Why set New Year’s resolutions (plus top tips for musicians)?
Setting goals can be helpful for focus, but it can also put pressure on you. Here’s some advice on navigating New Year’s resolutions in a way that serves you as an aritst.
The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on your career and think about the things you’d like to achieve moving forward. But, it’s easy to set unrealistic New Year’s resolutions that lead to stress and too much pressure, which can be counterproductive in the end.
This guide features practical advice that should help you to set considered resolutions that will propel your music career forward without things getting unmanageable.
Why bother with New Year’s resolutions?
New Year’s resolutions – they’re not for everyone.
Plenty of people believe that setting resolutions at the start of the year only sets you up for failure, leading to frustration, regret, and downheartedness twelve months later. Some people prefer to set “intentions” rather than resolutions, meaning you don’t necessarily fail or miss a target. How you view New Year’s resolutions is a personal choice, and certainly not prescriptive.
That said, goal-setting is a useful practice for thinking through what things you’d like to achieve and how you might go about doing that. For independent musicians seeking to grow their career, this practice can be very helpful for creating a sense of direction and knowing where to prioritise your energy. Resolutions also create a sense of accountability – you can share your plans with others if this helps you stay on track even more. Setting goals and resolutions also encourages personal and professional growth, which is what New Year’s resolutions are all about, right?
Tips for setting achievable New Year’s resolutions
It’s tempting to get excited and set a bunch of goals that might see you reinvent yourself and become some over-idealised imaginary figure. This, if you needed telling, is a bad idea. It won’t be long before you feel overwhelmed, disappointed, leading you to give up completely.
It’s crucial to be strategic when setting goals so you can actually stick to them. Here are some tips:
Make your goals SMART
Used regularly in business and marketing, SMART goals allow you to set realistically achievable goals with trackable progress. SMART stands for:
- Specific: Be clear about what you want to achieve. Instead of saying, “I want to improve my music,” say, “I want to release one single by June.”
- Measurable: Add metrics to track your progress.
- Achievable: Set realistic goals based on your current situation.
- Relevant: Focus on what aligns with your career aspirations
- Time-focussed: Set deadlines to maintain momentum
Break goals into smaller steps
Larger goals can easily feel overwhelming. To avoid this, break them into smaller and more manageable chunks. This allows you to enjoy to dopamine hit of ticking off each of the steps, knowing you’re moving steadily towards ticking off your overall goals. Here’s an example:
Goal: Release an EP.
Steps: Write four songs → Book studio time → Finalise arrangements → Record and mix → Release.
Focus on what you can control
While some goals do rely on external factors (e.g. gaining a specific number of Instagram followers), try to prioritise objectives that depend on your own efforts. These could be things like improving your songwriting skills, or increasing the amount of content you create.
Focusing predominantly on goals within your control enables you to stay in the driving seat. This can help maintain motivation, build confidence, aid the development of consistent habits, and enables you to adapt to challenges or changing situations.
Balance personal and professional goals
A healthy work life balance is vital for maintaining creativity and wellbeing. Personal goals, like prioritising your mental health more or improving fitness levels can actually help you achieve your professional goals. Just be careful not to overload yourself with goals and added pressures. Personal and professional goals should go hand-in-hand, helping one another to be achieved.
New Year’s resolution ideas for independent musicians
If you like the idea of setting yourself a goal or resolution but you’re not completely sure where to start, here are some ideas that you could try.
Improve your craft
- Learn a new instrument
- Practice singing or playing your instrument daily
- Experiment with new genres or styles
Build your audience
- Post consistently on social media platforms
- Engage with fans by responding to comments and messages
- Set a goal for growing your mailing list or followers
Release more music
- Plan to release singles, an EP, or an album
- Submit your music to playlists or blogs
- Experiment with live performances or virtual gigs
Increase your knowledge
- Take online courses in music production or marketing
- Read books or articles about the music business
- Network with other musicians or industry professionals
Improve your workflow
- Organise your studio or workspace
- Create a content calendar for your social media posts
- Schedule dedicated time for songwriting and recording
How to stay on track with your goals
Even with the best intentions, losing momentum can be difficult to avoid. Here are some pointers to help you stay motivated and committed to your New Year’s resolutions.
- Track your progress: Regularly evaluate how you’re doing. Use tools like journals, apps, or spreadsheets to monitor your achievements and adjust your approach if needed.
- Celebrate milestones: Acknowledge your successes, no matter how small. Celebrating wins boosts motivation and confidence.
- Be kind to yourself: Progress isn’t always linear, and setbacks are normal. Instead of giving up, reassess your strategy and keep moving forward.
Summing up
The start of a new year is a powerful opportunity to reflect, refocus, and set meaningful goals for your music career. By creating thoughtful resolutions and focusing on what you can control, you’ll be better equipped to make consistent progress and adapt to challenges along the way.
Remember, success doesn’t happen overnight – it’s built through small, deliberate steps. Whether you’re improving your craft, growing your audience, or planning your next release, the key is to stay committed and celebrate every milestone, no matter how small.
What will your resolutions be for 2025? Share your goals and connect with other independent musicians for inspiration and support.