How To Write A Good Goal Question

First off, I'm not claiming expertise on this concept of question writing, but I believe I have a good foundation to give you more than enough to start with.

For 3 years I conducted interviews in my art group, Visual Sanctuary. I tested and re-tested certain types of questions. Some questions required broad answers and some specific. Some questions required most of an evening to unravel and others were just redundant.

The process of writing a good question is more of a one-two punch with refining over an exact science. Little in life is actually an exact science.

I turned the question asking process of interviewers on myself after I read Zig Ziglar's Biscuits, fleas, and pump handles. It was liberating.

Advice-issuing friends and family often press you to state your goals in a nice squared-off corner response, but people who are not systematically wired just get frustrated with that.

Instead of getting caught up in the have-to's of goal writing, just ask a question about where you want to go.

Goal setting questions must:

• Always start with who you are
• Always start with where you are
• Always start with what your passions are
• Always start with what you want to accomplish

• Always maintain an element of uncertainty
• Always seek something beyond your current situation
• Always be flexible with on-coming circumstances
• Always involve you in a story you find interesting

You can answer these eight criteria in one or two simple questions, but probably not the first time you try. Be gracious with yourself and take the time necessary.

For the record, it took several dozen business, art, and career books to get me to this point. The process took over 5 years (half the time from college to the present) to discover how to do this.

You must be at a point in your life that you desire more than your current situation to be successful at this process. Without that passion driving you, failure will frequently snuff out your flame.

Simple Questions

Simple Questions Detail

In my lifetime of experience of creating art, leading artists, teaching art, and soon to be a seller of art and art services I have found one profound activity that keeps me going: Simple Questions.

Postcard Painting Class

Is Higher Learning Enough?

You know as well as I do that we are confronted with many contradictory circumstances throughout our lives. Many of which we have no prior experience in. 

Our struggles handling these circumstances after we graduate from formal education merit this question almost always: Is higher learning enough?

Is higher learning enough?

I started my college education my junior year of high school through a credits-in-escrow program through my college, which was 15 minutes away from home.

I envied those who got ahead in life. 

Truly college education should be desired.  It meant a thorough career in your area of study. It meant that my creative dreams would come true. But I did not see the danger in this way of thinking until later. I simply bought what society sold without questions. Now I am learning the other side.

My dreams of accomplishment in art had little to do with a college education, but some of the experiences could not have happened anywhere else.

Within the academic system

Here you will see some brief observations of the best of what academia has to offer. Most of my examples come from college, but could also come from primary and secondary education. There is often little difference in format these days.

1. Teachers who are knowledgeable about the subject/topic that they teach
2. Students from a variety of backgrounds
3. Potential for one-on-one tutoring as a part of the system
4. Liberal arts help you have a broader scope of learning
5. Isolated learning experience
6. Great social melting pot
7. Higher potential for achievement
8. Ability to work with other students and be exposed to their learning styles and experiences

Workforce training

Post graduation from high school or college you have to learn a lot of things. 

Most of which you cannot learn under your parents or even independently in a college experience. A majority of these can be learned inside of the academic system, but I would argue that it is neither encouraged nor ideal to do so during that time. Some people get both worlds at once, but many still do not.

1. Interviewing skills
2. Money management
3. Networking
4. How to adjust to demands of different jobs
5. Empowerment to pursue your great dreams
6. How to quit in the right context
7. How to plan for the future
8. Change and growth is inevitable
9. Personal habits can cause conflicts
10. Quality of life matters more than quantity of experiences
11. Relationships are often the difference between success or failure
12. Control over certain variables in life makes life easier
13. You cannot control everything

By following these links: Quitter by Jon Acuff and The Dip by Seth Godin, you will learn about alternative ways of thinking about your career. Both of these books provide a framework for personal challenges in pursuing a different careers. 

Important Formation

Rock Formation, detail

At the end of the summer of 2005 I considered my dreams smashed and my life more or less a failure. I had to scramble to find somewhere to live and look for a job, again. Life was spelled RISK.

For months I walked to my new job in a call center dreaming of the country air and the mysterious forests. I dreamed of autonomy, trust, and creativity. All of which seemed to be robbed from me after the end of my summer camp job. I wanted to go back every day for almost 2 full years. Then the dreaming started to fade.

My life became a navel staring contest with those just as depressed as myself who longed for more than what a stable 9-5 job meant. The loss of confidence in what I was capable of was deteriorated by what I thought I could be based on my circumstances.

This was true in regard to my career, but God started a new work on me shortly thereafter. He gave me a comic project that has almost directly coincided with leadership in the arts ministry. The important formation began at that time and has continued to grow my hope and smash my fears.


This weekend my new found hope in my calling was changed by a self-initiated trip to Hock Hills in Southern Ohio. There, I explored and found a new site and a picture of my future. RISK now gives way to ADVENTURE. Out of this trip I saw the possibility of what life can become. I am not always directed by the winds of other people's choices. Rather I have freedom to pursue the adventures that I deem worthy. And out of this freedom will I venture into new mistories and experience life as God intends.

Click here to see the full sized image: Rock Formation

Resetting The Trajectory

Over 2 months ago my roommates and I had a dispute with our landlords about their new surprise policy which was presented at the time wished to consider renewing our lease. A red flag rose when they were unwilling or unable to explain this policy, which had very severe consequences for us if we complied. We were dumbfounded as five year renters. In a sudden trump of our bargaining ability they decided that they should kick us out. They gave us the month of May.

This was the studio space set-up at the townhouse.

On the very same day that their surprise decision to kick us out happened, God vindicated us. He provided another residence to rent. Surprising me that it was through someone I know and had built a friendship with. God also worked out all of the moving logistics almost as quickly. Needless to say we are still unpacking and adjusting.

I had goals and plans and thought that the transition would be much easier. The thing is about moving, whether its 2 miles away or 200 miles away you still have to adjust. You have to relearn how to move about in your new space. You may have to formulate new ways to get things done. If you are closer to work or further away, you have to reset travel time, food arrangements and so on. Your life is one big reset and it is exciting. But it is also hard.

My new creative space is in our basement. Suprising, we have more space and will set up library soon.

The one lesson that I have learned is that moving is an opportunity. It simplifies life for a while. It also makes you think and act differently. New behaviors can be good. The new behaviors can be directed and serve a purpose. I learned a lot about forethought and clutter reduction. All things necessary to being a more productive and profitable artist.

For the time, while I'm resetting the trajectory of my life blog posts may be sparse. My new posting schedule will be unhatched soon, but for now I have got to shake out my priorities and prepare for the next big shift in my life...Business!