Whelp, I can’t believe another year has come and gone. I remember when I was looking forward to my first full wedding season and couldn’t wait to get started. As I look back on everything that I was able to accomplish I kind of just shake my head a little. It all seems a blur now…

At the beginning of the year I wrote my goals up on a large mirror in my office. I did this so that I could be reminded of the “bigger picture” goals that I set for the business. But honestly I didn’t look up at that mirror as much as I had planned to. I guess I was so buried in my day-to-day work and smaller goals that I somehow forgot to keep track of those big picture goals. My brother, and assistant, Harrison was helping me in the office the other day and he took note of the giant mirror covered in dry erase letters. He noticed that there were only a few check marks and then, as brothers so lovingly do, he pointed it out to me. I didn’t look up (a little embarrassed), so instead I sighed and said, “yeah… I guess I didn’t reach as many of my goals as I wanted to.” But then I looked away from the pile of invoices and receipts in front of me (i.e. the “little goal” of the day) and turned to the mirror to read the list out loud… something I hadn’t done in at least 6 months.
Here is what was on the list:

2014 Goals

Book 10 Weddings
Book 5-10 Beauty Sessions
Shoot More Film
Get Published – Web & Print
Find New Ways to Spoil my Clients
Create a Referral Program
Design & Organize a Wedding Styled Shoot
Blog More Often & Get Better at SEO
Attend a Posing & Lighting Workshop
Create a Product Catalog
Design & Publish a Studio Wedding Magazine
Design & Order Studio Samples
Revise & Refine Workflow Board
Finish Rebranding
Create Client Lounge
Pay Myself
Balance Work & Life

There were only 6 red check marks on the mirror, but as I went down the list I realized that I actually met 13 of those goals! Woah! I realized then that I was so driven to reach those goals that I didn’t need to look up at the list every day. I was so busy, working so hard, to achieve those goals that I didn’t even realize how much I had accomplished! It was a good feeling, but also a “palm to forehead” type of moment and I had to laugh at myself a little. 2014 definitely had its ups and downs, and though most of the time I just felt like I was spinning my wheels, I now realize how my hard work paid off. And it makes me really excited about setting my 2015 goals!
2015 Goal #1 – Look at My Goals List Frequently ;)