Setting attainable goals
Practice goals are personal and changeable. And yet without them, one could meander for years, never really getting anywhere.
Setting goals is important, but setting attainable goals is crucial.
As you consider setting practice goals, allow me to share with you the guidance I give my full-time students.
1) Consider attainability
Aim for an attainable goal!
Sixty minutes, six days a week isn’t very feasible.
Set a goal you can consistently reach.
Examples: 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week; or 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week.
If you’re a beginner, I recommend no less than twenty minutes, 3 – 4 days a week in order for you to steadily progress.
2) Consider your level
As you advance to harder material, so your amount of practice may need to advance. Remember, you have more control over your progress than anyone else!
3) Consider consistency
Spreading 2 hours of practice over 3 – 5 days is immensely more profitable than cramming it into one afternoon with no practice the rest of the week.
4) Consider flexibility
As you move through the seasons of life, be flexible about your goals. If you’re working 50 hours a week on a project, feel free to adjust your expectations for practice that week.
If you have an infant at home, expect less practice for a while.
What you don’t want to do is stay in a no-practice mode.
I hope these tips are helpful as you establish and tweak a practice goal.
I admire your dedication to and vision of becoming a church pianist.