Goals...? Like soccer?

Let's just go ahead and step past all the mumbo-jumbo of trying to define goals and talk about how we could possibly apply them to our lives. I'm going to claim that we all have things we've got to do. Whether you're a college student and you have got to study in order to keep your GPA above a 3.5 to keep your parents happy, or an athlete who's got to hit the gym for hours a day in order to stay fit and well equiped to excell in your sport. But in my case, I'm a musician. I have got to spend enough time practicing, and practicing well to become the most talented I can be. Because the sad truth is that there are other people out there, even some of my friends, who are competing for the same jobs as me. And in a world where jobs in music industry are becoming increasingly rare the standard of music educators is being raised higher and higher by the moment. So how do I ensure that I will succeed in this industry? I have to set goals. The goals start small, as in what am I going to do this week to better my musicianship? I have to hit the practice rooms, three hours a day six days a week. At the least. I have to nail my etudes and studies for my lesson instructors in order to move on to the next step in my learning. Sometimes, this means waking up at unmentionable hours in order to get to the practice room with a decent amount of time to dig into my music. I personally set my alarm for six a.m. I like to get up early and read while enjoying a cup of coffee. Waking at this hour ensures that I can enjoy my morning while managing to spend a good hour in the practice room before my 9 a.m. class to start putting music uncer my hands early. I personally find this goal to be quite attainable. My alarm requires a math problem to shut it off so I am woken up quite well and im quickly ready to start my day. Then in the long term I have goals of making it into a drum corps for at least one season so that I am really allowed the oppurtunity to dig in and become a better musician. That all starts with basic practice in order to hone my technique and become more adept at my instrument. But setting goals and keeping myself accountable to these goals will ensure my success.