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As a creative freelancer, I often have pockets of famine interspersed with times of feast. They tend to balance each other out, at least financially. Unfortunately, during the times of famine, I have had some panic about whether I would work again. I’m happy to say that those thoughts are few and far between these days due to one practice I have taken up: The Monthly Goal Assessment.
I started doing monthly goal assessments a few years ago as an exercise with a freelancing creatives support group I was in at the time. I’ve tweaked the particular assessment, and continue to tweak it as I discover more about what helps me to stay motivated. The assessment is on a Google Doc so I can make a copy for the next month, and change what needs to be changed. Here are some of the questions I have on my current template:
- What is my long term goal?
- What is my short term goal?
- Did I book any creative work over the past month?
- Did I get any inquiries or communication from prospective clients over the past month?
- What techniques did I do to book creative freelance work over the past month?
- What obstacles do I have?
- What can I do to combat my obstacles?
- What steps will I take in the next month to achieve my long term goal?
- What steps will I take in the next month to achieve my short term goal
So why does this work?
By writing down the outcomes of my goals (numbers 3 and 4 ), I’m able to see that I’m making progress. This is essential for staying motivated to keep going through times of famine. Additionally, writing down my obstacles and the steps I need to take to combat them means I may actually eliminate those obstacles. This is much more effective than leaving my career up to chance. It also gives me another boost of momentum for each obstacle I tackle. I schedule a time each week to review my monthly goal doc. That way, I remind myself of what I achieved last month, as well as what I need to keep working on.
Rebecca H. Lee is an audiobook narrator, director, and producer based in Seattle. She records titles for publishers and indie authors. When she isn’t narrating or blogging, she geeks out on comedy, languages, science, games, and nature.
Thanks for reading!
Rebecca H. Lee
You can visit my narration website at becksvoice.com
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