THE PRINCIPLE

Being reminded of what you want keeps you on the right course

Have you ever noticed that when you’re in the market for a certain item, for example a washing machine, suddenly the world is full of magazine ads about washing machines, articles about washing machines, and even billboards featuring washing machines? And a week after you’ve bought a new one and the topic is no longer of interest to you, they all seem to disappear?

Of course, they don’t really magically appear and disappear. The reason it seems that way is that for a brief time they are of particular relevance to you and that’s when you notice them. Our mind draws us to the things we want or need in the moment and then screens them out when they are no longer important to us.

I’m guessing your creative goals are important to you. That’s why it’s vital that you keep them in mind. When you do, you’ll automatically notice lots of relevant opportunities. However, it’s surprisingly easy to be distracted from your goals. The demands of day-to-day living seem more important (and sometimes actually are more urgent). That’s why it’s not unusual to set a goal or make a resolution and to wake up some weeks or months later not having acted on them, and wonder whatever happened to your determination to make them happen.

An antidote to this is to create a goals board. This can be a physical item or a virtual one. To create a physical one, get a piece of white board, at least A2 size, ideally A1, and on it paste pictures, quotes, even physical objects, all of which represent your most important goal.

For a virtual version, create a file on your computer that includes similar images and keep it open most of the time so you are constantly reminded of it.

For aspiring novelists, the board might feature a bestseller list, photos of J. K. Rowling, Elmore Leonard or whoever they most admire.

For people who want to make their name in architecture, it might be pictures of the classical and modern buildings they admire.

For entrepreneurs, it might feature pictures of Sir Richard Branson and Steve Jobs and the cover of a magazine that they hope will someday feature their own story.

It doesn’t matter what the pictures or objects are, as long as they have an impact on you. They should get you excited about your goal. If you start to get too used to your version of the board, keep adding to it and changing it with new items. Position the board somewhere you’ll see it every day, so it can feed your desire, your determination and your creativity every time you look at it.