If you’re like me, you find it much easier to start projects than to finish them. Coming up with goals, brain-storming the individual steps of an action plan, and working out a schedule are all activities that seem to flow pretty naturally from my head, through my fingers and a keyboard, and onto the computer screen. Even implementing the first few steps of a plan seems to be easier than following through on the last parts. Somehow that initial spark of interest in a new project fades out over time. But if you want to achieve greatness—in particular, if you want to become a monster jazz musician—you have to develop the habits of follow-through and completion. They are the traits that truly differentiate those who realize their dreams from those who don’t.
Well, the good news is that there are specific skills you can practice to become better at finishing what you’ve started. The first one is probably the most important: choose clear, detailed, finite goals. Don’t just tell yourself, “I want to become a better jazz player,” or, “I want to build up my chops.” While these are certainly admirable aspirations, they are too vague to be useful. You’ll never know when you’re done (in fact, you’ll never really be done with projects like these—they’re lifelong pursuits).
Focus and articulate your goals so that you’ll know exactly when you’ve achieved them. “I will learn the melody and chord changes of ‘All the Things You Are’ in all twelve keys over the next two months”—now that’s a clear, specific goal you’ll be able to track and measure. When the going gets tough, when your initial enthusiasm starts to wane, you can strengthen your resolve by checking your schedule and seeing how far along in your project you’ve come.
Another important skill in developing the habits of follow-through and completion is the ability to adjust and reevaluate your goals. Maybe “All the Things You Are” is just too tricky in the key of F#, and it will take you a disproportionate amount of time to get it down. Or maybe two months is too ambitious a time-frame for your project. Whatever the problem, those who are skilled at finishing off tasks know when they need to modify their plan, and they adjust accordingly. So don’t be afraid to edit your goals: learn the tune in the nine most common keys you play instead of all twelve, or take three months for the task instead of two. You’ll still be accomplishing a lot and getting closer to your dreams.
It’s also important to defuse your perfectionist tendencies if you have them. No task is ever truly complete, particularly if you set challenging goals for yourself. There is always more to learn, more to practice, more to perfect, even within the most focused projects. Accept the fact that you don’t have to master every new topic you pursue. You probably won’t play “All the Things You Are” flawlessly in all twelve keys if you’ve just learned it recently. You’ll certainly sound better in some keys than in others. And that’s fine. Learn the tune, play it well, and then move on to your next project. All of this is not to say that you can be sloppy and rush through your schedule mindlessly. Obviously, you want to do the best job you can. But the best “closers” strike a balance between being thorough and finishing tasks off.
Finally, keep track of your completed projects just as you keep track of goals for the future. Write down exactly what you accomplished and learned. If you made changes to your original plans, describe what those changes are and why you made them. Keeping a record of your accomplishments can be great motivation as you pursue jazz monsterdom. You can look back and see how much you’ve learned, which should provide you with the confidence you need to learn even more. I’ve found that I often get more done than I might originally think, and it’s only by keeping track of my completed projects that I realize this. I think you’ll find the same is true for you as well.
Action Plan: Choose a clear, specific musical goal that you can easily track and measure. If you’re already working on something, just write it down in detailed language. Include a schedule. Your project probably shouldn’t last any longer than two or three months. Keep track of your progress as you go, and be prepared to make adjustments to your plan. Then, when you’ve completed your task, write down what you did and what you learned. You’ll have an inspiring record of your accomplishments, and you’ll be motivated for your next challenge.

Chris Punis is an active jazz musician in the northeast. He is founding member of the critically acclaimed group Gypsy Schaeffer and a member of renowned saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase’s group The Explorer’s Club. Chris is also an accomplished jazz educator and author of “The Monster Jazz Formula”. For more information about his teaching methods and to receive your free lessons, “21 Great Ways To Become a Monster Jazz Musician”, visit www.learnjazzfaster.com