Day after day we tell ourselves that tomorrow we will take the next step to reaching our goals. We continuously pace back in forth in our mind, juggling tasks, making promises; encouraging ourselves to progress. Yet and still, we look back year after year only to discover that what have achieved is nothing much to speak of. Many of us think that our accomplishments will come to us magically over time. The successful members of our industry have realized that in order to truly move forward, something has to be done every day.
Music biz entrepreneur, Derek Sivers, creator of CD Baby, said this week that true goals live in the present. If you feel as if there is something that you would love to do, but have never gotten around to it, that probably means it's not a good goal at all. Instead we should contemplate what we really want to achieve and restate our goals into something that forces us to begin working on it immediately.
As a recording artist it is important to know what goals need attention and strive daily to achieve some variation of these milestones. Here are seven suggestions you may use to move forward in your musical career, one day at a time.
Monday - The official start of the work week. Whether you are a singer or a bass player; use this day to jump start the week ahead. A musician's primary job is to play great music, so take this day to PRACTICE your craft. Daily repetitive action is the only way to get better. Starting this ritual at the beginning of the week will allow you to move on to Tuesday, guilt free, with a clear direction on what you need to accomplish in the week ahead.
Tuesday - Now that you have settled into the week with diligent practice, today is a perfect day to revisit your PLAN. Decide on what actions will be most beneficial at this point in your career and rework a plan on how you will enthusiastically address each goal.
Wednesday - The week is in full swing and most of your business contacts are ready and willing to talk to you by Wednesday. Use this day to get on the old horn and MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS to your targeted contacts. Determine which market you will hit, grab the contact names and phone numbers of the Publicists, Program Directors, DJ's, Club Owners and Distributors off the net and go to town. Imagine after a full month of this practice how many return calls and potential leads you will receive.
Thursday - As the weekend approaches, this day is an excellent opportunity to send as many EMAILs as possible. Develop your own press list of blogs, magazines and newspapers and ask that they review your latest single. Use the first few weeks to do your research on the appropriate writers and editors and their submission process. Once you prepare your press kit (Bio, One Sheet, Press Pics and MP3's) and press list, this process will get increasingly easier.
Friday - Now that the weekend is here and most of your fans are checking the web for something to do, today is the right time to UPDATE YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK PROFILES. Add new music, pictures or news about your band to ensure that every time your fans look you up, there is something new to see. There is nothing worse that clicking on a link of a band you love, only to see that they haven't updated their profile since Christmas.
Saturday - Most people are off of work and looking to have a good time. Scout out bars in your local area that support live music and approach them about playing at their venue. Although you may have to perform for a few beers at first, PLAYING OUT as much as possible will provide a connection to your fans that cannot be achieved in any other way. Take this day to capitalize on your market and give the greatest show of your life. Your fans will go back to work or school talking about your excellent performance, and that's the best marketing that you can ask for.
Sunday - You cannot remain at your very best unless you REST. Why not fall in line with the majority of your fans and use this day to rest and reflect on the week that's past? Sit on the couch and think about the things that went well, as well as what you will like to change about your strategies in the week ahead. Take in a movie or hang out with friends, because after all, these off days with the people we love is a large part of what inspires us to continue striving towards our goals, day in and day out.
Kevin English is a marketer and student of the arts, who blogs about the skills and strategies necessary to get the most of your musical career at http://eleetmusic.com or on Twitter @eleetmusic.