It's great to be totally self-reliant when it comes to achieving our goals.
That works fine if your goal is fixing a healthy breakfast every morning. Here's my healthy breakfast: frozen blueberries, plain yogurt, flax seed, homemade granola. Stir it all up. Yum. My other healthy breakfast is steel cut oats cooked with frozen blueberries, cinnamon, ginger, walnuts, then top with flax seed, margerine, brown sugar, and soy milk. Again, yum.
However, if your goal is more elaborate, it is wonderful to have support from others who are working toward a similar goal, or who are just committed to supporting each other.
In a sneaky way, this is what, say, a model railroad club is: a group of people who get together to share and support each other in a hobby, whose unstated goals are setting up a cool model railroad, learning how to put up neat little model buildings and trees, and probably how to avoid getting your spouse exasperated at how much room your hobby takes up. Okay, I'm guessing here, as I've never been in a model railroad club. But you get the point. We just don't usually think of these things as "support groups" with "goals". We think of them as fun. Hobbies.
So why shouldn't you have at least that much support for your creative goals?
Writer's groups are legend. People get together, exchange manuscripts, get critiqued, revise, and send out their work with the goal of getting published. Great idea!
Ever heard of a Painter's group? Well, I haven't, but there's certainly no reason there couldn't be one. If you can't find one in your area, maybe you should start one!
I ran into a woman the other day who was in a Piano club. Every week or so they get together in each other's homes and play the pieces they have been practicing. Outside of being in a local symphony, I'd never heard of folks doing that. Great idea!
Maybe you know just one other person committed to the same goal you're committed to. That's fine also. Working with a buddy is a great way to get support for your goals.
You'd think that family would be a great place to get support. Oddly enough, unless you have an extremely enlightened family, it may not be. Family members tend to have a lot of dynamics going on that may interfere with their ability to support you, and they may think that it is okay to speak to someone they have known so long in a way that they never would speak to strangers. Ouch!
Coaching groups are another great way to find support, as coaches can act as impartial guides to keep group interactions supportive and productive. Coaches also add perspective and experience, and keep the group on track.
One important part of finding a good support network is finding a safe environment. If you don't leave feeling energized and creatively affirmed, find another place to get support. If you dread getting together, and feel resistence, find another place to get support.
Your support network should lift you up, not keep you grounded. Your support group should focus on action, and moving forward, not staying in the same stuck place -- you can do that on your own!
There are plenty of places to find like-minded people: on the internet, on bookstore bulletin boards, in library newsletters. If you don't find what you want, take up the mantle and post the group meeting yourself at a library, coffee shop, or bookstore. There are plenty of safe public places to meet. See who shows up!
Don't be afraid to set up some ground rules to promote kindness and support within the group.
Reaching out to find like-minded others for support is a great way to find traveling companions on your journey to achieving your goal!