Welcome to the third step in crafting your ideal life, creating your personal life goals.  In previous posts, we have discussed determining your passions and once determined figuring out how to add them into your life.  Now that you know them and have come up with ways to add them into your life, you need to create your life goals which will be the driving force for truly living your ideal life.

What is a goal? Why are goals important?

The dictionary.com definition is a noun meaning: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

What does this mean for those of us who are looking to create goals to live our ideal lives?  Actually it means a lot. The result we are looking to achieve is a life on our own terms, not someone else’s.  It means living a life we are happy and proud to live.  Without goals, knowing our passions and adding them into our lives really does not mean much.  We need to have something to look forward to. Something that will give what we do purpose.  Living our passions can only do so much, but having personal life goals will add an extra dimension to everything we do.  We need to have something specific or tangible to reach for, regardless of what it might be.

So what are your goals?

When we were talking about finding our passions and adding them into your life, what did you view your life to be?  Did you have a specific image of how you would be incorporating your passion, whether it be writing, photography, jewelry design, or any other craft (and yes writing is a craft) into your ideal life?  Would it just be a hobby to use as a stress reliever?  Or did you imagine yourself creating a business, whether part time or full time?

This is where the goals come into play.  Will you be learning a new craft or perfecting one you already know? These are all questions to ask when creating your personal life goals.

Personal life goals should be simple, have a time line, and allow you to grow as a person.  you should not come with a goal that is not achievable in some way at some point in time. They should be realistic, but with some stretch. Here is an example: If you already know 3 stitches of crochet and can create some beautiful items (scarves, sweaters, etc) that you give to friends as gifts, a new goal might be to learn 3 new stitches and add them into your repertoire of tools. You can give yourself a 3 month time period to learn and perfect them, then 6 months to start creating new items with these new stitches.  This way you are doing what you already do, but are reaching to learn something new and make it part of you every day routine.  Now the next goal, if your friends really like your products, what about considering deciding if you could sell them to make some extra money, if nothing else, you might be able to use the money to buy new yarn. Wow, look at these new goals!  You have just gone from making something for gifts and fun to starting to create a new business.  Yes, this is just a side business, but in time this might become more.

Do you now see how personal life goals come into play?  You need to think about the future, create goals that are achievable in small increments of time, and then use them to build more.

What is the next step?

You have discovered your passion. You have determined how to use your passions to create your ideal life. You have started setting personal life goals to achieve what you desire.  Now what?

Well, I am very glad you asked!  I actually have a perfect solution! Surprise, surprise!

Well, actually a few solutions.  They are as follows:

1. Determine exactly what you want to do.  While this is geared for crafts, it is not exclusive.  Here are a few ideas:

– Continue to be a hobbyist and either gift or sell your crafts to family and friends

– Sell at craft fairs or specialty venues

– Sell on Etsy/Ebay/Amazon (either stand alone or create a store)

– Create your own website to talk about your craft niche (like this one)

– Set up your own Ecommerce site

– Join an Ecommerce Co-Op or consignment site (ask me for more details)

– Join a crafters co-op or sell at consignment stores

2. You know what your passions and goals are, but are still unsure how to put them to work to truly create your ideal life. You feel you need further assistance in determining what changes need to take place. Life coaching will help you work through your concerns and blocks to truly allow you to open yourself up to fully actuallizing your goals.

Please contact me at alison@alisonswerdloff.com or alison@yourcraftyourlife.com to discuss further options.  I will continue to post these thought provoking questions here as well. I have a true desire to help others become their best possible person and truly live their ideal life.

I hope these questions have truly gotten you thinking.