it's a new decade: three goals for exit343design

It’s 2020! Do you know what that means?! It is the FUTURE! Like in all the movies, 2020 was some far away year and BOOM we are here. It’s a new year, but also, depending on your math, it’s a new decade! And that’s the math I’m choosing to embrace because I like an even number. For the past couple of years, I’ve written down goals (RE: NOT resolutions, which always result in failure for me) for the new year. But this year, I kicked my goal setting up a notch!

I was introduced to Marie Forleo’s book Everything is Figureoutable at a book club I joined in 2019. Here’s the thing: I am really on the fence about Forleo. Some people think she can do no wrong, but her advice and examples in the book were very broad and full of woo woo. The book was fine, but it often read like one big promotion for her YouTube channel and other products. However, I did find some nuggets I enjoyed and overall, I like her positive outlook on life and work. Also, her blatant advertising clearly worked because I decided to check out her podcast (the recordings from her YouTube channel MarieTV), which leads me to this post!

If you haven’t taken time to reflect on your year, this exercise led by Forleo was a great break from my routine. It’s a three part video (this link takes you to the first in the series of three) and it’s basically a guided list writing exercise for reflecting on the decade. I spent maybe two hours writing lists of things from the past and for the future and boy did it feel good to get it out of my head! And I know in another ten years, it’ll be a great start for reflection.

THEN, she went and released another episode about how to actually ACHIEVE said goals (check it out here) and one big take-away I had was to WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN. Often. As often as every day. So they stay at the top of your mind as you work towards them. And that, my blog readers, is the purpose of this post. I have some creative goals I’m hoping to achieve in the next decade and I want to put them out into the world to (hopefully) increase the likelihood that they happen!

1. Create artwork for a craft beer brand.

   Untappd is one of my most-used social apps and trying new and different beers is one of my favorite activities, both at home and while traveling. So many of my favorite craft beer brands have awesome artwork (hello Neshaminy Creek, Trillium, Mikkeller, Burlington Beer Co.) and I want to create art for a company that makes customers choose their brew first. It’s the vehicle for my “art doesn’t need to be for your living room” ethos. And whoever thinks buying booze because the label is pretty isn’t a real thing is sadly mistaken.

2. Design and paint a public mural.

   I have always been attracted to murals and historic, painted signage on old buildings. It simply seems like an interesting creative and logistical challenge that could bring color and cheer to a large amount of people. It also helps that I have the perfect public space in mind that in my mind is just begging for a mural.

3. Release a line of fabric.

   Fabric has played such an important role in my life. My grandmother was a dressmaker and some of my favorite memories are from poking around the piles of fabric. My mother also sews and has her own stacks of fun fabric I have fond associations with. I think these experiences have shaped why I am so attracted to patterns and functional artwork. Rifle Paper’s line of fabric is one of my favorite contemporary examples and a benchmark for this goal.

Would you like to work together on any of these projects? You already know I do! Drop me a line here.