Would life be different if you were famous?
You're onstage in a massive stadium, and as you start to sing the words to your song, 50,000 people start to sing along. You just wrote the song four months ago, but they already know the words! Congratulations, you're famous.
I can't imagine what this feels like. Sure, I give a lot of speeches, but typically I'm talking about how to get more customers instead of how my heart was torn apart by a long-haired girl.
Life in the fast lane
Over the past week, I watched Showtime's History of the Eagles documentary, which tracks the 40+ year history of the band. You see the band members move from awkward high school years to fame and fortune, then go through a 14-year hiatus, and finally experience a triumphant return "when hell froze over."
My perception is that fame and fortune doesn't change who you are; it magnifies you. If you're a selfish egotist, you become a massive egotist. If you are anxious and seldom happy, you remain that way.
"The creative impulse comes from the dark side of the personality," said band member Don Henley, "So we worked it good."
But some things remain constant. Once you become famous, the pressure to perform is just as great, if not 100 times greater. You come up with a hit song, and the next thing your record company and band members want to know is: what else you got?
Glenn Frey tells the story of riding on an Los Angeles freeway with a drug dealer who was going 100 mph while they were in possession of far too many drugs. He asked the guy whether it was a good idea to drive so fast with so many drugs, and the driver turned to him with a big smile and said, "Life in the fast lane, man."
Frey stopped thinking about getting arrested and immediately realized that was a song title The Eagles could use.
But through all the triumph and turmoil, there's one constant that runs through the lives of both famous performers as well as anyone who is working for a living: the unending struggle to create something that others want.
For The Eagles, that struggle was first to write songs with which people connected, but even more importantly to "sell" those songs night after night after night. The crowds only go crazy if you deliver the energy they expect. Falling flat on a sales pitch to five people is one thing; try falling flat in front of 102,000 people.
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Get your free copy of Simplify the Future, Bruce Kasanoff's short guide to a more successful career and rewarding life. Bruce is a ghostwriter for business leaders, and he blogs at Now Possible.
Image credit: Top photo... original image by Flickr member jeaneeem, to which I added a cartoon of my own face; bottom image courtesy of Henry Diltz/SHOWTIME.
BROADCASTER & SALES REPRESENTATIVE @IRIE FM/ C.E.O ISLAND VIZ BIZ MEDIA
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Independent Management Consultant and Interim Executive
11 年Nicely summed up: "Fame and fortune magnifies you". In other words, the ambitions and achievements follow the same path, except the triumphs and failures are bigger and there for all to see. Not to mention the drawbacks of a lack of privacy and that you may never know who your real friends are. You need to be a brave soul to be famous. Better to be just rich and anonymous.
Singer/songwriter/fashion model at Kim Seaborn
11 年It all boils down to if your music it comes from your soul or comes from your spirit. If it comes from your soul its going to resinate with others soul. If your music is from your spirit it resinates with others spirits. And it can deepen your life one way or another. Which kind of influence do you want for your life. This is serious; it may direct and reflect where you are going.
Technology Transformation Leader ★ERP &HCM Valuestream Optimization ★IT Enterpise Modeling & Business plannng ★M&A IT Integration Playbooks ★Workforce Management ★Operations ★ Global Shared Services
11 年All of you should watch the documentary - "Searching for Sugarman" - It answers this question beautifully....bottom line how would you feel if you found out you were more famous then Elvis in some part of the world, and you did not even know...until now. Would it change you... Watch the show, it answers the question, at least to the person it happened too.
Mainframe Developer at Pramerica
11 年YES, Except one area ! If you are a popular Singer ..People love your songs and like to hear them again and again! If you are a great Scientist..People love your inventions and remember you whenever physical light comes in the darkness! If you are a great Actor..People love and admire you for the best portrayal of unusual characters to remind the legends of history ! If you are a great doctor..people will rush to see you for the best treatment and thank you for the service for rescuing their life and health ! If you are a great Comedian..people will love you to hear and see your comedy again and again and admire you for changing their moments of pain and distress to moments of laughter In all the above cases, society provides the individual a pleasing and comfortable life in terms of recognition, wealth, social status and benefits. BUT IF YOU ARE A TRULY SPIRITUAL SAINT WHO SPEAK FROM THE MOST HIGH AND ENLIGHT PEOPLE TO WALK IN THE DEEDS OF LIGHT for eternal life, Your life and peace is in danger, You are going to have a bitter life.. and you will be called the most famous as any prophet or saint was, BUT THAT HAPPENS ONLY AFTER YOU LEAVE THIS PLANET.