One of the biggest challenges composers and entrepreneurs struggle with is defining if they're "doing enough" while pursuing their goals.
An example of this came up last week with my Pro Group student, Joe.
Joe's a talented music educator, composer, and jazz musician - as well as an awesome human being.
He joined the Pro Group to figure out exactly how he wants composing to fit into his professional and personal life, and to develop a longterm strategy to help him get there.
That week, Joe had just finished a cross-country move and was understandably stressed about keeping up with those goals.
When we chatted, he identified three things he wanted to accomplish in the short term:
1. 🎷 Consistently play live gigs
2. 🎶 Consistently have his music played
3. ✍️ Write as much music as possible
These are some great goals.
But...
There were a few problems that were contributing to his feeling of "never enough".
Can you spot them?
The first problem was his goals weren't quantifiable.
• How regularly is "consistent"?
• How often is "as much as possible?"
Without a measurable quantity, it's no surprise that Joe felt insatiable with his efforts.
And the second problem was that Joe's goals weren't actually in his control.
Let me explain.
Joe can't influence how many gigs are available, or if the venue will let him play his music, or if he'll have "as much time as possible" to write music.
Which means...
Joe was leaving his sense of personal accomplishment up to immeasurable outcomes and circumstances outside of his control.
So...
Together, Joe and I changed his goals to be both quantifiable and fully within his control.
That might look something like this:
1. 📞 Reach out to a live venue once a week
2. 📲 Share my work online twice a month
3. 🌙 Spend 30 minutes per night composing
Do you see the difference?
Now...
Joe's goals are measurable and 100% actionable.
With these goals, he's got a clear, practically BINARY view on whether he's on track.
Instead of asking "Have I done enough?"
Joe can simply ask:
"Did I do what I said I was going to do?"
And this simple shift has a massive impact on your sense of fulfillment as you pursue your longterm goals.
(Need help with accomplishing your longterm goals with more confidence and ease? Book a call and let's chat.)
👋 Want to work with me?
I've got two courses...
- 🎻 Orchestral Mockup Fundamentals. Learn how to program and perform realistic orchestral mockups in minutes with my no-fluff, 3-hour crash course.
- 🎬 Composing Career Bootcamp. Join 100+ students from around the world who are using my 6-week program to land paid work in film, animation, and games. (Or try my free 4-part masterclass before deciding to enroll.)
And two ways we can work together...
- 🚀 The Pro Group. I help composers grow their businesses and do more of what they love. If you're ready to work closely with me, book a call and let's chat about your goals to determine if we're a great fit.
- 🎶 Commission Music. I'm accepting new clients for commissioned composing work. If you like my music and want to discuss working together on a project, hit reply to this email or click the link and let's chat.
That's all for now!
Hit reply to share thoughts or say hi.
Otherwise, happy music-making and see you next time. 🙂
- Zach
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