1. Your Long-Term Goals
Where do you ultimately want to end up as a songwriter? Do you want to be regarded as a master someday? Do you want to write a song for a particular artist to sing? Do you want to tour the country playing your own songs for hungry audiences? Or do you simply want to record a high-quality album of original songs from your own home?
List some ideas out in your practice journal.
2. Your Short-Term Goals (and misc. things to work on)
Now make another list in your practice journal: shorter-term goals and projects.
Is there a particular song you’d like to learn how to play? Do you need to get better at reading music notation? Would you like a better understanding of music theory? Do you need to learn more chord forms? Do you want to hire a music teacher? These kinds of projects should move you closer to your bigger-picture, long-term goals.
3. Your Next Move
Choose one short-term goal to take on right away and determine the next step toward that goal. Do you need to search the web for teachers in your area? Take a book down off the shelf and open it to Chapter 1? Do you need to order a music theory text?
Review your long- and short-term goals often, and especially when you’re uncertain of what to work on next. Even your biggest ambitions can be broken down this way into smaller projects with manageable steps.