Planning your art goals may not be very exciting, but it’s more exciting when you plan to have more money at the end of the year — so start now.

Here are a few things to think about right now:

1. Write down all your goals for 2024.

Now put them in order, from most important to least important. Pay special attention to the top three.

Chances are that one goal will stand out as about 80% more important than any other goal. (Remember, goals are not a “to-do list.”) Pick your number one goal. If you could focus on achieving only one goal, this would be the one.

2. Thinking about that goal, ask yourself…

Is it measurable?

For instance, if your goal is “make more money,” decide how much more money. Be exact. It’s hard to know how to shoot for a target if you can’t see the target.

Is it obtainable?

If you’re making $50,000 and you set a goal to make $1 million, that is probably unobtainable this year. (But it might make a great 5-year goal.) What IS obtainable in 2024? Is 10% more money obtainable? 20%? 50%? 100%?

When you ask yourself about each figure, is there something in your gut saying, “That’s not possible”? That’s where your limiting behavior will kick in, and it will sabotage you every time. Consider the number you believe you can achieve, and shoot for that.

But before you give up on a bigger number, try breaking it down into weeks. I like to use 50 weeks. So if your goal is to go from $50,000 to $100,000 … divide $100,000 by 50 weeks. That’s $2,000 a week. You’re already making $1,000 a week. So, does adding an extra $1,000 a week seem doable?

The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

Is there a WHY behind your goal?

Goals are rarely met unless you know why they are important to you. Whether your goal is to double your income because you need to do that to buy a new house and make the payments, or if you simply need more to survive, then you’ll work for it. But if there is no “why,” chances are you won’t do the work.

3. Manifesting and Planning

Manifesting means envisioning yourself at your goal. Don’t say “I’m gonna make $100,000 a year,” say, “I make $100,000 a year.” Your mind has to believe it, and if you repeat it enough, your mind will find a way to make it happen.

Manifesting without action isn’t enough. You need to build a plan. A plan makes it believable. What can I do to add an extra $1,000 each week? Or an extra $200 each weekday? Come up with 20 things, and pick the best ones.

Build the steps of your plan into your calendar. You need to have them in there to remind you to do them. Don’t ignore them. Block out time to work on the actions that will help you hit your goals.

Don’t let a week go by without doing the extra steps toward your goal.

Hold yourself accountable for $2,000 every single week. Don’t stop working till you hit that goal.

Read your full list of art goals once a week. Most people don’t keep reading them, and as a result, they don’t obtain them.

Goal-setting tends to get overcomplicated. The billionaires I know focus on only three goals at a time, with one big one. They have a relentless focus on number one until they achieve it.

I believe any artist can double their income each year. I outline some of these things in my book.

Don’t overcomplicate goal-setting.

In summary…

  1. Pick one big thing that, if you accomplish it, will change your life.
  2. Break that one thing down into weekly goals.
  3. Meet those art goals every week, no matter what.
  4. Put them in your calendar and devote time to them in pre-planned blocks.

I hope this is helpful,
Eric

PS: I have a ton of things you can find for free here on ArtMarketing.com. Marketing and selling does not have to be overwhelming, and it will change your life once you accept that it’s a fact of doing business.