When you’re writing a new song, poem or whatever – Do you know always what for you’re writing ? With this I mean do you have a specific project and the following usage of your work planned in advance?
You probably know the feeling when you decide that no matter of what, you’re going to write or make a song right now and see what happens. Without any plans, projects or anything in mind. Just write music for the sake of it. In my experience that’s usually a pretty good for an outcome that’s fresh and relaxed.
Btw, if you’re just starting out songwriting I’m writing a comprehensive blog post serie about songwriting 101 for beginners. Check it you and let me hear your thoughts!
I don’t talk only about music. This blog turned out to be about songwriting even though I didn’t plan it. In fact I didn’t plan to start a blog either. I just started a music project called Ghosts Welcome.
As an answer for the first question, do I have a plan when I’m making music – I don’t, or at least lately it’s been this way. I believe it’s the main reason everything has been going so smoothly lately.
There are good and bad goals
Though same time I have to note that this doesn’t mean there’s no goals. Goals guide action and without goals I don’t get anything ready, ever. But maybe that’s a bit different thing. You can have goals without them limiting your creativity.
For years I followed very common route in where you write songs, rehearse, record and go out playing shows – and then repeat. Everything was very goal oriented and I got stuff done. Though I didin’t really know why I did it.
So I got bored since there was no room for trying new things. There was no time since I had too strict goals. It was about progressing and going further without really knowing why.
So I decided to stop and started to focus more on things I find interesting currently without any plans for a while.
It was an easy change for me since I’m not doing this full-time for my living. I do data analysis and stuff related to it for living. I’ve been blogging about data analysis a little bit here as well. This one is about Spotify API data and songwriting analysis.
It was a good choice. I think this blog and everything around it is kind of a study break. I started to think about productivity and songwriting in general instead of trying to repeat the loop I was running with my other music projects.
So I believe it’s important to have goals but only when you know why you’re aiming towards them. Bad goals can ruin a lot and make your songwriting and other creative work really hard.
Further reading about goal setting for yourself
Here’s few inspiring articles related to goals and motivation. This stuff works for songwriting as well when you put some time to think this through yourself.
What do you think?
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