What are your goals?

[Casey H]

Write more songs
Write more songs
Write more songs
Collaborate more
Lose another 10 lbs (I lost 15 in 2010 and want to keep going)
Be more appreciative to gtrmann's wife. (Joke! Don't shoot me!)

It's hard for me to set numeric goals in terms of numbers of songs. I'm not very prolific so if I turn out even 4-5 fully produced songs, I'm making good progress.

Casey

[gtrmann]

Write more songs
Write more songs
Write more songs
Collaborate more
Lose another 10 lbs (I lost 15 in 2010 and want to keep going)
Be more appreciative to gtrmann's wife. (Joke! Don't shoot me!)

It's hard for me to set numeric goals in terms of numbers of songs. I'm not very prolific so if I turn out even 4-5 fully produced songs, I'm making good progress.

Casey

LOL.... yea, Thanks Casey.... I am a jokester also.....I won't get upset.... no shooting going on here....!!!!!
I read a book on songwriting that said I should write a song a week. That songwriting was like playing a instrument and needed to be practiced in order to be a better songwriter. That most of the songs you write will only be mediocre, but if you write a lot, the best ones will be well written because you honed your songwriting skills by writing many songs....... whew wordy.... huh

Anyway, I have gotten away from that the last year, and I personally need to set goals in numbers so I can still finish the songs when I run out of creative steam.... I can always return and rewrite if the material is stong enough..... but I want to finish them.... I have to force myself to finish most songs....

[Len911]

I'm still working on goals from about three years ago so I really don't have any new ones. If I put a time limit on achieving them, I guess they'd just be dreams.

[coachdebra]

Wow, that's great feedback, Debra! I have work to do. I have no clue what will get me there, I don't trust my own choices anymore. Uh, and I realize that's a self sustaining negative. I have sooo much work to do!!!

Remember - the goal isn't about how you're going to get there. The goal is defining specifically, where there is. So, don't try to figure out how. Just look at WHAT and WHEN. If the when is too hard, chunk it down into smaller pieces - what are the signposts on the way to the bigger THERE.

HTHs,
Debra

[coachdebra]

I'm Game....

I looked at my songs in 2011 and realized the biggest thing I could do to improve my songs, is improve my voice, my voice seemed to be the weakest link ....
I spent 2011 studying and developing my vocal skills, and working on improving my recording equipment...and not doing much songwriting...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My goals for 2012 are...

To write one song a month directed at a particular Taxi listing.... 12 songs in total

To write one song a month totally upon my muse.... 12 more songs total....

and the last thing is try and be more appreciative to my very supportive wife...

Awesome! These are pretty good. I'd just take out the "to write" because a goal is a having or being NOT a doing. And I'd add in some inspiring qualitative language.

For example -
One "Forward Quality" TAXI submission per month. (forward quality - meaning good enough to be forwarded)
One Muse-Inspired totally joyful song per month. (totally joyful could be any qualitative descriptive term that embodies the best of what you do)

Never use the word "try" in a goal! You know what Yoda says - "Do or Do Not - there is no Try!"

So, create a goal that captures the essence of the relationship you want to have with your wife (from your perspective, you can't make goals for other people).

In love with and appreciating my wife like a fine vintage wine (pick some metaphor that you find easy to love and appreciate).

HTHs,
Debra

[coachdebra]

I'm still working on goals from about three years ago so I really don't have any new ones. If I put a time limit on achieving them, I guess they'd just be dreams.

Actually by NOT putting a time limit on them, they become just dreams. My guess is that you need to make the goals smaller, more specific and more measurable. Chunk them down and achieve them one at a time.

[coachdebra]

Write more songs
Write more songs
Write more songs
Collaborate more
Lose another 10 lbs (I lost 15 in 2010 and want to keep going)
Be more appreciative to gtrmann's wife. (Joke! Don't shoot me!)

It's hard for me to set numeric goals in terms of numbers of songs. I'm not very prolific so if I turn out even 4-5 fully produced songs, I'm making good progress.

Casey

Casey, my dear, I can't tell if/when you're joking So, I'm going to give you real feedback - and you can take it as a joke, if you like

"more" is not a specific measure. There are no judgements here. Your goals are the right goals for you - so make a goal that is meaningful and achievable with how you work. (Though I liked the coaching gtrman gave you!). There's nothing wrong with a goal:
5 fully produced songs

(I would rather you pick a single number than a range, again specific is always better)

Goals about losing weight generally don't work over the long haul because they are focused on the problem. And the further you get away from the pain/problem the less you feel motivated. So make a forward focused goal about how you will look/feel in your body when you have what you want. Then the goal continues to motivate you as you work to maintain what you've achieved.

[brentmagstadt]

Great stuff, Debra - appreciate your thoughts, totally.

The 'goal-setting' resolutions have never worked for me. Musically, of course, I want 'better quality better performances better mixes better arrangements' and all that...

But a few years ago I moved to a broader approach that seemed to help. The problem I was having... was being 'busy busy busy' but not productive. Oddly, in my day job, I'm really good at efficiency (work smarter), but in my personal musical life... I tend to wander a bit. And I was finding that the things that didn't really matter were getting in my way of writing and being creative (or working on our property, spending time in my relationship, recreating in nature, etc...). So, I identified that 'busy-ness', albeit vaguely at first. And tried on a few resolutions... It's now morphed, and I just re-upped for the 3rd year in a row on this one:

"To do less each day, but more of what fulfills me."

I know I know - it contains a "do"...

The first year this resolution really took hold, and I noticed a marked increase in musical output.
The second year (2011) I fell behind and got distracted by 'tasking' (we built a new studio, nearly complete now - that's one excuse... ).

Now, I am refocusing again, and can feel the momentum, like a wave, building behind me as I put energy and focus into getting what I want (ie personal grounded-ness, happiness).

Because when I have space around me (physical, mental, emotional, etc), wow, I can really be musically productive. Anyway, any thoughts/feedback of course wildly appreciated.
-- b

[gtrmann]

I'm Game....

I looked at my songs in 2011 and realized the biggest thing I could do to improve my songs, is improve my voice, my voice seemed to be the weakest link ....
I spent 2011 studying and developing my vocal skills, and working on improving my recording equipment...and not doing much songwriting...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My goals for 2012 are...

To write one song a month directed at a particular Taxi listing.... 12 songs in total

To write one song a month totally upon my muse.... 12 more songs total....

and the last thing is try and be more appreciative to my very supportive wife...

Awesome! These are pretty good. I'd just take out the "to write" because a goal is a having or being NOT a doing. And I'd add in some inspiring qualitative language.

For example -
One "Forward Quality" TAXI submission per month. (forward quality - meaning good enough to be forwarded)
One Muse-Inspired totally joyful song per month. (totally joyful could be any qualitative descriptive term that embodies the best of what you do)

Never use the word "try" in a goal! You know what Yoda says - "Do or Do Not - there is no Try!"

So, create a goal that captures the essence of the relationship you want to have with your wife (from your perspective, you can't make goals for other people).

In love with and appreciating my wife like a fine vintage wine (pick some metaphor that you find easy to love and appreciate).

HTHs,
Debra

Thanks Coach Debra... the line you used "a goal is a having or being NOT a doing" is going to have to sink in for a while before I really get it.....

[mojobone]

I will do the thing I fear and accept the consequence.