Musical New Year's Resolutions

So, how are you New Year's resolutions coming along? Are you having any luck keeping up your renewed commitment to your goals? This year I decided I needed to focus on having consistent music practice and taking my vitamin everyday. Neither one of them being very easy because I struggle with consistency. To help keep me focused I write in my calendar each day that I spend time at the piano and take my vitamin. So far it seems to be working. I have been able to boost my practice time to at least 4 times a week minimum. I have still missed a few days taking my vitamin but I am determined to keep at it.

The start of the New Year is a great time to reevaluate your life and create goals for yourself but it shouldn't be the only time. I regularly reassess my priorities and goals and decide what steps I need to take to make them a reality. Every six months or so seems to work for me. I keep a running list all year long of things that I want to accomplish. Not everything on that list will ever get done but you shouldn't expect that of yourself. It's just to unrealistic. A few examples on my list are to have a successful music studio, become a certified United Methodist church musician, regularly lead Taizė worship and workshops and be a full time church musician. I then list under each category what smaller things need to be completed before that goal is realized. Last year I got closer to finishing my certification by signing up to take my last class and I created the Raytown-Kansas City Community Taizė group at my church for regular Taizė worship opportunities in our area to fulfill my goal to lead Taizė worship.

I encourage all my students to find out what their goals are for study so that we can work together to bring them closer to those goals. Don't be afraid to start out small. Some people pick a specific song they would like to play or exercise they want to master. Others want to be more confident singing in the church choir or in front of people. If you are looking for more resolution ideas for musicians I would check out New Year's Resolutions for Musicians at About.com. So what are your goals for 2009? How are you making them a reality?