Stop setting goals. Do this instead.

Hey there friend!

Happy New Year! Did you survive the holidays and now contemplating how are you going to attack this new year?

Every January, the internet explodes with goal-setting advice.

Set your revenue goals. Map out your launch calendar. Plan your content. Build your funnel. Create your vision board.

And look, I'm not anti-goals. I have them and you should have them, too.

But here's what nobody's telling you: goals without positioning are just expensive wishes.

You can set a goal to make $150k this year. You can write it down, put it on your vision board, tell all your friends.

But if you're still positioned as "a designer who does branding, websites, and social media for small businesses," you're not going to hit that goal. You're going to spend the entire year hustling for $2,500 projects and wondering why you're exhausted.

The problem isn't your work ethic. It's your positioning.

Most creatives set goals like this:

"I want to make $150k this year."

"I want to work with better clients."

"I want to raise my rates."

Cool. But HOW?

If you don't fix your positioning first, none of that happens. You just spend another year working harder for the same results.

Here's what to do instead:

Before you set any revenue goals, get clear on these three things:

1. Who you serve (and who you don't)

Not "small businesses." Not "entrepreneurs." Not "anyone who needs design."

Get specific. AI artists launching their first collection? E-commerce brands doing $500k-$2M in revenue? Tech startups raising their Series A?

The more specific you are, the easier it is to attract premium clients who already understand your value.

2. What transformation you deliver

You're not selling design. You're not selling branding. You're selling a specific outcome.

Are you helping AI artists position themselves as legitimate creatives so they can charge gallery prices? Are you helping e-commerce brands increase conversions by 40% through strategic design? Are you helping tech startups look credible enough to close funding rounds?

Name the transformation. Own it. Make it so clear that when someone hears it, they either say "that's exactly what I need" or "that's not for me."

3. Why you're the obvious choice

What makes you different from every other creative offering similar services?

Maybe you've worked with 50+ AI artists and you understand the unique positioning challenges they face.

Maybe you have a proprietary framework that consistently delivers results.

Maybe you've been in their shoes and you know exactly what it takes to level up.

Whatever it is, own it. Lead with it. Make it impossible for your ideal client to choose anyone else.

Once you have those three things clear, THEN you can set goals.

Because now your goals aren't just numbers on a page. They're backed by a strategy.

You're not hoping to hit $150k. You're closing 10 clients at $15k each because you've positioned yourself as the specialist who delivers a specific transformation to a specific audience.

You're not trying to "work with better clients." You're attracting premium clients who already see your value because your positioning speaks directly to them.

You're not struggling to raise your rates. You're charging what you're worth because you've clarified exactly what you deliver and why you're the best at it.

So here's your action step for this week:

Before you finalize any 2026 goals, get clear on your positioning.

Who do you serve? What transformation do you deliver? Why are you the obvious choice?

Answer those three questions with brutal clarity. Then build your goals around that foundation.

And if you're stuck on any of those questions, that's exactly what I help creatives figure out. Because clarity isn't optional. It's the difference between another year of hustling and a year of commanding premium rates.

Here's to getting clear and getting paid.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Jen
Premium Business Strategist for Creative Entrepreneurs
Speaker at Cre8tive Con 2026 | Chicago
Author of 4-time award-winning “The Creative Code: A Creative Professional’s Way to Happiness, Wealth and Joy"