Setting SMART Singing Goals

You’ve heard that goal setting can be a game-changer for singing practice…

… but how can you be sure that you are setting appropriate goals?

We can use the acronym SMART to help!

S is for SPECIFIC

A vague goal - such as “improve my singing” - won’t help anyone! Make sure you get granular. Especially if setting a task for a singular practice session. The more specific, the better.

Make sure your goal is narrow and detailed.

M is for MEASURABLE

How can we know when a goal is achieved if it’s not measurable in some way? It might be learning a specific number of songs. It might be getting through the phrase cleanly every time.

Make sure you can measure the outcome of your goal.

A is for ACHIEVEABLE

It can be nice to set goals that challenge us to work a little harder, but if a goal isn’t achievable it’ll end up lessening motivation and negatively impacting confidence.

Make sure your goals can be reached.

R is for RELEVANT

Goals have to be aligned to your reasons for singing and overall desires. If you want to be a singer-songwriter and you love performing in a highly creative, riff-filled way, perhaps a goal to learn 15 cover songs exactly as the original artists performed them is perhaps not the right direction.

Make sure the goal you choose makes sense for you, and feeds into your larger goals.

T is for TIME-BOUND

Setting deadlines is vital for the achieving of goals, whether they are short-term (one singing session) or longer-term (months, or even years). Having goals that are time-bound can increase motivation and help with prioritisation of tasks.

Make sure your goals have specific durations or deadlines.

For goal-setting and singing practice tips you can follow me on social media @TessaSmithMusic, or explore thesingersguide.com where there are resources all about optimising your singing practice.