sure that this is really necessary)

6. Submit 1 article to the Chain Link Newsletter

I have other goals too about trying to sell to specific places, or sell specific designs, or propose books and leaflets of various types, I won't bore you with the details, but you get the idea.

Personal goals? Well, I'm a real wild and crazy gal, so my personal goals are things like:

be more patient with the kids

I have one child who never asks for hugs, so I will hug that child more.

I will not buy any item clothing (no matter how cheap) if it does not flatter me.

I will review books before buying them.

What are your goals?

Sorry, you don't get a photo today, still waiting on the computer to get resurrected. I had a really great one of a rainbow over our house, but the file is too big and I don't think I have the ability on this computer to shrink it. Oh, well, another time.

No comments: