You read last week’s newsletter and have your vision down. (In case you missed that issue, you can find it here: http://www.artbizcoach.com/dothis/2008/whatyouwant.html)

Elizabeth Myers, Heart Nest. Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches. (c) The Artist    http://www.elizabethmyers.net

You know what you want, right? But you might not know how you’re going to get there, and that’s okay. It might not be as important that you know the most direct route, but that you make progress toward that end goal. In other words, your path might not be a straight line, but include some jags and curves in it. Heck, there might even be a U-turn! You’ll learn from all of those.

In the teleseminar she did with me on the importance of daily action, Rachelle Disbennett-Lee said, “If you can’t do a lot, do a little.” It’s the consistency that is most important. And success guru Jack Canfield encourages you to practice the “Rule of 5,” which is doing 5 things every day that get you closer to your goal.

The end goal might seem overwhelming, but the baby steps will help you get there.

Let’s say the goal at the end of your path is to have a solo exhibition at the art museum in your city or town. Here are some baby steps that will help you make progress.

--Learn all about the museum, its exhibitions, and its collections. Verify that it’s
  an appropriate venue for you.
--Meet key staff and board members at the museum.
--Become a member of the museum.
--Gain representation from high-end gallery that museum curators frequent.

Then you look at that last item and it seems overwhelming. You need to break it down!

--Put suitable gallery dealers on mailing list.
--Attend gallery openings.
--Meet artists whose work is in galleries.
--Invite above artists to your studio and exhibits. (Add them to your mailing list.)
--Meet the dealers in charge of the space.
--Show at increasingly prestigious venues.
--Meet people who blog and write about work in your town.
--Get mentioned in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.

Looking at these lists can also cause you anxiety because you see everything in one place--everything you need or want to do. And some of these items are projects that need to be broken down even further. So, look at the list once a week. Focus on one thing at a time: one day, week, or month at a time. You might practice the Rule of 5, like Canfield, or you might be more structured: “In February, I’ll attend two gallery openings, meet three new artists at those openings, and join the museum.” There you have it. Progress!

There’s another example of breaking down a big project on the Art Biz Blog.
http://www.artbizblog.com