Sunday, December 20, 2015

BHAG 2106

At some point in my corporate career I learned the acronym BHAG - Big Hairy Audacious Goal.

It's a ridiculous acronym but a useful concept.  A BHAG is a goal that's achievable but hard.  Reaching this goal will take work and growth.  Achieving this goal is something to be proud of and to talk about.  A lot of smaller goals tend to get accomplished in the process.

A few years ago I stopped making the mundane New Year's resolutions we all make - lose weight, work out more, clean the house, finish my UFOs, use the fabric in my stash, etc, etc.

Instead, I set a single BHAG.  Some are accomplished and some are not.  Run a half marathon - yes.  Sew with only fabrics from my stash for one year - almost but not quite.  Adopt a toddler and stay sane in the process - yes (except for the sane part).

This year my BHAG is to design and sew a modern sampler quilt.  Sounds easy but it includes a lot of little goals.  Improve my design skills.  Improve my piecing skills.  Improve my quilting.  Build my audience.  Enter some shows.  Sew something every week.

I usually create "quick quilts" so this will force me to slow down and hopefully create something special.

I've already found my fabrics and started sketching.  Starting in January I'll share 1-2 blocks a week until the final quilt is revealed at the end of the year.

Happy New Year and good luck to you in your resolutions!

Fabric for Modern Sampler 2016
I'm linked up with the planning party at Quilting Jet Girl and Val's Quilting Studio.

21 comments:

  1. Good luck with your BHAG. I look forward to seeing what you design.

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  2. I like the idea of one big goal that involves a lot of little goals in the process. Good luck with your BHAG! :)

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    1. It works for me! I used to get sad when I didn't achieve many of the goals on my resolutions list. Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Your BHAG sounds like a great idea and I'm looking forward to seeing your designs. Enjoy 2016.

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  4. Your BHAG sounds like a great idea and I'm looking forward to seeing your designs. Enjoy 2016.

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  5. What an awesome BHAG, and I love your fabric selection. I am also totally impressed with some of the BHAG's you have set and accomplished. Thank you so much for linking up!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Yvonne. And thanks for hosting the linkup.

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  6. What a great big goal! Good luck with it. I think you will not need my luck though. You sound like you are ready to go!

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    1. Thanks Lisa! I'm ready to go as soon as my guest room magically turns back to a sewing room on December 27th. Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. A BHAG sounds like fun (and work!). So much more interesting and motivating than something like 'lost weight' :) Broken into a block or two a week, it sounds like it should be manageable, too. Good luck with it.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Leanne! The lose weight resolution gets too depressing year after year so I try to do something more fun (and something that has a definite end) :)

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  8. I love your goal. (Your past goals were great, too!) The color palette you've chosen is great!

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  9. Thanks Sarah! Staring at the fabrics makes me so happy. Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. Oh Girl...I love your BHAG idea! I kinda do the same thing...instead of a list...I just choose a word that will represent and guide my growth and learning in the new year. This year it's: FABULOUS.MOre about that in January...until then, Happy Happy New Year!! V:)

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    1. I love that idea. I think my one word (two actually) would be "stay sane"! Thanks for stopping by!

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  11. Love your goal for 2016 and those you have accomplished in the past!

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  12. Great goal! I'm sure you'll learn lots of skills along the way to your goal :)

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