How to Be a Goal Artist

1. Hold the process of creating the goal as sacred. Make the goal itself a work of art. “Get in shape” doesn’t cut. “Run a mountain trail and love the run — even in mile 8” just might. Take time to develop a picture of the goal. Use journaling, collage, drawing, or visualization.
 
2. Know that life is your partner in the process of realizing your vision. Once you’ve set an intention or a goal, pay attention to the people, ideas and opportunities that show up. Use them. Work in concert with what life brings to you. Make sure you’ve left room for the help and information life would like to bring to you.
 
3. Focus less on sustaining your willpower, will, motivation and might. Focus on feeding yourself the things that inspire you. The sights, the music, the conversations, the environments, the types of rest, the sources of inspiration…all of that. Take in that stuff like a daily vitamin.
 
4. Identify your particular skills and abilities — your unique set — that will get the job done. Write them down: “what talents, skills, relationships, of mine can I bring to bear to make this happen?” Rely on that stuff, not on your “self-discipline.” As with any creative artist, it will be your singular intelligence and set of talents that will make amazing things happen.
 
5. When progress isn’t happening, ask yourself: am I being blocked by fears? Am I not willing to take the next step forward I need to take — or is this just a simmering “downtime”? There will be downtimes. Respect them. Enjoy them. Don’t get lost in judgments or doubt about them. For the artist, producing is not the only form of progress.
 
Lean in. Follow your ideas. Follow your creative instinct. Follow your intuition. Allow your life to itself become the product of the creative spirit.
 
Love,
 
Tara
 
Note: To read an earlier post introducing the concept of the Goal Artist, “Goal Athlete to Goal Artist,” click here.