Dreaming Big and Coming Up Short

With 2017 just hours away, I've been reflecting on what I set out to accomplish this year, and what I ended up actually putting my time towards.

Just over a year ago, I quit my job working at an experiential design agency.

I wanted to to pursue freelance lettering and have more freedom to travel. Sounds nice, right? Without wasting any time, I immediately flew to India for a wedding, where I ended up painting my first permanent outdoor mural! It was a hopeful end to a year of hard work.

With all that energy and motivation, I charged into 2016 with some specific and measurable intentions.

1. Support my lifestyle: Generate sustainable income from freelance work.
2. Make more art: I wanted to paint 6 custom murals.
3. Share my knowledge: Consistently keep writing and teach 1 lettering workshop each quarter.

Here's the thing: I didn't actually accomplish any of those goals...

Instead, here are my top 10 highlights of what I actually did in 2016:

1. Completed 8 "one-off" client projects.
2. Did my first ever travel/on-site freelance gig for a non-profit in Detroit.
3. Put the freelance goal on hold to take an exciting full-time role at WeWork. (That was a tough decision.)
4. Went through a 12-week leadership coaching program.
5. Made a bunch of new personal artwork through Summer of Sketching and the Inktober Challenge.
6. Designed and sold 5 new physical products with my art.
7. Made a lot of new friends and deepened existing relationships, both online and through events/conferences.
8. Planned and hosted the Optimist Art Show, raising money for under-funded charities.
9. Led 2 beginner lettering workshops.
10. Fractured my leg, underwent 2 surgeries and so far recovered about 50%.

Even though I didn't reach the three goals I had set out, it was still an incredible year for me personally and professionally. Looking at the list, I'm grateful for these opportunities and the people who helped me throughout the year. I definitely couldn't have done any of these alone.

This is my first time writing an "end-of-year review" and sharing it publicly. In the past I felt like it would come off as bragging or self-serving. But I decided to share it this year to prove a point:

If you don't aim high, you won't even get close.

Yes, the title of this post is "Dreaming Big and Coming Up Short", but I learned this year that it's totally fine to come up short — It can actually be pretty damn awesome! When you take action on a big goal, you might not accomplish it, but you will most likely surpass your previous expectations and small goals.

We're imperfect and no matter how hard we try, our creative journey will not be a straight line. There will always be setbacks and unexpected turns in the road.

As for 2017, I have a lot of ideas and plans, but I hesitate to share them here before I take action. What I can tell you is that I want to make my life and work more meaningful, and be more transparent along the way. Also, I have been working to redesign and update my website, so next time you hear from me things will look a little different. Thank you for following along and I can't wait to share what's next!

What were some of your highlights from 2016 and what have you learned?

Send me an email at eric@efdotstudio.com – I'd love to hear from you!