Going after your dreams is never easy. In fact, at times, it can seem almost impossible. Between all the music lessons, practice sessions and new songs, any musician (no matter how great) is bound to get burnt out at one time or another. When those hard times hit and your musical dreams seem more out of reach than ever, don’t give up! Instead, try one of the motivational tips below to help you stay focused and stick with it!
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
When you have a big dream like being a professional musician, it’s easy to get bogged down in the small, everyday details and lose sight of what you’re really working for. To ensure you don’t get discouraged and give up on music altogether, you’ll need to keep your eyes on the prize. That means daily visualizing you reaching your goal. You might want to spend time each day reflecting on your music dreams or writing down why you want to accomplish them. It’s important to find a way to keep your goals in mind everyday to remind yourself why you started and to never give up.
Make It Fun
One of the simplest yet often overlooked motivational tips is to keep it fun. If your routine is boring, you’ll be less motivated to stick with it. The key then is to make the process enjoyable! Try spicing up your routine by incorporating a little fun into it. For some people that might mean taking frequent music lessons, hosting jam sessions with fellow musicians, performing at local venues in Scottsdale and Phoenix, or maybe even practicing in a new space.
Reward Yourself
There’s a reason “work hard, play hard” is a saying…because it works. If you’re consistently putting in the work, perfecting the recommendations from your music lessons instructor and giving it your all at practices, then you deserve to reward yourself! Adding in little treats for yourself along the way will give you something to look forward to and help you stay motivated when times are tough. But don’t get in the habit of rewarding yourself too often…save the rewards for when you reach major milestones.
Mix It Up
It’s important to realize that your journey to reach your dreams doesn’t have to be a straight line. In fact, for most musicians, it’ll be full of twists and turns and maybe even some steps backward. At moments when you feel like your progress is stalled or your musical aspirations are out of reach, try changing up your approach. There’s no “right way” to reach a goal, so if something isn’t working for you or you feel unmotivated, try doing something different.
Whatever you decide to do, just remember to not give up! Motivation may come and go, but if you give it your all, you’ll achieve your music goals sooner than you think! And remember, if you ever need a few words of encouragement along the way or want to talk to professional musicians who can give you extra motivational tips, stop by Scottsdale Music Academy or sign up for one of our many music lessons!