New Year’s resolutions often ignite a spark of excitement and motivation. But as the weeks pass, life takes over, and we find ourselves swept up in daily routines.
At the start of the year, I challenged you to set dream, short-term, and process goals.
- Dream goals are the big, inspiring visions you hope to achieve.
- Short-term goals focus on what’s attainable in the next three months.
- Process goals are the small, actionable steps you can take today to move closer to your bigger vision.
For me, alongside music practice, I’ve set a dream goal of running the Detroit marathon and finishing in the top three for my age group (55–59). Whether I achieve that or not is beyond my control. What is within my control are short-term goals, like increasing my mileage by 10% each week. On an even more immediate level, there are my process goals: sticking to my training schedule, getting enough sleep, and fueling my body properly. Thankfully, I’m finding joy in the training itself—something that makes the journey all the more rewarding.
You may find that your own goals have already started to shift, and that’s okay. Goals aren’t set in stone; they’re a guide, not a rulebook. The important question is: what adjustments can you make to keep moving forward?
As you work toward your goal, try not to cling too tightly to the outcome. It might seem counterintuitive, but having goals can actually make the present moment richer. There’s a unique satisfaction in the process of working toward something meaningful. And let’s not forget—fun is never overrated.
Take a moment today to reflect on your dream, your plans, and the steps you can take right now.
Remember, you’re a musician if you play every day…
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I’m having a hard time thinking of my fiddle goals as quantifiable. Other than the number of tunes I have memorized, what can I count? I guess the speed of my vibrato? Or the speed of a tune?
How would I measure the quality of my tone? Or the use of double stops? Or my ability to improvise? Or do I just count the amount of time I spend on these things?