Thirteen Creative Goals for 2016

Last week I wrote about exploring what I had learned last year as a starting point for identifying goals. Having had a good rummage around in the empty space between my ears I’ve come up with a few for 2016. I’ll be using the SMART formula to make sure I have the best chance of succeeding and I’m also making myself accountable for my creative goals by sharing them on my blog.  However, I’m not so vain to think that if I publically commit to knitting a dozen sets of fair isle leg warmers for Mr Hicks, everyone will remember or chase me up on it.

20151011_205200 - Copy

However, committing publicly should help me achieve my goals because:

  1. Other knowing makes us think harder about our goals and if we really want to commit to them.
  2. Knowing others may remember makes it harder to sneak out of working on a goal, because none of us want to be thought a failure.
  3. Having others on our side can provide us with encouragement when we wobble, praise when we succeed and advice when we get stuck.
  4. Declaring we’ll do something publically makes it feel more important.

So here are my thirteen creative goals (so far) for 2016:

  1. 85% of my yarn purchases will be 100% British wool – I’m not committing to 100% of purchases, because it’s pointless knitting with wool for daughters who will chuck it in the washing machine and shrink it first wash.
  2. Only buy yarn when I know what I’m going to use it for.

Balls

3. Think thoroughly before I take on any new project.

4. Attend at least two workshops

5. Learn 6 new ways to knit a sock by knitting six different pairs of socks.

Bekki's Socks

6. Post at least six patterns on Ravelry – I’m dreadful at making up a pattern and knitting it, but not sharing because I never get round to writing the pattern up properly.

7. Experiment/learn something new each month.

8. Learn more about dyeing wool with plants and other natural products

9. Crochet regularly – I’ve joined a BAM CAL to help me achieve this.

Crochet buttercup

10. Make something for Christmas each month.

11. Eliminate the UFO pile.

12. Each weekend, when we’re not away or have visitors, I will make/do something for the house or garden.

13. Knit Lovely Husband a Christmas Jumper – this can count as one of my monthly Christmas makes, although it will probably span more than a month.

I’m off now to write all these down in a way that fits the SMART model.  Do you have any tricks or tips to making yourself stick to your goals?

Bekki Hill

 

46 thoughts on “Thirteen Creative Goals for 2016”

    1. Thank you. I do see stating my goals as being equally important for motivating me to achieve and for learning what I don’t really want to achieve or I need to approach a different way. Without recording what we thought we wanted to do at the beginning of the year, what drops by the wayside can easily get forgotten rather than learned from.

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  2. Great goals, but no sewing ones?!?!?! I’ll keep a look though and I’ll be pleasantly surprised if any pops up throughout the year. Or maybe it could be included in the Christmas one, which is a really good idea. Good luck with them 🍀🍀🍀🍀

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    1. Hello! Yes, not overtly, but there are definitely sewing goals in there. The Christmas goal has lots of sewing plans in it and soft furnishings for the house goal and creative exploration/experimentation includes it, not to mention the UFO pile definitely has at least a quilt block waiting to be turned into a cushion in it 🙂

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      2. Although I did fall off my chair laughing at that comment, between you and me, I did buy some fabric for a tunic/dress last year, but I have a significant amount of weight to lose before I start making frocks. And when I do, don’t expect me to have the patience to make muslins or anything like that.

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  6. I’m having enough trouble sticking to my year long fabric fast to promise anything else but, I must admit, the thought of having to admit failure on my blog is partly what keeps me out of the fabric shops.
    I can assure you that, if you commit to knitting a dozen pair of legwarmers for Mr. Hicks, I at least will remember and chase you up on it. Especially if they’re going to be fair isle. It would be a sight too good to miss.
    Good luck with all your goals but don’t beat yourself up about it if you don’t manage to achieve them all or stress yourself out worrying about any of them too much. That way madness lies.

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    1. Thank you. No worries about the madness, I’ll be (over)analysing anything I don’t achieve and taking some magnificent learnings from it! 🙂 And yes, we’re watching you with the fabric fast. But no, the leg warmers definitely won’t be happening.,

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  7. Great Advice about goal setting, you are an inspiration, not just for generously sharing the process, but that you are a good example and you deliver what you set out to achieve.

    The British Wool is a great way to support our wool producers and I am the same about writing and sharing patterns, I struggle to write the pattern down as I am making, mostly because I change my mind!

    Good luck.. x and Happy 2016, may it bring you many blessings x

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    1. Thank you. Glad I’m not alone about failing to share patterns. I do change my mind, but I also know it’s about not being bothered to do the maths to work out the other sizes. Also about confidence, not in my abilities, but in because of that gremlin that says, ‘Who are you to post patterns? Who’d be interested in them?’ Thank you for inspiring that line of thought, I’d better go have a word with that gremlin.

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      2. Oh no! Hopefully more steps forward that back this year. Fear is a natural keeping us safe mechanism, but absolutely right it needs to be kept under control – so this goal is definitely about working on that.

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  10. Great goals! We use SMART for our development plans at work. I never thought to use them for goals for the year at home 🙂 I try not to make any at all; however should probably put something to paper. Good luck on achieving everything!

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  16. Goals are great to declare publicly and they would definitely spur me on. Let’s face it, if I hadn’t committed to blog monthly for Minerva Crafts, I would probably have worn last year’s ball gown instead of starting one two days before the party! Good luck, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve them all.

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    1. Thank you and no worries, I’m as happy for some of these goal to be ‘learning experiences’ if that’s the way they turn out. Although the public disclosure will still spur me on, so that’s not making excuses before I start.

      Can’t wait to see the ball gown properly – or have you posted this week? – I’m a wee bit behind 😦

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  19. Good set of goals, Bekki, although I think you’ll be hard pushed to keep to No.2.:) I can’t give any advice about keeping to goals, as I’m pretty useless at keeping them myself. I do think having others ‘in on them’ is something, though. It’s similar to what you once said to me about the motivation of many self-published authors compared to those working to a deadline for a publisher. When the demand is clearly set, we have no time for procrastination.

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