Can you maintain your 'Music Career' resolutions for 2006?

Hi there,

As it's the beginning of a New Year, it felt an appropriate time to ask you, what are your musical career goals or aspirations for 2006?

A number of my clients have shared with me their New Year resolutions, but have also told me that they don't know how long they will be able to keep them up, as in previous years they have maybe lasted a day, a week or couple of months before admitting defeat.

After a little probing on my part, I discovered that for the most part my clients didn't really know why they were setting themselves their resolutions or goals! To give you a flavour of their resolutions they included personal goals such as: losing weight, getting fit, seeing their family more often, (all things they find difficult whilst working in the music industry). Others had more music career based goals such as: rehearsing more often, getting more gigs, marketing their band, gaining more confidence in performing, not letting the media get to them, finding more time to write songs.

So, is it important to know why you are setting yourself a goal? You bet! If you know what you will ultimately gain from achieving a goal, it will help to keep you on track.

Using the goal 'finding more time to write songs' as an example, take a look at the following steps to help you set yourself goals (writing your responses to each step may help you):

1. How would you want it to be different? Describe to yourself or even imagine what it would be like for you if you had the time to write songs. E.g. How you would take time each day/week to write material for lyrics, music etc.

2. What would be the ultimate benefits to you? If you had the time to write songs, what would you gain from this? E.g. it would: release your creativity; provide you with enough material to record a further album; get that next number 1 single down on paper; provide you with the confidence that you can still write despite being so busy; make you feel happy.

3. What can you do to achieve this goal? Take a look at what you can do to make your goal a reality. E.g. Check out your music career schedule to see if there are any gaps that could be filled with your creative writing; start scheduling you personal time to make sure that you spend an hour each day on this goal.

Try not to make excuses as to why you can't do things at this point - just make a list as to what you can do! Having made this list then decide exactly what you will do to make this goal a reality.

4. When do you want this goal to be achieved by? This will depend on the goal. But it is important that you set yourself a realistic 'achieve by' date. E.g. By the end of this week you want to be writing creatively each day. However do make this 'achieve by' date realistic within the constraints or demands that you live with in your music career or life.

5. How will you know when you have achieved this goal? It is important for you to keep a check on how you're progressing with your goals. If you find that at your 'achieve by' date you have achieved your goal and that it's working well for you - that's fab!

However if you find that at the end of the week you are only writing creatively every other day, then ask yourself: Does this still give you the ultimate benefits that you wanted? Are you pleased with what you are achieving? Is writing creatively every other day more realistic for you? If so, keep going with this - it works for you!

6. What if you are not achieving your goals at all? At this point you need to ask yourself a series of questions: How badly do you really want to achieve this goal? Are the ultimate benefits really worth gaining for you? What can you do differently that will enable you to achieve this goal? Having answered these questions, revisit steps 1 to 6 once more.

If you are currently finding it difficult to keep to your music career resolutions, I may be able to help you. Just send me an email to request a free consultation and let me know what you are looking to achieve with your music career resolutions or goals.

So, are you maintaining your music career resolutions for 2006?

With very best wishes,

Bravura Group
helping you brave the music industry

http://www.bravura-group.com

t: 01246 231 249 / 0845 456 460
e: lindsey@bravura-group.com

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I work with signed and unsigned artists and personnel working in the Music Industry who want to become more productive, creative and ultimately more successful in their music careers, whilst enjoying a more enriched, fulfilling and balanced personal life.

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