All of us prefer to set targets heading into a brand new 12 months – it’s a pure factor. I additionally know that each one of us songwriters are dreamers and dreamers don’t are likely to assume when it comes to limitations. We dream large. However generally dreaming large set’s us up for some fairly large disappointments. In teaching songwriters each week it often comes up ultimately that this enterprise is…exhausting!
Small BItes
What I counsel to my purchasers is to assume when it comes to attainable targets. Small bites to get them the place they wanna go. The purpose is to consider your targets as “subsequent steps”. Might the objective in 2019 be to co-write extra? Make higher demos? Write three killer songs and create an internet site the place folks can uncover you? Create a community and get your songs in entrance of the powers that be? Make journeys to a significant music metropolis? Join a workshop? Study a brand new instrument? These are all viable, doable, attainable targets.
Songwriting as a profession is a marathon, not a dash. You’re on this for the long term and together with gathering all of the data you may, you want affirmation alongside the way in which and attaining targets is a good way to really feel such as you’re nearer to that large objective.
2 Duties
I’ve two issues I ask my songwriting purchasers to do and each could be good instruments so that you can take into account heading right into a model new 12 months. The primary can be to reply these 5 questions:
-
What do I need?
-
Why do I need it?
-
How will I get there?
-
What instruments will I would like?
-
The place am I now?
Your solutions can shine a light-weight in your targets and get you fascinated about subsequent steps.
The second activity can be to give you a brief mission assertion. You’ve seen or heard these for firms. Life Is Good has a easy one: “To unfold the facility of optimism.” Warby Parker, the eyeglass firm, has this one: “To supply designer eyewear at a revolutionary worth, whereas main the way in which for socially aware companies.” You’re not a enterprise however take into consideration your targets as a songwriter. They’re not simple to write down, however the extra you may outline and distill simply who you’re as a author and your targets, the higher selections you are likely to make. While you write this take into consideration your passions. What drives you to write down songs? Your mission assertion wants to incorporate the issues that fireplace you up. A mission assertion is a good way to place these passions into phrases and phrases into motion for 2019.
Track Journey
On a private be aware I’ve all the time wished to write down a e book and 2018 was lastly the 12 months to do it. The e book is named Track Journey and has moved on to the structure and canopy design stage with a launch in April 2019. In working with my writer, a few of the greatest recommendation I acquired was to not be intimidated by the quantity of writing concerned however to consider it in phrases like “writing 250 phrases a day.” The e book ended up being round 44,000 phrases and if I had centered on that quantity as a substitute of the extra attainable chapter-by-chapter concept, I feel I might have misplaced my thoughts. Small bites. Big objective . . . attained.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and an incredible new 12 months!
Mark Cawley
Nashville, Tennessee
Picture: Shutterstock
I used to be happy to be voted the #four Songwriting weblog worldwide just lately. Test it out right here.
if you would like to remain up with iDoCoach together with receiving the most recent blogs and my favourite 7 Toolbox suggestions right here ya go!
http://idocoach.com/email-newsletter
I am at present teaching writers worldwide, on-line, one on one and taking new purchasers for 2019. Go to my web site for more information www.idocoach.com or write to me at mark@idocoach.com
Try this interview on this version of M Music and Musicians Journal for tales behind a number of of my songs!