Rock n’ Goals for the New Year

04 Jan Rock n’ Goals for the New Year

by Marisa Torrieri Bloom

Resolutions, for me, are a thing of my pre-kid ’20s. I’d make sweeping declarations, like “I’m going to lose 10 pounds” or “I’m going to play piano” as if they were easy feats, only to find that the post-holiday afterglow waned within the first few days of January.

Today, having had two kids, I’ve learned that big, sweeping resolutions are super unrealistic.

What’s worked better: Small goals, like committing to playing 10 minutes of guitar per day, every day, except on vacations. I did this in 2019. In 2020, my goal was to play 12 shows in one year. This was a big goal, considering the last time I played regularly with a band was in 2011. But in spite of Covid, I did it!

[SEE REALATED: Why Goals Work Better than Resolutions!]

The secret? Setting a tiny, manageable goal.

I haven’t quite figured out what my rockin’ goal is this year, but I have a few candidates (I’ll pick one by week’s end, I promise). Here they are:

1. Read 1-2 rock memoirs, cover to cover;
2. Play music for 15 minutes per day;
3. Record a solo EP (3-5 songs);
4. Record an EP with my band by year’s end;
5. Write one new song every month;
6. Learn to play 12 hair metal songs, solos included;
7. Play 6 in-person gigs;
8. Record an album with my sons from my home studio.

Thoughts? Which one is best for me? Are any of these goals shared by you?

Marisa Torrieri Bloom is the founder and editor of Rockmommy.