More and more we are encouraged to take charge and be proactive in our career pursuits. In fact that approach applies to the pursuit of just about everything you want out of life, even to the point of developing proactive contingency plans for addressing the unexpected.
A clearly defined proactive approach for achieving success requires you to engage in planning, take action as planned, assess the results, and then repeat the process in taking the next step or steps.
It’s like having a road map or treasure map to track your mileage and keep you focused, as you move closer to your ultimate goals for success.
Voice = Product = Action Plan
If you’re a singer, singer-songwriter, singing musician or musical theatre performer, you need to view your gift as a business venture. In order to be seen and heard and to generate gigs, it requires an effective strategic plan of action.
The same conceptual approach applies if you’re pursuing a voice-driven career as a motivational speaker, a broadcast journalist, or a radio personality – any career pursuit will benefit from this proactive approach.
It even applies to those seeking advancement through talent competitions and pageants as part of their strategy for building a career in the public arena.
Group Support
Much of the success you achieve will be generated by guidance and advice you receive from those you include in your support group, mastermind group, and the circles of connection you create through networking.
Brett’s Training
The ongoing support and training you receive through Brett Manning’s programs, such as Singing Success and Mastering Mix, as well as through sessions booked with Brett’s certified associates, helps you to achieve competitive levels of integrity and viability in your performance, while maintaining optimum vocal health.
Mastermind + Mentors
Your mastermind group is made up of a handful of likeminded people that meet at least once a month to share ideas, table strategies for success, as well as review goals and challenges. The group also scrutinizes any personal issues that are impacting career performance and potential.
Your mentors can also serve as advisors who can provide valuable feedback on choices that drive your planning.
Get Started
To get started, you need to assess where you currently stand in terms of your strengths and weaknesses. This should be evaluated in terms of product development – in other words – your voice. Consider any additional training that’s needed.
Assess Needs
You want to consider any issues with image and additional training to build confidence. This might mean an investment in live performance study through some of Tom Jackson’s programs and boot camps. You might consider taking acting classes, dance instruction, and even yoga or a martial arts discipline to help with focus.
Strengths – Weaknesses – Deficits
You need to assess your level and breadth of knowledge of the music business, entertainment industry, or whatever area of focus that applies to your voice-driven career. You want to identify strengths, weaknesses, and deficits here so that you can then target areas for development.
Networking and building your circles of connection is also part of your ongoing proactive planning process. There are opportunities to find guest speakers and gain insightful input that can be further examined and developed through your mastermind group.
Fiscal Flexibility
You also need to get a realistic, detailed read on your finances or fiscal flexibility. Look into opportunities for investors and backing in addition to any income you generate through employment, odd jobs, and your paying gigs. Consider opportunities to build your savings and generate more revenue.
Three Questions
In evaluating each of these areas you need to ask these simple questions: where do I stand now? Where do I want to be or what do I want to achieve? How do I get there?
Then, you further assess the plan by assigning tasks to those you know whose expertise can help you achieve specific career objectives. These might be people that are linked to artist management, image issues, public relations, or content development.
Adjust As Needed
Once you identify what you want to achieve and mark the steps for getting there, you need to have a process in place for evaluating your progress and making adjustments. When things don’t work out as planned consider any factors that may have been overlooked, misread, or underestimated. Carefully assess your efforts as well.
Adaptability
You must be focused yet flexible. One of the keys to success is the ability to adapt to change. Include a review of your adaptability as part of your proactive plan assessment. If major restructuring or rethinking is required, don’t put it off. The more proactive you are in making corrections, the less time you’ll spend on damage control, making up for lost time, or on trying to get back on track.
Your Art = Business
Use your mastermind group and mentors in designing and assessing your strategic proactive plan. Include any expert input from those in your circles of connection. Use the SingingSuccess.TV forums to share your progress, tips on proactive strategic planning, and to gain feedback for fresh ideas.
Book regular sessions with Brett Manning’s certified associates and don’t hesitate to ask questions about being proactive in your career planning.
Soul Investor = You
There is a natural tendency for many artists to neglect, ignore, or even freak out over vital aspects of the business side of their voice-driven career. However, you are a business owner. The success of your business is driven by product perception and need. Your product is the unique gift of your voice. You are its sole proprietor and its “soul” investor.
So, be proactive in assuming responsibility for the profitability of your gift. Your bottom line will determine your singing success and drive all you achieve with a career that is defined by the voice.