Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

It's a whole new year -- a chance to start fresh. What can you do in 2002 to make your dreams come true? Turn them into goals. A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Define Your Dreams
Goals can be anything you want. Write down whatever they may be. Write a date after each one -- the date you expect to achieve that goal. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time for each. Writing down your goals will help you stay on track. Fewer than 3% of the U.S. population actually writes down their goals so already you will be ahead of 97% of other people.

Write down both short term and long range goals so you can have a map of what you'd like to accomplish/acquire/learn/earn/do. Don't be afraid of putting down even the most impossible or outrageous goals. You'll never get those dreams if you don't know what they are.

If you prefer, you can create a dream board, which is a visual representation of your goals. Use drawings, slogans, photos or other visuals to illustrate your list of goals on a poster board. Hang it prominently so you can remind yourself of your direction every day. You can have a dream board party. Invite some friends over to share their dreams and make the boards together.

The dream board or goals list is what you want -- not the expectations or wishes of anyone else. Don't worry about what others think of your goals/plans. They're your desires. This is a time to write down what is important to you. Some goals may be long term -- a friend of mine wants to exhibit at the Guggenheim in New York. He hasn't had a show there yet, but he works every day toward achieving this dream.

Get Writing!
Even if you have just one or two goals write them down -- no matter how extreme they may seem. Don't censor yourself into thinking that your goal is impossible.

Example:
Goals for 2002 (January 2002).
Get a new job.
Meet new people.

Be Specific.
You have to be specific in order for your dreams/goals to become reality. So rewrite your goals to be as specific as possible. Goals must be specific and measurable. Your goal might be to become a better artist, but without specifics you won't be able to achieve this goal. Some examples of specific goals might be: Take life drawing classes once a week. Go to the zoo once a month and draw the animals for 3 hours. Go to the mall once a month and draw people for 3 hours. Update portfolio twice a year -- once in May, once in November. Get the idea?

Better Example:
Goals for 2002 (January 2002).
Get a job as a voice over actor by June 1st.
Meet two new people a week.