What's the plan?

Welcome (back), everyone! 

    Two years ago, in my first blog of the school year, I explored the difference between goals and dreams, as I heard them discussed in a conference by voice pedagogue Matt Edwards (he later wrote about the same topic on his own blog). As we get started in the semester, I encourage you to read (or reread) both blogs, although the main idea can probably be summarized by this quote:

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”  ―Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

    To learn more about how to develop useful plans, I presented some guidelines in the first blog of last school year about how to set meaningful, achievable goals from author, professor, and vocologist Lynn Helding. In her chapter of the book Your Voice: An Inside View by Scott McCoy, she advocates four parameters to consider when setting goals: 

1. Goals should be specific and not too general

2. Goals should be written down (not just kept in mind)

3. Goals should be challenging and not too easy

4. For every goal, you should be able to answer, "How am I going to reach that goal?"

    In Prof. Helding's new book, The Musician's Mind: Teaching, Learning, and Performance in the Age of Brain Science, she adds some additional points to consider: 

    Who is the goal-setter? Since self-motivation is the most effective form of motivation, you should be the one who decides what your goals are. You may get good suggestions from your teachers, your peers, or your family, but you are most likely to work diligently toward your goals if you are the one who ultimately decides what those goals will be. 

    Goals must be valued by the goal-setter. This is closely connected to the previous point. If I set a goal for you, but you are not particularly interested in that goal, it will probably not lead to the greatest results. This is all the more reason why you have to be the one to set your own goals and why they should be goals in which you're truly invested. 

    There must be both short-term and long-term goals. This relates to the goals-versus-dreams discussion. "I want to have a successful career on Broadway" is such a long-term goal as to really be more of a dream, mostly because there are so many steps between where you are now and finally reaching that goal. But, if you want to make it a goal, consider breaking it into shorter-term goals: I'll audition for every university show our program offers. I'll audition for every musical Pioneer Theatre Company produces during my time in school. I'll audition for professional summer stock theaters the summers after my sophomore, junior, and senior years. After I graduate, I'll start auditioning for non-Equity tours and for regional Equity theaters. Then I'll start auditioning for Equity tours and for Broadway productions. 

    Of course, that's not the only path to take in order to achieve success in this field. But, by breaking the long-term goal down into steps, you have given yourself regular benchmarks to achieve, which can motivate you to continue progressing. Notice also that I stated these goals as "I'll audition" instead of "I'll be cast." That's because you have no control over whether you will be cast in a production other than to be as prepared as possible. But you can control how many auditions you attend, which increases the chances that you will book a show. 

    But let's not worry about shows just yet. Let's focus on developing your vocal skills this semester and this year. 

    For this first blog, I'd like everyone to share one shorter-term goal (something to achieve over the first few weeks or the first half of the semester) and one longer-term goal (something you're setting out to achieve by the end of the school year). And, as Prof. Helding advocates, make the goals specific, make them challenging but achievable, and identify at least one tactic you will use to complete each goal. 

    I'm really thrilled to be back in session and am so ready to have a great year. Let's get to work.

Now go practice. 

“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” – Barry Finlay