Don't give up - set better goals

byDeBoheme

227 followers

Updated 6 years ago

Don't give up - set better goals

Whatever your pursuit in life, it's important to set better goals and form realistic expectations and timeframes. As a vocal coach, I'm regularly tasked with helping people reach their goals, and the way I do so is by breaking down these often overreaching goals into small steps-based short term goals that form the stairway to a bigger and longer term goal.

A great example of this is when someone comes into my vocal studio with the goal of learning how to sing like Chris Cornell, who was basically the greatest Rock singer of my generation, if not all time. Now, as a low baritone singer myself, I can assure you that learning how to sing like Chris Cornell absolutely IS a possible goal, but it's honestly a DAMN hard task that takes dedication, perseverance, constant practice and is basically a full-time pursuit.

Now, for an absolute beginner, this goal of learning how to sing like Chris Cornell is seemingly out of reach, and a pipe-dream. As a voice coach, it's my job to turn this overreaching goal into smaller bite-sized chunks that makes it not only a possibility - but a reality. If I was to break down Chris Cornell's vocal range and technique into the various elements that makes up his approach, these are much easier to develop and then coordinate once they're under control. As an example, Chris Cornell sings with breath support, appoggio and vocal placement - three vocal techniques that are actually very easy to learn.

Everything in life, be it learning how to sing, starting a small business, working from home, learning how to drive - needs to be broken up into bite sized and plausible short term goals that can be ticked-off one by one towards the long term goal of success.

If you have a passion or love in love that you'd like to pursue, but it's "Just too hard" or "Just too far away" too seem like a possibility, then you're suffering from what is often called biting off more than you can chew. Now, if we alter this passion into smaller, bite sized chunks just like we did above with Chris Cornell's vocal technique - then this seeming unattainable goal will immediately become a possibility, and the steps you need to take towards living your passion will become evident soon enough.

Running a small business is much the same, as I've learned from running Bohemian Vocal Studio over the last 8+ years - If I set out from day one to be "The Guy" for rock singing lessons as I've become known, then I likely wouldn't be where I am today:

• "If you want to sing Rock or Blues, THIS is the guy (Mau, Australia)"
  
• "I feel like I'm singing better than I've ever sung in my life! (Mark, Australia)"
• "The BEST vocal coach in the world!! (Ivan, Russia)"
• "You're like the Yoda of singing - "Trust in the vowel.... mmmm?" (John, Sweden)

Now, my goal from day one was to be "The singer next door", basically, the guy who has worked it all out, but is approachable, honest, altruistic and has all the time in the world for regular guys and girls just like you and me who happen to have a passion for singing. I never wanted to be a YouTube guru or sell an expensive course - I just wanted to help people sing just like I had learned, step by step, and with short terms goals such as learning how to breathe, learning how to resonate, and learning how to increase my vocal range.

Multiple short term goals = one long term goal

Another fantastic example of setting better goals - If your passion is four-wheel-driving and offroading, and you'd like to help others appreciate and succeed in their fellow passion of wheelin', then instead of teaching them how to scale the grand canyon, perhaps the first stop should be showing them how to check coolant levels, top up their oil and ensure the right tyre pressure? Again, it's the same thing with singing - If I bludgeoned absolute beginner singers with repeated high C's just because Chris Cornell could sing them, and this was their goal, what will this achieve? Disheartenment and a feeling of failure, for both the student and myself - but if I showed them how to breathe correctly, acheive the most efficiently resonating tone and showed them the right path towards extending their high range, it's a win-win situation and will bring them much closer and in a realistic way towards their long term goals.

As you can see, setting better goals and aiming for multiple short term successes is the only road to achieving your long term goals.

Let me know your long term goals below, and how you think you can break them up into smaller and more manageable bite sized chunks and short terms goals to make your dream a true reality.