What is your long term goal with music? That’s the question people have been asking me recently. Well simply put in the long term I have no goals.
Firstly why do we make long term goals in the first place? The obvious answer is that you want to attain a certain amount of success. Well why do you want to that? Will it make you fulfilled, more worthy or happier? Setting goals where the outcome is outside of your control (even if it’s within your influence) can be dangerous.
Sometimes when we chase goals we sacrifice almost everything to achieve it. When I was working on my EP, it was the only thing I was thinking about. I stopped exercising and meditating. My mental and physical health declined. Creating is a means of expression. When I attached my creation to success it contaminated its authenticity. It’s was no longer enjoyable. Music started to become a burden.
What happens when we do achieve those goals? The pleasure is often short lived and doesn’t give the happiness we thought it would. So if we don’t have goals, what should we do? A while ago I stumbled across a video titled “How to be happy” by life coach Damien Diecke. There were two things that stood out from his talk. 1) The pleasure should come from the pursuit not the attainment 2) Don’t have long term goals, have DIRECTIONS and very short term goals (only looking weeks into the future). What is meant by directions? Where do you see your life moving towards? Do you like adventure? Do you like to perform? In the next two weeks make a list of actions that move you towards your direction.
You might have been asked the question where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years time? Can you honestly say you are in the place right now you thought you would be 5 years ago? Sometimes we can over commit to long term goals even when life might be moving us towards a different path.
I don’t want to get this confused with not working hard. As I creator I have fallen into the trap of sacrificing my happiness in the pursuit of some sort of validation. Just remember your peace of mind is more important than any amount of success. Do what makes you happy, take a break or change your path when life is urging you to do so.