How to take your musical career to the next level

Feel like you're getting stuck with your progress in your instrument?

Feel like you can't get any further?

Feel like giving up?

These are all normal responses to increasing difficulty on the piano or whatever instrument you play.

However, read this article and you will not be so concerned about your progress

Setting Goals

In order to progress to your next level whatever level that will be. Be it beginner all the way up to doing your DipABRSM. Goal setting is important.

An interesting article I saw available at positivepsychology.com says that a study done by 2 psychologists in 1990 called Latham and Locke came up with 5 needs for goal setting

Goal 1 - You have to set clear long-term and short-term goals for you music career.

Goal 2 - You have to have challenging goals as if they are not difficult then you will not progress at the rate which you could've done

Goal 3 - Be committed to the goal. If you don't commit yourself with time and energy into a task then you will not accomplish the goal as well as you could've done.

Goal 4 - Receiving feedback from a teacher or mentor will help you shape your goals.

Goal 5 - You must create complex short-term goals so that you can meet your long-term goal.

Long-Term Goals

Decide what level you want to achieve.

Be specific, committed throughout and look for feedback

It could be completing your grade 5.

Or it could be being a music teacher

Short term Goals

Decide how you're going to achieve that level through complex, clear and challenging goals.

For example if your goal was to do grade 5 a short term goal could be to learn the first 2 lines of your grade 5 piece one hand at a time in 1 week.

Or if your goal was to be a music teacher. What qualifications, experience and values would you have to show through career to get to that point.