It's funny how things work.

A friend of mine recently got back from a lifechanging workshop. She is full of ambition, excitement, and new ideas. I spent some time talking with her on the phone about goals, vision, and how to grow, both personally and in business.

After I got of the phone, I started thinking about my own career, and where I want to be. Funny enough, while I know how many weddings I need to book to be financially stable, and where I'd like to be in the photography world, I never stopped to see if the two paths were the same.

Or even the same direction.

So, I'm going to take a little time and take stock of my goals.

1. Speak at the WPPI conference in 2009.
2. Be one of the top wedding photographers in the nation.
3. Get my images and articles published nationally.
4. Host my own workshops.

So, how to achieve these goals? What steps do I need to take to get there? Are they clearly defined?

#4 is easy, and done. In January, I'll be hosting a workshop focusing on using Vivitar flashes. While it's not an exotic trip to Mexico at $1000 per person, it's a start, and it's something that I'm comfortable with. Over the next several months I plan on focusing my energy into using these flashes to create very dramatic images, something that I've been playing with for years.

#3 is a bit tougher. There are literally thousands of photographers who want to be published (although for many of them, it's more of a dream, since they'll never act on this desire). To do this, I need to do three things:

1. Surround myself with people who have been published, to learn how they did it
2. Study the pictures and articles that are being published, to see what the editors are looking for
3. Submit my work to the publishers, and keep doing so until I achieve my goal.

#1 and #2 are related, yet are probably the most undefined. Who's to say when I've achieved the goal of being one of the top wedding photographers in the nation? That goal is vague at best, but there are some key things in my mind that would tell me that I've achieved this goal. Achieving the #1 is a big step. Going on forums and seeing people say "I would just die to second shoot with Shannon" is another. Having people know who I am, without me being an active member of their forum - another good one. Winning WPPI's "Photographer of the Year" - yeah, that ought to do it. (Why isn't that on my goal list? Hmmm....I need to think bigger.)

#1 is pretty achievable. First, I need to let them know I exist. This year I plan on submitting several photos for the print competition. In Las Vegas (at the WPPI convention) I'm going to go early and watch the judging. I want to know everything - what they judge on, who the judges are, what strikes them about the winners, etc. I'll be making it my passion to learn everything I can.

I also need to surround myself with those who have achieved what I aspire to be. Better to be the worst of the best, than the other way around. I need to get onto new forums, post my images for critique, and go to the workshops the big names go to. I want to learn from the best, in order to be the best.

Finally, I need to have a timeline. Obviously #1 has a deadline (by the time they decide on the speakers for the 2009 WPPI convention) but #2 and #3 could be left open - which gives me an excuse to procrastinate.

So, I declare this - by December 31, 2009 - I will have achieved all of these goals.

Does this leave me open for public failure? You bet. But I know this - by posting this publicly, it will always be in the back of my mind, every day, keeping me on track.

If you are someone that can help me achieve my goals, let me know. I need to talk to you.

Shan