It’s almost the end of March. You may or may not have already forgotten your New Year’s Resolutions at this point, and the pressure is on to make the best of 2023. But how?
Goal setting is so helpful in life and career, but it can be hard to bring those goals to fruition without a game plan. Here are some tips for knocking those goals out of the park, and making 2023 one of your best years yet!
Make a list
What do you do when you’ve got a million ideas swirling around in your head? Are you the type of person who says to yourself, “I’ll remember that later?” Or, are you the type of person who needs to make a note of it immediately, knowing full well that you’re going to forget about it if you don’t (and then you end up with notes in miscellaneous files on your phone, or sticky notes covering your desk)?
Whether you’re the former or the latter, get a list—one list—going where you can keep track of all of the goals you want to accomplish this year. Oftentimes, being able to see your goals on paper and having them organized in one place can give you a better sense of how to go about accomplishing them, and can be enough to help keep you on track.
Break larger goals into smaller goals
Other times, after you make your list, even looking at it can be overwhelming. You might wonder how you’re going to get everything done — especially if it’s a long list, or the things on that list seem unattainable at the moment.
For the goals that seem impossible right now — or at least, those that you can’t accomplish in one day — break those down. Instead of just focusing on something big like, “Become famous by the end of 2023,” think of all the things you can do to work toward that very ambitious (but very awesome) goal. If you just think about that one gigantic goal, you will likely get overwhelmed — and stay overwhelmed — remaining stagnant and frustrated that you’re not getting any closer to your end game.
So, break it down to give yourself a guide. List all of the smaller, shorter-term goals that you can work toward and that you can accomplish in a day, week, or month. Those will serve as the mile markers on the way to your finish line.
Maybe that means releasing one song a month. So, write down your ideal release dates for your next three singles. Or, maybe you feel that your songwriting needs improvement, so make it a point to attend one songwriting workshop a week. Maybe you want to improve your marketing, which might mean signing up for that free workshop that you’ve always meant to take, but have never gotten around to.
All of a sudden, that big goal doesn’t seem so daunting now, does it?
Reward yourself
It’s a big deal when you achieve a goal, no matter how large or small it may seem to you. Besides that, though, doesn’t it feel out of this world when you can put a check mark next to something that you’ve had on your list forever?
Attaining those little wins will help keep you motivated and serve as reminders that, while you might not wake up famous tomorrow (or achieve whatever big goal you’ve set for yourself this year), you are continuing to inch closer to making your dreams a reality.
How do you celebrate those wins? Take yourself out for a coffee, watch a new episode of your favorite TV show, read the next chapter in that book that’s been sitting on your nightstand for months, or go out for dinner or drinks with a friend. Do anything that makes you feel good, because when you feel good, you want to keep up that momentum.
Rely on your network
In this business, your network is one of your most valuable assets for so many reasons. Not only can it lead you to new opportunities, but it is also an incredible support system to rely upon, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. Your family, friends, and mentors all help form your network, and each of them has a different perspective to offer. And usually, most of them are happy to help, whether they lend you a shoulder to cry on, can offer wise advice, or connect you to someone else who can help you reach the next level in your career.
Your network can also keep you accountable, encourage you when you feel like giving up, and push you back on course when you start losing sight of why you’re doing what you’re doing. Make good use of this resource; however, it’s important to note that if someone makes the effort to support you when you ask for help, don’t forget to return the favor!
While we’re about to cross one quarter of 2023 off the calendar, there’s still plenty of time to make things happen. These simple tips are sure to keep you on track, focused, and ready to conquer.
Erica D’Aurora is the Founder of Gioia Communications, a boutique music PR agency centered on highlighting what makes you, you, bringing buzz to your latest releases and projects through targeted, personalized press campaigns and materials. Gioia Communications’ services include professional biography writing, press release writing, securing interview opportunities and features, and more, always remaining focused on the artist, the music, and the stories behind them.
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