In 2021 be a goal achiever, not just a goal setter.
First of all, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and wish you the most prosperous 2021. If you are like me, you are probably anxiously looking forward to the upcoming year. For those who have decided to pursue modeling in 2021, I hope our blogs are a helpful part of your research as you advance your career.
While modeling may appear to be a glamorous lifestyle, it is rarely an easy one. Sometimes the difference between success and failure is having a set of goals and good planning. I understand if many of us have never really sat down to do goal setting, so here is a list of goals I feel we all should consider I have compiled to assist you on your journey.
These areas are:
Financial life.
Social life
Career life
When goalsetting, ensure that the goal is measurable, attainable, and have a defined date of completion. If not, then the "goal" is nothing more than a wish; even though wishes sometimes do come true.
Financial
When we are talking about money, there is a saying, "It is not what you make, it's what you keep!" Earning money is just part of the process. Finding ways to wisely utilize, invest, and save money is the rest. Remember money is a tool that gives us options. Often the more money that we have, the more options we have. In this industry, it pays to have many options.
Before setting your financial goals, ask yourself how do I spend the money I earn or received? A quick test is to look at the last 3 months of the money that has passed through your hands. What did you do with it? Do you have anything to show for it? What would you do differently now?
Setting the Goal
If have not already, make it a goal to open a savings account within the next 90 days specifically for your modeling and one specifically for your personal finances.
There is a saying, "If you can't afford to buy 5 of an item, you can't afford to buy 1!" With that said, make it a habit of depositing $1 in your personal savings for every $5 in your modeling savings account. If there are professional items such as headshots, passport, photoshoots, training, and other items, set a goal to save for them using the above 5:1 ratio.
Set reasonable goals about earnings from your modeling as well. Work with your agent on establishing hourly and daily rates, as well as coming up with reasonable goals for bookings.
Social Life
This past year has been socially taxing for many of us. An active social life has its benefits for a model. It offers you many opportunities to meet strangers and improve your confidence. Being able to get out and be seen will increase your confidence as well as your market exposure.
Setting the Goal
Set goals to increase your visibility and social awareness by committing to a certain number of social events per month (CoVID permitting). Make a point to work on your personality, humor, and fashion sense; as well as a point to choose your social environment carefully. Maximize your utilization of partnership experiences on social media. Make it a point to tag and shoutout local businesses and locations when posting. You may be surprised by the number of branding possibilities out there.
Career Life
When making goals for your professional life, keep both the destination as well as the journey in mind. What level of achievement are you wanting to attain this year? Is it to make it to New York Fashion Week? To book that major tv commercial? To make a magazine cover or spread? Understand your “why” of what you want to achieve and use the following tips.
Setting the Goal
Set a goal to learn more by reading more books and magazines that lead you closer to your goals.
Make a goal to workout at least three times a week and determine what your fitness goals are. Flexibility (Yoga)? Increase muscle? Lose fat? Think of what your goals are and then work towards them.
Make a goal to do a shoot or a show at least once a month even if it is just for the purpose of practice. The more you practice, the better and more experienced you will become.
Make it a goal to maintain weekly communications with your agency on a weekly basis. This could be via phone call, Zoom meeting, or email.
Having defined goals allows us to maintain focus and keeping motivation even when there are reasons to quit. Knowing and believing that this is your life purpose and goal will give you reasons to go on. Improve on your natural skills and work harder at gaining the rest. Don’t just show casual interest this will die. Be committed totally.
JR