Before you look to the future it’s a good idea to look back at the past. I don’t know about you, but I’m often so keen to get started on “the next thing” that I forget to look back at what I have already achieved.<\/p>\n

Before you set your individual voice goals, it is a good idea to set an overall vision for the year. This is like a vision statement for your voice.<\/p>\n

It should start with the words “This year…”<\/p>\n

For example, my vision statement this year is “This year I’m going to grow into more enteraining and inspiring speaker to grow my speaking and training business.”<\/p>\n

Your vision may change throughout the year, but it’s a good idea to set one.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Schedule Goal Sessions<\/h3>\n

Next, split your year up into 90 day chunks.<\/p>\n

Get out your calendar and add the following into your diary now:<\/p>\n

\n

\n
• Starting from today (which is your first big goal-setting session) schedule a meeting with yourself every 90 days. These four sessions during 2022 are your big goal-setting sessions.<\/li>\n
• From today’s date, add in three review sessions spaced at 30 days. During these sessions you will review the progress of each of your goals and update them as necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Step 3: Set Goals for the Next 3 Months<\/h3>\n

  Now, decide between two to five goals that you will develop in the next 90 days. I have found that three goals is a good number to have.<\/p>\n

  Of course, not all of your goals have to be voice-related. If you are setting other goals for other parts of your life, I would recommend only setting one or two voice goals.<\/p>\n

  As I explained above, your voice goals should be specific and should include your reasons for wanting to improve a particular aspect of your voice.<\/p>\n

  I have three goals for the next 90 days. Only one of them is soley a voice goal. My three goals are:<\/p>\n

  \n

  \n
  • (voice goal) Improve my improvisation and “act-out” skills to be more entertaining in speeches and presentations.<\/li>\n
  • (other business goal) Deliver a speech at two public speaking events and market myself to arrange a third.<\/li>\n
  • (other busines goal) Launch and deliver my — currently “top secret” — voice training pilot (I’ll have more on this over the coming months in my newletter, so make sure to sign up to the newsletter if you’re intregued).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \n

    Step 4: Maintain Mini-projects<\/h3>\n

    Each of your goals should be associated with — what I like to call — a mini-project. Depending on your goals, one mini-project might include several goals or you might have a single project for each goal.<\/p>\n

    Each mini-project will contain a set of actions which actively contribute to your goals. You will decide these actions in the next step.<\/p>\n

    For example, my goal of improving my improvisation skills is associated with the a mini-project titled “Improv training and practice”.<\/p>\n

    Other examples of goals and mini-projects might be:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \n
    • Goal:<\/b> Improve expressiveness in my voice to sound more interesting in videos — Project:<\/b> Vocal expressiveness learning and practice.<\/li>\n
    • Goal:<\/b> Sound more authoritative in presentations so more of my project proposals are accepted — Project:<\/b> Learn about vocal authority and creating better project proposals.<\/li>\n
    • Goal:<\/b> Sound more professional when speaking in front of an audience for more professional speeches — Project:<\/b> Find and complete voice training.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Step 5: Plan Specific Actions<\/h3>\n

      When you have decided on your mini-projects, it’s time to set actions. These should be specific and achievable. I find it most useful to split my projects up into 30 day sections and then plan actions for each week.<\/p>\n

      For example, if your project is to “find and complete voice training” for a goal of “sounding more professional in presentations”, your actions might be:<\/p>\n

      \n

      \n
      • First 30 days: Investigate and find a suitable voice training program.<\/li>\n
      • Second 30 days: Complete the voice training program.<\/li>\n
      • Third 30 days: Develop and deliver a presentation using the learned skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The earlier actions are likely to involve learning steps, as you will have to learn about your voice before you can start using it differently. This blog has a lot of resources to to start learning about your voice. Make sure to have a look around, if you haven’t already!<\/p>\n

        You then set individual actions for the first 30 days:<\/p>\n

        \n

        \n
        • Week 1: <\/b>Read up on voice training and compile a shortlist of Top 10 training programs.<\/li>\n
        • Week 2: <\/b>Attend free webinars and\/or read blogs from as many of these training provideers as possible to reduce the list to your Top 5.<\/li>\n
        • Week 3: <\/b>Decide which training program best suits you, plan how you will fund the training and purchase it.<\/li>\n
        • Week 4: <\/b>Prepare to begin the course and clear space in your diary for the following month to make room for the work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          At the start of each week, check in with yourself to see how you are progressing. If you need to alter your plan, do so. Believe me, it’s better to update your plan frequently than to feel bad that you haven’t achieved all your goals and let the plan slide. This has been my own major failure point over the last year — when I feel like I’m not achieving all my actions, I sometimes stick my head in the sand and get on with other tasks while the plan slides further and further behind.<\/p>\n

          After the first 30 days are over, you should have a meeting with yourself and set your actions for the next 30 days.<\/p>\n

          Tell Me Your Voice Goals!<\/h2>\n

          I’d love to know your voice goals for the next year.<\/p>\n

          What’s your vision? What actions will you take?<\/p>\n

          Do you have any questions about this process?
          \n<\/b><\/p>\n

          Let me know in the comments below, on social media or via email.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          It’s that time of year to start making New Year’s Resolutions. But, don’t rush to set impossible voice goals! Here’s how to ensure success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[46,38],"tags":[49,29,42,43,39],"yoast_head":"\n