Setting Goals

Weekly Teaching Tip – Jan. 2, 2018
by Aimee Geddes

2018 is Here! As we get ready to help our students set and reach new goals, sometimes the process can be overwhelming. I often find myself setting a hundred goals and all the things I want to do for the year all at once. I then try to do all of them in one day, and by about noon I am so burnt out that I just want to sleep for the next three weeks. Obviously, something needs tweaking here.

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to record an audiobook for author Betsy Pake. Her book is titled “Start Small Live Big.” I had wanted to record something that would be helpful and meaningful to others as well as myself and my family and this was the answer I was searching for.

First of all the book is small! 110 pages, so you can read it fast. However, the information is so simple and clear cut that I have found myself going back to the principles again and again.

The basic idea is that you set ONE goal. (you can set several, but you go through the process for each goal separately.) Then you look at all the things you need to do to get there and you start with the SMALLEST one. The very tiniest step you can think of to get you from A to B. She calls it the C.H.A.S.E. framework.

Create (decide what you want)

Help (get any help you may need)

Acquire (get any tangible things or education you may need)

Start (you have to DO something to make it happen)

Evaluate (see how you did and adjust your course as necessary and keep going)

I have thought about how this can help my students. This can be useful for everything from working on expanding range to recording an album to getting more performing gigs. You can help them through these steps and help them set goals for themselves. Once you go through the process, you will both have a clear cut idea of exactly what you are going for and how you are going to get there.

Good luck with all the goals you set for yourself, your studio, and your students this year! I’d love to know what kinds of things you are working on and what helps you the most!

Here is the link to the book in case any of you would like to read it or listen to it:

Happy Teaching!