Also in this issue:

Turning Your Goals
Into Successes

Success is often defined as the progressive realization of a worthwhile goal. I like that. If you are doing the things that are moving you toward the attainment of your goal today, then you are successful even if you are not there yet. It’s the goal that starts the whole journey (another way of saying this is, “the journey is the goal”).

An illuminating study on goal setting sponsored by the Ford Foundation found that:

• 23% of the population has no idea what they want from life and as a result they don’t have much;
• 67% of the population has a general idea of what they want but they don’t have any plans for how to get it;
• Only 10% of the population has specific, well-defined goals, but even then, 7 out of the 10 of those people reach their goals only half the time;
• The top 3%, however, achieved their goals 89% of the time – an .890 batting average!

What accounts for the dramatic difference between that top 3% and the others? Are you ready?: The top 3% wrote down their goals. Are you laughing yet? It can’t be that simple! Or can it?

Dreams and wishes are not goals until they are written as specific end results on paper. In some very real sense, writing them down materializes them. Goals have been described as “dreams with a deadline”. Written, specific goals provide direction and focus to our activities. They become a road map to follow. And the mind tends to follow what’s in front of it.

New band businesses tend to ignore the future consequences of their actions or inaction. Perhaps the most important task during the early days is to tune your attitude. Expect a positive outcome. Thicken your skin. Avoid reading evil motives into every adverse occurrence.

Notes for the Optimist

• Everything takes longer than you expect
• Everything costs more than you expect
• Plan on working hard for your dreams
• Always have a Plan B in your back pocket just in case.

Peter Spellman is Director of Career Development at Berklee College of Music, Boston. This article is from his new book, Plan Your Band!
(2007, Music Business Solutions).