Last year ended on a high note, all in the effort to avoid a new low in my playing time for 2025. To start off January, I was able to carry some of that momentum into the New Year. However, I'm not fooling myself into thinking I can rack up some crazy amount of playing time in 2026.
No. Instead, I'm working on not aiming too high. That is, I'm pursuing more manageable goals this year. Although I've started off strong, I know that there will be bumps in the road, and I might find myself not playing any music for long stretches of time. And that's OK.
This year is all about forgiving myself for not living up to my expectations. After going way too long, I changed the strings on my banjo and fiddle at the end of December, and I'm thinking of 2026 as a fresh start.
Glory-beaming goals for 2026
Because I do it every year, I'll share some actual goals for 2026. I have set some modest playing time goals, but I'm not going to get too hung up on them. Of course, I'll keep tracking my efforts on the march toward 10,000 hours, which I should reach sometime in the next 85 years or so. I really just want to make sure I avoid going a whole month without playing my instruments.
My real goals, however, are more about getting out to play music more with other people, and I'd like to finally learn to read music and maybe get some use out of that Milliner-Koken book.
Play every month | Last year, I didn't play at all in March, May, and July through October. And if my math is correct, that's six of the 12 months of the year. That sucked. Don't do it again.
Go to a jam at least once per quarter | I miss playing music with my old-time pals. After Covid, the jams aren't so local anymore, so going to a jam requires a bit of a drive. But it's worth it. And I'm happy to report that I've already gone to a jam this quarter.
Keep learning new tunes | I fear that complacency has set into my playing, especially when it comes to the banjo. I need to keep learning new tunes and keep growing.
Learn to read music | I know, old-timers didn't read music. (I also know that wasn't always true.) But I have a big, old book of tunes that I've never been able to use because I can't read music. I got myself a beginning fiddle instructional book to start learning to sight read notes on the page. This also comes with the secondary benefit of finally learning those "basic" tunes I skipped because I already knew them on banjo. I feel silly when someone calls "Angeline the Baker," and I have to put my fiddle away.
OK, that's it. What do you think? Are my goals realistic? What are your goals for 2026? Let me know in the comments.
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