Have you done your annual balance yet?

​     2018 is almost over. Have you done your annual balance yet? Probably not. We are musicians we don't do these things. That's something a businessperson would do at the end of the year or some society or organization. But we..... we are artists. We tend to treat our profession more like a mission or some divine touch of destiny and forget that being a musician is like having our own business to run daily.

In order to succeed we need to know our strong and weak sides, what makes us earn something and what makes us lose. 
Wouldn't it be better to get a clear view of our achievements and fails before starting a new year? 

What should a musician put in an annual balance? 
Let's start by answering some simple questions. 

Did you have some clear goals for 2018? Did you reach them?

What has been your best investment in 2018? (It can be a video camera for making your music videos, a new metronome, a new study book, a new flute. It can be also non-material things like time to work on your tone quality or attending a masterclass)
What has been a total waste of time/money?

The most important thing you have learned in 2018?

Which person has made the greatest impact on your career in 2018?
Who has deluded you profoundly?

Which activities have been particularly successful?
Which activities have been "never again?"

Name three "victories" of 2018.

Doing an annual balance of 2018 can be a great way to prepare yourself for the next year. It might give you valuable insight into your strongest assets and indicate a path to follow in 2019!

Happy New year and have fun!