REVIST and RENEW: Prep for 2022
Making a New Year’s resolution is iffy at best, for most of us. However, when we set a business goal with attainable markers for profitability or self-gratification, those have a higher chance of ushering in positive results. Or, at least they do in my case!
I love checking the box: make a to-do list or goal list, work toward achieving that item’s completion, then checking it off my list. It helps drive me, much like a deadline. When juggling a full-time job and freelance assignments, deadlines, to-do lists and self checks are how I stay on track. Sometimes, those deadlines get adjusted slightly, but that benchmark is always there to keep me focused.
As we wrap another interesting year in equine media from changes in publishing, challenges to travel, the “great resignation” period where freelance became the motivator for work and more, it’s time to look at how each of our businesses are functioning. Once we revisit last year’s goals, triumphs and achievements, we can all refocus and set new benchmarks for a great 2022.
Gathered in 2020, published in 2021 in Barrel Horse News, this article with Brandon Myers pushed me to photograph indoors differently but left me as inspired by the light in these shots as I was in Brandon’s message.
Here’s a few ways I take stock of how the previous year went in business (these are from when I was full-time freelance and even now, as salaried/freelance):
1. What articles that I produced motivated my best work?
2. What photographs produced were the most “me” and my style?
3. Were there any stellar clients I want to work with more in 2022, or any to avoid due to issues with payment/publication?
4. Did I engage personally with anything outside the box that I would pursue as a means of income? (for me, photos of dogs hunting!)
5. Looking at my work production spreadsheet, does anything pop out as an assignment that took longer than expected?
Once you have that “data” or an idea of what motivated you most work wise, start thinking about how you can better generate content that earns you a living as well as giving you positive energy that is the opposite of a feeling most of us have — burnout.
Start to think about what challenged you personally and professionally.
• LET THINGS GO
Do you have an issue with a company where your idea was turned down, but they published something similar? Don’t hold that hostility. Make note about how you approach them in the future but let it go so that it doesn’t impair your future work.
• GLOW UP YOUR HABITS
WORK UPGRADE — Did you use all-digital means of keeping track of projects and that failed you at one point? How can you make planning and producing work easier or less stressful? Get a planner! There are lots of types of planners, some with goal-setting exercises and other features. Personally, I like a BIG calendar to write.it.all.out. What can help increase productivity and decrease stress scheduling work?
SELF CARE — Do you often have aching hands or a sore back? Swap out that bad chair for one that provides more support for how long you sit and work… or get a gel mat if you have a standing desk! Ergonomic keyboards, or a stress ball to work out your hands can make a difference! It may require saving a bit to change equipment, but in the long run, we have to ensure our bodies can function at work!
A bucket list item that was achieved in 2018 was a riding on a pack trip. This one resulted in articles in Horse Illustrated and Western Horseman.
• MAKE A BUCKET LIST
Want to do a specific story that entertains/educates readers but also achieves one of your goals/dreams? Find someone to pitch it to! Want to ride a horse on the beach in Hawaii? Figure out how to make a work trip out of it! Want to be published in a certain magazine? Take the first step of obtaining freelancer guidelines!
• DEFINE WHO YOU ARE AS A BUSINESS
The push to do.all.the.assignments. is strong when facing monthly bills or seasonal wage decreases; however, sometimes you need to say now. Revisit that list of what assignments were personally motivating or fulfilling this last year and push to find similar assignments in the next year.
Refocus your mindset toward what can set you apart as a freelancer. Is it event coverage like a rockstar? Is it a shift toward photography? Do you excel at social media marketing? Find what drives you and make that a priority in your business.
Brand yourself and your online presence with this kind of work in mind. Use this definition to set goals for the next year.
Revisiting last year’s achievements can help you identify things to let go and what to carry into a new year. This makes it easier to set goals that you can attain! Now the fun part is figuring out a goal timeline that is realistic with the pace of work you prefer or must do to make a living.
When you set your goals, make a long-term year-end goal, then make quarterly benchmarks, or heck, even monthly goals. Don’t forget to make it achievable – don’t reach for the sky every month then become overly discouraged. If you want to grow your following organically, make a monthly goal of adding 10 followers, not 100 or 1,000. If you’re looking to add clientele in another industry, add three clients in a quarter, or set the goal to have assignments accepted in three publications in six months.
Whatever you do for 2022, do it with the end goal of enjoying your work. We all want to see the equine media industry thrive, grow and endure, and that means creating top-notch content that engages, educates and entertains readers. Keep truckin’ Remuda, we are going to knock it out in 2022! —Kate