Well, I have a thing or two to learn from Susan Boyle. If you haven’t seen the video that is sweeping across cyberspace of Susan’s performance on Britain’s Got Talent (Simon’s UK version of American Idol), you can watch the unbelievable video of a woman who defied everyone’s preconceptions a literally blew the judges away by clicking here (get a hankie first): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il5TBgD9kHI
Now, after watching this, I’ve taken notes from Susan that will serve in good stead on my Maverick Journey and I thought I would share.
1) No excuse or reason can stand in the way of a dream.
I mean honestly. Do you think Susan could have come up with a million and one perfectly reasonable excuses for NOT auditioning? Let’s start with age, lack of sophistication, a beige dress, gray hair, a double chin…shall I go on? Do you think she could have come up with a million and two MORE perfectly valid REASONS not to pursue the audition? Like, no one will take me seriously, they will presume, I don’t l look like a star, they don’t choose people like me, no one will be rooting for me…again I think you get my point.
Nothing – and I mean NOTHING stopped her from pursuing her dream. I stand in awe.
2) Check you assumptions about everything at the door. This has two parts.
a) Check your assumptions about yourself – what you are capable of, what you can achieve, what is holding you back, etc. – at the door. Remember what your mom said about the word “assume”?
b) Check your assumptions about others. Can you honestly sit there and say that if you’d been in that audience and seen Susan standing on that stage declaring her desire to be famous that would have thought it possible for her? Or would you have been like everyone else in the audience and judged that book by it’s cover? Again, re-visit what your mom said about what the word “assume” makes out of all of us.
3) When you get that moment to stake your claim, declare yourself in front of those who can make it happen, know how to pick your material.
Do you think over 7 million people would have watched Susan if she had tried to sing a Pop tune? Maybe – if she’d chosen well. But truly, was the song “I Dreamed a Dream” the absolute perfect song for her in so many ways? It highlighted her vocal abilities and it seemed to be HER story. She knocked it out of the park because she executed perfectly and that packed an emotional wallop to boot. Well done.
4) Take the bull by the horns and never stop. Never stop. NEVER EVER EVER STOP! When the video above ended and I recovered my ability to think, this was the phrase that rang in my head over and over again.
So now, I have excuse for not opening up all the stops. Pushing myself to play bigger and bigger. To live closer and closer to the edge. And anytime I think I have a very good reason or a very convincing excuse, all I have to do is remember Susan Boyle. I hope I can do her inspiration justice.
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