I do know, the catchy title has you rolling your eyes and saying to your self clearly there’s not just one factor that results in success, however hear me out.
After years of pursuing my profession in music, I lastly caught a break final yr and my single performed on over 100 radio stations worldwide, which led to a whole bunch of interviews in 2022 and shutting out the second half of the yr being provided my very own tv present on a brand new community which was rapidly picked up by New Jersey Tv.
After all, this whirlwind of success led to the following logical query that nobody has requested me during the last 10 years of wrestle; How’d you do this?
I’m reminded of the good Chinese language proverb in regards to the Chinese language bamboo tree.
The story goes that the Chinese language bamboo tree doesn’t develop in any respect for the primary 5 years after it’s planted however on the sixth yr the tree grows 80 ft in simply 6 six, which ends up in the age outdated query “did the tree develop in 6 weeks or 5 years and 6 weeks”?
You might be educated and articulate sufficient that I don’t have to state the plain that it took 5 years and 6 weeks for that tree to develop, regardless that it didn’t appear to be it was rising in any respect for the primary 5 years.
So after assembly with a brand new scholar in my course for creatives and enterprise house owners and she or he requested “How’d you do this”? It led me to essentially dig in to what has now grow to be the entire idea for my tv present in addition to my programs I educate and it actually does come down to at least one factor.
The apparent and technical reply to her query is hours of analysis, chilly calls, rejection from radio station after radio station, some interviews that had been successful and a few interviews the place I logged on and the host was smoking weed (true story lol).
However that’s the plain reply, and it’s not what she meant, and I knew it. Yea the technical daily transactions spark curiosity however what she and plenty of others after her actually wished to know was how’d you DO that. How’d you keep so dedicated? How’d you get by the occasions once you felt misplaced? How’d you grind it out when no one believed in you. HOW did you do it?
I journeyed again by my expertise and like so many people reflecting on life, particular recollections started to face out to me.
Just like the time I went to a music convention, waited within the foyer for all 200 attendees to take an image with the well-known music composer who was the keynote speaker, after which when it bought to my flip requested if I may purchase him a cup of espresso and if he ever had interns. Then requested for a job and ended up working for him in Hollywood for 3 years.
Or the time I bought fired from 4 totally different jobs as a result of “I liked music” greater than I used to be devoted to my job. Sure JCPenney, I do love constructing my very own empire slightly than buying and selling my time for $8 an hour. (Minimal wage again then lol).
Or the time I bought pulled onto the notorious stage at SOB’s in New York Metropolis by the previous President of Haiti and after the present his supervisor pulled me apart and stated “You weren’t prepared for that”. And the previously shy, uncomfortable, awkward wallflower within me smiled and stated, “Yea, possibly not. However I did it. Good for me”.
So what did all these items have in frequent. That was the reply.
It was the willingness.
The willingness to ask for a possibility when it was introduced to me, and never let the paralyzing worry of asking overcome the paralyzing worry of questioning what if for the remainder of my life.
The willingness to do what I like and pursue a life I like, as a result of why the hell not. As a result of I understood this treasured and unpredictable factor we name life for what it’s, simply that; unpredictable. Right here in the present day and gone tomorrow. Not in a morbid manner, however in a dwell in each second, absorb each sunshine form of manner.
The willingness to go for it. To take an opportunity. To not wait “till I used to be prepared” however to dwell within the second, and be happy with myself for pushing previous limiting beliefs, fear and worry of what folks would possibly say and simply going for it.
All of us outline success otherwise, however I’d argue that whether or not success appears like a dream job, a fats checking account, a ravishing household or the entire above, the willingness to ask and dwell and love and overcome and study and develop and so many different issues all stem from one factor.
You’re proper, there are MANY issues it takes to achieve success, however they’re all only a department on the bamboo tree of willingness.
