YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
NEW YEAR ! FOCUS , VISION & CLARITY | Vance & Michelle Shepherd
Nearly everyone makes New Year ' s resolutions , and we thought the start of a brand-new year would be a great time to have motivational talks with our students on setting new goals . How do we continue throughout the year with focus , clarity , and vision of who we want to be , and where we want to be ? How valuable is the amount of time in every single day , and how fast it passes !
We try to paint a picture for our students and have them commit to a time slot each day toward their musical goals , and their goal is to keep that commitment every day until the next year at this time . If they can do this for just one year , they would more than likely surpass their expectations and continue being goal-minded and time-aware for the rest of their lives . What a great thing to learn at such a young age !
Ok … but … can anyone say “ video games ”? Can anyone say “ social media ”? These time wasters are an epidemic ! As music teachers , we see this as a constant struggle between parents and their children . Whenever a student is not excelling in their music studies , I question them on what they did with their time throughout the week . I ' ll ask , “ Did you play video games ?” They ’ ll smile and say with excitement , “ Yeah !”
When I ask how long , their answer is typically anywhere from 2-5 hours per day . Wow ! I encourage the parents to consider only letting them play video games for half as long as they practice their music . Yes , you heard me right : half as long as they practice their music . The student looks horrified at this suggestion , while the parent gets that “ aha !” light bulb moment in their eyes . If the parent then sets these ground rules in their home , it ' s at that point that we start to see the students excel very quickly in their musical studies and find real joy in doing it ( and I ’ m sure it ’ s not just music , but grades in school and sports that excel also ).
The younger they are , the more this strategy works . Setting a solid foundation for learning and goal setting is crucial at a young age . The older the child is , the harder it is to set these rules , due to them not being under the parent ’ s watchful eyes as much . It ’ s interesting - I always hear the same thing from musicians , " I ' m so glad my parents made me practice and continue in music ".
On the other hand , I ' ll hear from non-musical people , " I wish my parents would not have let me give up on music ". Maybe you ’ re a teenager or young adult reading this article , and you ’ re in a place in life where you mostly manage your schedule outside of school . I want to encourage you to think about this new year and take inventory of the time in every single day , and where and how you spend that time . Then think about your goals and desires . This year , could you commit at least one hour out of your day , taking steps to achieve your musical goals or other important studies ? I find that it ' s good to make it the same time every day : either the first thing in the morning ( so it for sure gets done ), or the same time every afternoon . It doesn ' t matter what time it is , just make it an everyday thing . Only spend half as much time on social media and video games as you do on your musical studies . If we could grasp the
potential of the amount of time in just one year – 8,760 hours to be exact , and then discipline ourselves to commit to achieving a specific goal in that year , we could literally change the world !
I believe that if you do this for one year , you will be blown away by what you ’ ve accomplished . And quite likely this method will become a lifestyle for you . I ' m confident that if you implement this mindset and take charge of your time as a young person , you will be incredibly successful and satisfied into the latter years of adulthood . And you will be an inspiration for many people ! You will be a living example of goal setting and the outcome of achieving those goals .
Let us all consider setting aside time in every day to sharpen our skills for the glory of God so we can do the amazing ministry that He has made us for .
We wish you a successful and happy 2022 !
May you be blessed as you pour into or become the next generation of worship leaders !
Vance & Michelle Shepherd Founders of The Shepherd School of Music in Las Vegas , NV , where they work with youth to raise up the next generation of worship leaders and musicians . facebook . com / shepherdschoolofmusiclasvegas www . ShepherdStudiosLV . com