FIVE STEP GOAL SETTING FORMULA

For many violinists, scheduling and planning progress can be an extreme challenge with many emotions attached.

We all have passionate dreams that we want to achieve. And you know what I say? Go for your dreams. If you are dreaming them, they are possible. If not the EXACT dream you are dreaming, something pretty darn close. HOWEVER, I’ll let you in on a little secret….dreaming doesn’t achieve goals – planing and practicing does.

This means every day. Consistency is key.

In this post, I will discuss steps you can take to start mapping out your violin journey goals with self confidence and empowerment.

Before I give you the 5 step formula, we first have to set the proper environment for the goals to be birthed.

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I may earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

1. PRESENT MOMENT REALITY CHECK

Like all things, dreams, goals, desires have starting points and that is the present moment – reality.

Reality can be difficult for some to accept – not only in a violin journey, but in life as well.  There is no need to fear reality and in all honesty, the only way to move forward is to be completely accepting of the present moment.  With this knowledge, the steps needed to climb the magic mountain can be clear.

The first step is grounded and supported in …guess what?  The present moment.

2. FIRST STEP FROM REALITY

What is the first step in a violin journey from the present moment? 

Determining if you want to take this journey alone or with a coach/instructor/teacher. Ask yourself, what would benefit your journey in your present moment? Do you need a kick in the gazoo or can you do this on your own?

(Still questioning? Write your goals down and after 1 month you have not been able to achieve your goals – it is time to call in the big guns and get a teacher/coach or enroll in an Online Violin Education E-Course.)

So, the first step may be finding someone who has taken the path you want to take and just happen to be on the other side so they can help guide you where you want to go.

The first step may be finding your leader. Once you have determined if you need a guide or not (perhaps you already have one,) the next step is to explore a healthy way to achieve your goals.

3. TIME FRAME FORMULA

How is it possible to determine a time frame for a violin project or violin goals?
A simple formula: ability + time = possibilities.

Most of the time, it takes a coach, teacher, instructor, professor that has taken the journey and knows the path, the time to get from point A to point B to determine the correct answer for the above equation.

As an instructor, I have the responsibility to present the reality of the situation and the steps to connect the dots from point A to point B.

AND it takes a trusting student to believe in the answer given.

4. PROPER MINDSET

In this day and age, everything is so immediate.

  • Learn the 3 simple steps to (insert anything)
  • Discover the 3 secrets of (insert anything)
  • Boost your metabolism in 30 days

People are almost obsessed with an immediate outcome. Even better, an outcome that can be determined after a certain amount of time or effort has been put into the project.

Is it possible to have this same mind set in a violin journey? 

Many aspects of the violin journey are quite nebulous.

  • When will up bow staccato mastered? After how many hours?
  • When will the perfect spiccato be developed? After how many hours?
  • When will the Tchaikovsky violin concerto be conquered? After how many years?
  • When will success come to me on the violin journey? After how many lessons?
  • When will there be a return on investment?

FIVE STEP GOAL SETTING FORMULA FOR YOUR VIOLIN JOURNEY

  • KNOW YOUR BIG WHY FOR EACH GOAL

    After writing down your specific goals, know why you want to achieve them. For example,

    up bow staccato…technique needed for Hora Staccato which is a piece on your want to learn repertoire.

    Your big why for up bow staccato – to play Hora Staccato.

  • CREATE A STEP BY STEP PLAN FOR EACH GOAL

    Make it actionable and measurable.

    Schedule specific practice times in your calendar and schedule in your road map your desired goals.

  • IDENTIFY FEARS SURROUNDING EACH GOAL

    Perhaps you know you need to master fifth position but don’t have a clue how and hate to play out of tune notes.

    Overcome the fear with education. Education melts all freak out moments or FOMs.

    Check out Online Violin Education Courses and/or books to correspond with all your goals and get working.

  • MAP OUT YOUR VIOLIN JOURNEY

    Start mapping out your new found goals – label long term or short term. Break down longer term goals into bite size chunks and schedule in monthly and yearly planning.

    Need more guidance in this department? You will LOVE Violin Journey Yearly Mapping, a must have and do course for all violinists.

  • REVIEW YOUR GOALS REGULARLY

    Once your goals are set in your calendar for the month and/or year, it is hard NOT to do them right? Personally, I am a calendar girl. Schedule it and it happens. Set aside time every month to review your goals. At the end of the month, declare your goals for the next month and schedule it in…

Hold yourself accountable! Declare your goals in the comments below.

Happy Magical Practices,

Heather Kaye

Violinist

Heather is a classically trained concert violinist performing with the Yambol Chamber Orchestra, Bulgaria. She received her BM violin performance degree from CU-Boulder, studied with top teachers including Rachel Barton Pine. Heather has held leadership positions with multiple orchestras in the Greater Chicago-Milwaukee area. She has instructed millions of violinists globally via Youtube videos, online academies, group coaching and one on one sessions. Heather’s students have won multiple awards, concerto competitions, held concertmaster positions in orchestras and even performed in Carnegie Hall. Heather is an advocate of a holistic violin lifestyle – putting one’s mind, body and spirit as a violin journey priority.

4 replies
  1. Marikoli
    Marikoli says:

    Awesome article!! I love organizing too! Whenever I make a schedule or list of what I have to do or want to do, I do so much more and do it faster than without a schedule. This of course also applies to learning the violin. I like to work with monthly goals because long-time goals are harder to set since I don’t know how much time everything takes to learn (as you mention in your post, only a teacher knows).

    I really like what you say about the BIG WHY. My goals for this month are working on vibrato and positions because that’s what I need to play my new piece. I’ve noticed that this is indeed a very good motivation to work hard on the technical exercises.

    Reply
      • CYNTHIA ARDEN
        CYNTHIA ARDEN says:

        My goal for this month involves a performance w/ Fullscore Chamber Orchestra on Feb 18 of Mendelsohn’s Italian Symphony. There are many notes and many passages to master and relearn. Many days I begin at the end of the symphony and work my way from the back pages to the beginning. This is one of my favorite works. Cynthia Arden, US violinist hard at work.

        Reply

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