Making 2017 Awesome
2017 kicked off with two goal-setting workshops for me: one of them I designed and ran for Creative Edinburgh, and the other one was facilitated by my coach and mentor, Kim Ingleby, where I was a participant.
Both of them were about focusing and getting clear for the year ahead – or having a place and space to explore options and ideas if you didn’t have a clue what it was you wanted for 2017.
I’d been working on my clarity for my intentions and ideas since December and I’ve been giving them time and space to unfold. It also helps me to journal about my ideas to see what to focus on and give my attention and energy.
I’d like to do everything (at once and done yesterday please!) but I know these days that it’s better to do a select few things well rather than scatter and splatter across too many things and as a result not accomplish anything. I can do things sequentially instead, and there are some things I can combine, especially when it comes to my values and living my life according to them.
I also accept that with making choices and selecting what to focus on there are things that I will not be able to focus on (so much). I’ve learned to be okay with that.
Last Thursday’s workshop for Creative Edinburgh was a full house with people from different ages and backgrounds keen to explore their visions and dreams for 2017. For some it was clear what they wanted (and have been wanting for a while) but were unclear about why it hasn’t happened yet.
Others were on the point of overwhelm and were not sure what they wanted so I suggested thinking about what they love and what brings them joy, and allowing themselves some space not to know the bigger picture right now.
We are where we are and we need to focus on starting from there, not from any other place. That’s why I don’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all solution to goal setting, dreaming big and taking action.
The day after running the Creative Edinburgh workshop, I jumped on a plane and flew down to Bristol to attend Kim’s “Make 2017 Brilliant” workshop at Bristol Zoo on Sunday. I also met up with one of my friends in Bristol (I used to live there) and one of her friends, and we spent time together catching up, hanging out and wandering around the Waterfront, Whiteladies Road and Clifton. It was a beautiful day, which made it even better.
On the Sunday I went to Kim’s workshop and it was wonderful. I was pleased that I took the time out to be there (and to be in a different place to where I normally am – there is something about gaining perspective when you’re not in your usual environment. I think I read something about this helping with creativity and innovation in Wired To Create by Carolyn Gregoire and Scott Barry Kaufman).
For me, the biggest takeaway from Kim’s workshop was the following question:
“What is the cost of not working on your goal?”
“What would you be doing instead?” she asked. What is the cost of not going for what you want? I thought.
It shook me up and made me realise exactly what my top priority is in terms of my work and creativity this year. And it thrilled me to bits. I made a commitment there and then to follow through and make this goal happen – because I’ve been talking about it and dabbling in it for too many years now. In that time I could’ve already achieved it. I also wrote down my “Why” for this goal, and I am inspired. In fact, I’ve already been working on this goal daily for the past week or so, but now I am more determined than ever to give it my all. I know what I’d like to achieve with it, yet I am also letting go of the outcome being a certain way. For me it’s about enjoying the process, and the “product” will be a bonus.
This is my time, my friends. No more waiting for permission to make it awesome. I am doing it!
What is the one thing that if you focused on it this year, it would make the biggest different to the overall quality of your life?
How can you start to focus on this habit/goal/practice (on a daily basis)?