Story: Reflect 2020
The rest of 2020 is only 1 week. The temperature has gone down to 0° this week. Traffic is relatively quiet. I feel that many people are taking a holiday off. Real winter has come in January through March.
At first, I checked the 2019 Year in Review. Then, I reminded myself of what I wanted to accomplish in 2020. In the end, I make a plan in 2021.
How and Why You Should Give Yourself a Year-end Review by FastCompany
What were three highs and three lows? This is where you start taking inventory and building awareness.
Highs:
– Developed brand identity and brand guidelines which I can proud of
– Started to use Upwork platform under the COVID-19 and reached 10K(almost)
– Kept learning, improved knowledge/skills as a freelance graphic/web designer
Lows:
– Project acquisition, pricing
– Networking
– Profit
What enabled or motivated you to reach those highs, and how did you successfully move through the lows?
Highs:
– Appreciation to every coincident opportunity
– Passion for work
– People’s advice, we should improve at least 1mm every day
Lows:
– Pricing → Propose a flexible price range
– Networking → Send 5 messages per day
– Attend an online meetup
What worked and didn’t work? In other words, what do you need to do more or less of?
Worked:
– Writing a blog has a value both knowledge/learning and SEO
– Develop social proof, Focused on the quality of work rather than a profit
Did not Work:
– Increasing profit, need to apply more projects
– SEO, still working with freelancer
– Instagram engaging, still learning
– YouTube, it means uploading the website video, not talk something
What stressed you out the most, and how could you navigate it better?
– Feedback, back and forth after agreement(not constructive)
– Networking, no local meetup since April
– No travel in the year
And, most important, what were you most grateful for in 2020, and how can you take that into 2021?
– Branding project
– Collaboration with programmer in the world
– Received inquiries from company/people which I have never met before
I realized that my goal is too small. Doing what I love actually drags me a real. I don’t have a clear answer for it. Creativity may solve it, but I am not sure. At least, I have to think big. Then, I will think about how to get there.
Summary in 2020
I checked a picture on my iPhone. I had attended a Toastmasters meeting, CreativeMornings Vancouver Chapter, and a local meetup consistently. I had no hesitation in meeting people and talk with people who have never met before.
Since mid-March 2020, society has changed. I want to think it’s just long term suspension.
I could not expect to generate a new project through meetup, reference and networking. Therefore, I have started to use Upwork. In the beginning, I could not get a response from a client even I had the confidence to achieve their requirement. My profile was not good enough.
In March, I could get a branding(brand identity and brand guidelines) project and it was meaningful work for me in 2020.
Portfolio: Brand Guidelines for ONE EIGHTY° – 180°
At the end of April, I got a Webflow project from a local customer. He found me on Google, “Webflow, Vancouver”. He really wanted to use Webflow, very specifically.
I installed interaction which WordPress cannot do without JS. I collaborated with a programmer to develop calculation pages. Google shows that It is used for the target audience now.
In June, I worked with Takeya Sushi Japanese restaurant which is opened in 2001, 2 decades ago. Literally, Takeya Sushi is already a successful restaurant in the competitive food/restaurant industry. Even I didn’t help to develop a new website, Takeya Sushi was great.
Takeya Sushi has a website. I don’t know how much it was active on a previous website. I installed Google Analytics and checked a report after renewal. The website is very active, over 15K in a month. I can see where a target audience comes from and how they use a website. I was surprised by the impact of the current delivery service, Doordash, SkipTheDishes or Foodora, how they have changed consumer behavior.
An own online ordering system will be installed in January 2021. I look forward to looking at the impact on their business.
In October, I worked with Breakaway Community Services which is a non-profit organization, based in Toronto, ON. I developed a brand identity and brand guidelines. After that, I could contribute to creating a new website.
This is an ideal situation for the project. Through the branding process, I already learned the organization and creating a direction. Therefore, I don’t have to submit additional ideas for the website.
The process was not as smooth as I thought. I will improve it in 2021.
Smart goals review in 2020
Specific:
– Receive project inquiries through the website. Develop a new website once in 2 months.
→ Archived. (included UX contribution project)
– Build an E-commerce site by the end of September 2020. Promote products through digital marketing for 3 months, late-2020.
→ Failed, the only idea I have.
– Prioritize what I do daily, an important subject first. what action will contribute to achieving these goals.
→ N/A
Measurable:
– LinkedIn network 86 to 150
→ 100
– Facebook followers 8,189 to 12,500
→ 10202
– Instagram followers 159 to 300
→ 161
– Tweets 54 to 300
→ Inactive
– Divide the yearly goals into monthly, weekly and daily numbers.
→ Failed. I even don’t remember those numbers.
Achievable:
– Achieving these goals are challenging, but it’s not impossible.
→ Yes, not impossible.
– Should keep in mind why I do it.
→ This is important.
Realistic:
– Attend a meetup activity for improving communication skills. Keep an open mind, ask good questions and be a listener.
→ I could not attend a meetup in 2020. I am less curious about online meetups.
Time-Based:
– Within 2020. The measure (reflect) the process daily and achievement every three months.
→ Failed. I have to use Notion efficiently.
– Develop how to remind these goals daily.
→ Yes, it’s a Notion.
Smart goals in 2021
©Brian Tracy: 5 Goal Setting Tips For 2021
Specific:
– Develop a new website once in 2 months, at least 6/year
– Build an E-commerce website by the end of 2021.
– Reach 30K on Upwork by the end of 2021.
I should prioritize what I do daily. How to increase profit, does my action relate to increasing profit or not.
Measurable:
– LinkedIn, network 100 to 150
– Facebook, followers 10202 to 12,500
– Instagram, followers 161 to 1000
– Tweet, 100 quotes per year
– Behance, views 1000 to 2000
– Dribbble, experiment for design practice
– YouTube, upload a screen record
I can divide the yearly goals into every 3 months.
Achievable:
– Achieving these goals are challenging, especially LinkedIn, but it’s not impossible.
– Should keep in mind why I do it.
Realistic:
– Send 5 comments/messages through social media every day. Make a system to develop a habit.
Time-Based:
– In 2021
Conclusion: Keep optimistic to the future and focus on present
On December 25th, 2020, the news told that many people are returning to their hometown even the authority does not recommend gathering this winter. COVID-19 has occupied in 2020. It will be continued to 2021. I don’t think about it too much. I cannot do for it anything. So, I do what I can do now.
I was excited SpaceX project and the presidential election, speech in 2020. I missed meeting people beyond nationality. This is my life purpose. I hope that a new normal life will have come shortly.
Top 5 lists in 2021:
– Develop a sustainable product
– Develop an eCommerce website
– Reach 1,000 followers on Instagram
– 2,000 views on Behance
– Reach 30K on Upwork
Reference:
McKinsey: 2020 year in review – Highlights from our publishing
Time: 2020 – The Year in Review
Y Combinator: 2020 – Year in Review
