Start by thinking back over your creative journey, including the projects you completed, performances you gave, things you released, awards you won, collaborations you loved, or even the first time you tried something new. These are your milestones. Begin by writing down everything you can remember, even if it is out of order or just a rough list. Don’t worry about exact dates yet; just get it all out of your head. Once you have the list, you can start working out when everything happened. Here are some helpful ways to do that:
- Google yourself – You might find interviews, listings, reviews, articles, or event pages with dates attached.
- Check your emails – Booking confirmations, contracts, submissions, and feedback can all help place things on a timeline.
- Look through your old CVs or résumés – Past versions may remind you of jobs, roles, or gigs you’ve forgotten.
- Scroll through your social media – Posts, photos, and comments can help confirm when certain things happened.
- Browse your phone or computer gallery – Photos and videos are usually date-stamped and often linked to events.
- Search your hard drive or cloud storage – File creation/modification dates can help with projects, scripts, edits, and designs.
- Ask collaborators or friends – They might remember dates or details you don’t.
- Dig out old programs, posters, or flyers – Great for confirming dates of shows, exhibitions, or events. If you don’t have them, ask friends or family if they’ve kept any. These items are also great to scan and upload to Milestones Page, giving a visual snapshot of your achievements.
- Look up public release dates – If your work appeared on TV, those dates are often easy to find. YouTube videos show upload dates, books list publication dates on Amazon, music release dates show up on Spotify, and similar platforms do the same.
If you’re still not sure of the exact date, just estimate the month or year and tick the ‘approximately’ box. The important part is getting it close enough to tell your story. Once you start, you’ll probably remember far more than you thought.
