I first picked up a guitar when I was fifteen years old, but I practiced and played only sporadically for ten years.
When I look back on that period, frankly I don’t know what I did with all that time. I could be much, much more skilled than I am now—and I could have easily recorded at least three respectable albums by this time. I’ve lived well below my potential.
I’m lucky, because a quick rate of learning has saved me from mediocrity. But talent is worth little unless it’s developed. Relating to the story of the tortoise and the hare, I’ve been the hare, complete with long, luxurious naps.
Before we go further, let’s get one thing clear:
Focus is a Verb
It’s not a noun, and it’s not some fuzzy quality that you inherit at birth. Some people find it easy to focus, and I envy them for that. It’s never been one of my talents. I have to remind myself of this constantly:
To focus is to set a goal, then put in whatever work is necessary to make that goal a reality.
Simple, right? But most people never take the time to think about how they’re spending their lives (or their practice sessions). And many of us find it easier to generate a dozen exciting possibilities than to follow through on any one of those twelve grand visions. They all seem so attractive, and doesn’t choosing one mean abandoning the others?
No. It doesn’t.
Don’t get hung up on the dilemma of which direction is right for you. I’ve spent years in Limbo, paralyzed and unable to commit to any one musical direction for fear of it being somehow wrong. What have I been thinking? With the time I spent deliberating, I could have explored each whim to a respectable depth. I take Sudo’s words to heart here:
“Do not analyze things to death. Sometimes the best strategy is ‘Ready, fire, aim.’ Do it first, then make adjustments. The answer lies in action—not in words.”
-Quote From Zen Guitar
How to Choose Clear, Achievable Goals
Do you want to be a great jazz improviser? A stellar lyric writer? A riveting performer? Do you want to release an album by the end of the year? Maybe you just want to know how to tune your guitar by nightfall.
Whether it’s a short, medium, or long-term goal, merely wanting something doesn’t bring it to your doorstep. Good intentions will take you nowhere without bold action.
In this article, blogger Steve Pavlina offers some great tips for setting goals. Check them out:
1. Define Goals in Binary Terms.
Make your goals clear and measurable. If your goal is “to read sheet music faster,” your goal isn’t easily measurable. How fast is “faster”?
For clarity, you could resolve to learn ten new songs from sheet music, or do note-reading exercises every day for a certain number of days. You’d definitely be a faster reader by the end of that period, and it’s much easier to evaluate your own progress (you’ve either learned the songs or you haven’t).
It’s much easier to hold yourself to a quantitative goal.
2. Be Detailed.
Use specific dates, times, and desired results—be as detailed as possible. This is a resolution! If your written goal statement is loose and vague, your results will be similarly weak. Giving yourself a deadline can help motivate you to meet your quotas.
3. Commit Goals to Writing
Pavlina has some great thoughts on how this is best done:
Goals must be in writing in the form of positive, present-tense, personal affirmations. A goal that is not committed to writing is just a fantasy. Set goals for what you want, not for what you don’t want. Your subconscious mind can lock onto a clearly defined goal only if the goal is defined in positive terms. If you put your focus on what you don’t want instead of what you do, you’re likely to attract exactly what it is you’re trying to avoid. Phrase your goals as if they are already achieved. Instead of saying, “I will earn $30,000 this year,” phrase it in the present tense: “I earn $30,000 this year.” If you phrase your goals in future terms, you are sending a message to your subconscious mind to forever keep that outcome in the future, just beyond your grasp. Avoid wishy-washy words like “probably,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “might,” or “may” when forming your goals. Such words foster doubt as to whether you can really achieve what you are after. And finally, make your goals personal. You cannot set goals for other people, such as, “A publisher will publish my software by the end of the year.” Phrase it like this instead: “I sign a North American retail publishing contract this year that earns me at least $50,000 by the end of the year.”
You can find the original article here.
Now Read Your Goal at Least Once Daily.
If you’ve given yourself a clear, measurable goal and a deadline for completion, and written it down, congratulations! You’ve come farther already than many do in a lifetime.
The only remaining thing to do is to leave this goal wherever you’ll see it every day. Read it carefully, word for word, at least once daily to reinforce it. This constant recitation will help you stay on course and help you deter distractions.
It may also help to share your ambitions with somebody close to you so that they can help keep you accountable. I did this by announcing my 42 Days of Object Writing project, and this blog is solely responsible for keeping me on top of that. If you’d like me to help keep you on track, please e-mail me.
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Part 4 is coming tomorrow. Hey, I’ve got an idea! Wouldn’t it be fun to subscribe? 😉
[…] learned that I don’t like to structure my daily schedule too rigidly, I do need at least a few clearly stated, measurable goals, both long-term and short-term, to keep me on track. Otherwise, it’s way too easy to fill up an […]