One of the things I have come to love and appreciate about blogging is the accountability that exists here. Once I type something and hit publish, I feel compelled to do it. As my friend Ashley recently said, “It’s better than writing it on stone, it’s on the WORLD WIDE WEB!”
Exactly.
It’s been more than a year since I quit my full-time cubicle job to pursue a career in writing and photography. Of course, being pregnant and having a baby while doing all of that put a few of my career goals on the backburner. It’s been a slow process, this working-for-myself business. I’m easily frustrated by my lack of progress and get down on myself too often when I think about where I want to be, compared to where I actually am.
Starting my own little business has been a humbling experience to say the least. I’m still extremely awkward when strangers ask me what I do for a living. I stare at them for a moment before mumbling “I’m…..uh…..a writer…..kind of…..and a photographer…..sort of.”
I know. We’ve been over this. I’m getting better with time, but really…..it takes balls to call yourself a writer/photographer/artist of any kind.
All of this is to say: thank you readers for giving me the confidence over the past year to keep pursuing writing and photography. Really. I appreciate your comments and encouragement more than you know. And, in the spirit of blogging accountability, I am going balls out (did I really just say balls twice in this post?) and listing some very serious goals I have for my business in 2013. Please feel free to call me out on these once in a while and ask about my progress.
Writing Goals:
1. Continue writing here consistently on this little blog, my writing home.
2. Average one guest post or article per month for other blogs or publications.
3. Write an ebook of sorts (yep, this is happening, more details coming soon).
4. Write every single day. Blog post, prayer journal, sticky note, whatever.
5. Say yes to fun writing freelance projects. (currently doing this for a new client and loving it).
Photography Goals:
1. Start a personal photography project to complete throughout the year (already have an idea, details coming soon!).
2. Re-brand myself. New logo. New website. New business cards. Time for a fresh look!
3. Take a class or two.
4. Create an awesome referral program.
5. Get out of my comfort zone (hello, birth photography!).
6. Re-structure my pricing & packages, sell more prints.
7. Find a photography mentor, stat.
8. Get organized with my external hard drive/discs/overall photo back-up system.
9. Get at least one photo shoot published this year.
Miscellaneous Business Goals:
1. Go to (at least) one conference in 2013. Alt Summit SF and Allume look amazing!
2. Get better at the accounting stuff (guys, it’s harder than it looks).
3. Attend one networking event/quarter (motherhood has turned me into a hermit, need to fix that).
4. Sign up for Passion Fruit Ads and start selling! (sponsorship info here; use promo code “newsponsor” for $5 off!)
5. BE CONFIDENT IN ALL OF THIS. Self-doubt has no place in Ashlee Gadd Creative.
Okay, that’s all I’ve got for now. WILL YOU HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE? Please and thank you.
Do you have any personal/business-y goals for this year? I’m happy to hold you accountable as well (beware: I can be a nag sometimes).
It’s super nerdy, but I get totally pumped with this kind of thing! I love goals and lists and big dreams. Seriously, so many people are living with their cubicle job because living a bigger life is too hard or too much work or too overwhelming. Which IT IS, but it is also extremely fulfilling and, in my opinion, scriptural. The Lord did not give us the gifts and talents we each have so that we can hide them. He gave them to us, each one specifically, for a purpose.
If it helps, sometimes I think “if I don’t pursue these gifts and talents, I won’t reach the people God intended for my life”… it helps.
Get it girl!!!!
I like that frame of thinking. Thanks for the encouragement!
May I recommend Rachel Wilerson’s (now at The House Always Wins) Push post on writing goals. If I were are writer I’d be all over Dear Sugar and this post. http://www.rachelwilkerson.com/2012/01/02/getting-it-goals-motivation-verb-push-2012/
Kick but on your goals miss Ashlee!
Thanks for sharing Kate! Good post
Good luck reaching your goals! Also, I’ve been an avid reader of your blog ever since I found you through Christine (of C’est Christine), and I would be happy to offer you a guest post on my blog any time! Just let me know if you’re interested and if you have a topic in mind.
