Happy New Year, Music-Makers!
The end or beginning of each year is the traditional time to reflect on where we are and where we want to be. Right now the internet is filled with advice on setting goals and there’s no need to duplicate those same points here.
Instead, I'd rather offer a very simplistic piece of advice to all music-makers, including myself:
Have a clear vision for your music, then align all of your efforts towards that one vision.
It's been said that most of us will overestimate what we can accomplish in the next month. At the same time, most of us will underestimate what we can accomplish in the next year.
One could argue that at the center of both scenarios is having a clear and realistic vision that guides you while setting goals and then working to achieve them.
A year ago, I posted several ways to make more music more often in the new year. I feel these are still valid; however, they are individual tasks that also need a unifying narrative that provides context to answer the basic question of "Why?"
Having a clear vision of why we want to do something can make a big difference in sustaining our motivation throughout the year.
Having a clear vision of where we want to be can help us make better decisions.
In short, aligning all of our efforts, investments—and yes—gear purchases towards a unifying vision can help us stay on course and enjoy the journey, even if the destination changes or still eludes us.
Music-making is supposed to be fun.
Yes, there's a lot of hard work involved but when you stop enjoying it all, you have to remind yourself why you're still doing it.
I'd encourage anyone to Ask the 5 Whys to identify their big picture—the true goal behind their goals. While typically a troubleshooting methodology, questioning the reasons you want something can often uncover what you're really after. Seeing clearly requires honesty, and sincerity is something we should strive for in our music.
It ought to come down to having a single priority. In fact, the plural form priorities didn't always exist—listing multiple goals as your top priority really doesn't make much sense when you think about it.
With that in mind, finish this sentence with your own singular vision for the year:
"If nothing else in 2020, my music will..."
It's different for each of us. Your musical goals will probably be different from mine but if there's anything I can offer to help you achieve them, I'd love the opportunity to work with you in getting your songs out there. Tell me about your music!
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