Life Coaching for Flutists: 8 Tips to Design the Career You Want
by Laura Vincent, life coach and professional flutist

Most flutists spend hours and hours practicing their instrument and not much time consciously deciding which mental, emotional, physical and spiritual skills they need to have a meaningful career.

As a life coach and performing flutist, I work with musicians to uncover their goals. Together we design a life map with practical and concrete steps to help get my clients where they want to go.

Here are 8 short tips to start you on your process:

Mental Tip #1: Define your goals, both short-term and long-term. Be as specific and detailed as possible.

Ex. Winning an orchestral audition.

Better: Winning an orchestral position in 2 years.

Better still: Winning a principal flute position with a professional orchestra, regional level or higher in 2 years.

Mental Tip #2: Go backwards from your final goal and figure out what steps you need to achieve this result.

Ex:

• Win orchestral position
• Advance from preliminaries to final round
• Have resume/tape accepted to audition
• Send resume/make recording
• Revise resume/explore recording options
• Practice/prepare for audition
• Research openings for orchestral positions
  

Now you have small action steps, in a logical order, ending with your larger goal.

Emotional Tip #1: Examine your self talk Performing artists often feel "not good enough". The "not good enough" vampire sucks your emotional energy leaving you dry and wilted; without the emotional resources you need to accomplish your action steps.

Creative projects, such as an audition or performance, consume tons of energy. Become aware of your self-talk. Do your internal voices nourish or starve you? Start censoring that negative feedback loop of "not good enough".

Emotional Tip #2: Develop a community of like-minded colleagues. Having even 1 or 2 other professionals with whom you share your triumphs and tribulations can make a world of difference for your confidence and self-esteem. Choose people who support you and your ambitions in an honest, positive, and encouraging manner. Consider other performing artists besides flutists. You might feel less competitive sharing career information with a violinist or singer rather than a flutist.

Physical Tip #1: Examine your diet. Your body is your instrument and needs to be fed well. Observe how your food choices affect your body and your music-making. Understand your body's needs and choose foods which support your health and well-being.

Physical Tip #2: Examine your level of physical activity. Creative endeavors require enormous strength-physical, mental and emotional. Incorporate regular exercise in your daily routine. Go for a walk, join a gym or use an exercise DVD.

Spiritual Tip #1: Balance your "doing" time with "being" time. We are a culture of "doers" always active, on the go and eager to check off those "to-do" items. Create space for contemplation and thoughtfulness. Explore other art forms besides music. Journaling, meditation and reading are a few methods for creating "being" space.

Spiritual Tip #2: Define what is meaningful for you. Living in alignment with your core values increases your sense of fulfillment. Recognize when you feel vibrantly alive and profoundly engaged. Knowing when you feel passionately involved with life is a big tip-off to discovering your core values.

Coaching can help you have more meaning, direction and purpose in your life professionally and personally. Whether it's increased financial success, more time for practicing or better balance between family and work, coaching can give you the tools you need to design the life you want.