Megan C. Stroup´s last [type] ..The Book Chat: Short Stories
Thanks Megan! I’ll check out your blog and let you know if I think of anything
I love this post. I left a 9-to-5 at the end of October to dive into very similar things, and (as you obviously know) it’s been a challenge. I admire that you posted your goals here for all the world to see (and hold you accountable)!
I totally relate to the awkwardness when people ask me what I do for a living… and then assume that I’m awesome enough to support myself, and I tell them, “Well, my husband’s a web developer…” and then they kind of see me how I see myself right now, which is not what I want to project to new people I meet. It’s really hard!
That said, you’re totally welcome over at my humble little blog anytime you like! None of my friends blog, so I feel a little lonely on the internet sometimes. I’d love to meet and befriend other young creative blogging types!
Thanks Lisa! And congrats on your new adventure. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned it here, but my husband is a software developer. Looks like we have a lot in common
I’ll take a peek at your blog and let you know if I think of anything guest post worthy. Are you on Twitter? That’s where I’ve met most of my creative blogging friends!
I am on Twitter, and I’ve met a couple people on there. I just sometimes get the sense, like Mindy Kaling, that everyone’s hanging out without me! Ha! It’s probably not true, just like it’s not true that all bloggers have beautiful art-directed lives. Also, maybe I’m afraid to be too agressive in reaching out to people and scared to throw myself into what I view as someone else’s conversation. It’s something I need to work on. What’s the worst that could happen? They ignore me. The best that could happen? We could be soul friends forever and have a wonderful collaborative relationship! The risk is totally worth the reward in the best case scenario, and the worst case scenario isn’t even that bad.
So there’s my internal dialog about that! Just thinking out loud (in writing). It helped me sort that out a bit. So thanks!
Lisa´s last [type] ..A Reminder from Regina
PS I’ve heard all about Alt and would love to go someday (next year? A girl can dream.), but I’ve never heard of Allume. It looks great! Thanks for mentioning that. I’m gonna research it a little more!
Lisa´s last [type] ..A Reminder from Regina
Oh my goodness, our date cannot come soon enough. I can’t wait to chat about all if this with you! And if I can keep encouraging all of the goals you listed above by saying again that you are incredibly talented, well, you are incredibly talented!
Katie Blackburn´s last [type] ..Letters to Harper
Oh, friend. You’re too kind. Our date is going to be so much fun! Everett is excited to meet Harper!
I can relate having left my full time position last year to start writing and consulting. It’s been a challenge, but worth every bit of the effort. I look to amazing writers like you inspiration. So, good luck on those goals. You are amazing! I wish I had the nerve to go ‘balls out’ at your age. I can’t imagine how different my life would be now!
Thanks Natasha for your encouragement, and congrats on your new adventure! I don’t think you’re ever too old to make a change or take a risk or pursue a dream. I feel blessed and fortunate that I was able to go “balls out” (ha) before having a baby. As challenging as it has been (and financially draining at times), there’s nowhere I would rather be than at home with Everett while I pursue these dreams. Good luck with your writing and consulting business!
I love your photography goals – I have so many similiar ones this year, too! I’ve been brainstorming ideas for a personal project as well. In college I took every photography class that my university offered & I really miss working on photography assignments – it will definitely be fun to start some of my own!
Holly´s last [type] ..Box Social & Eat Oyster Bar
I have never taken a photography class (gasp!) but desperately want to. I wish I could go back to college and recognize my love for photography sooner! It’s so easy to get bored or stale when you don’t have assignments and goals to challenge yourself. Let me know what kind of personal project you end up doing!
Great goals!
If you didn’t live so dang far from me I’d have you photograph Baby Brand’s birth…it would be like a tradition since your mom video taped my birth back in the day
HA, my mom and I were JUST talking about that! Dang our distance!
If you need an accountant, let me know!
But seriously, I love your goals-I have some too. It’s good to write them down and then cross them off-such a good feeling!
Oh Ashlee! I hadn’t stopped by your blog in a few months and boy was I missing out! Just checked it this morning and caught up on every one of your posts. Time wasted? Absolutely not. Thanks for your refreshing humor and personality! I’ll do myself a favor and get back to checking regularly.
Marie´s last [type] ..Thai Style Cabbage Salad