How circus life prepared me for the business world

As a youngster in 1971 I was part of the local circus in the small town of Wenatchee (WA). The circus was founded in the early fifties by a Junior High School Principal, transforming a Saturday afternoon tumbling group into a 100 kid (all under 18) circus troop.

For all of us, there are things we experienced that shaped our attitudes and behaviors. For me personally, I have such fond memories of my circus days but beyond that I learned so many lessons that I've used as I have navigated my business career. Here are just a few:

1.     I learned that it can be incredibly fun and rewarding to step out of your comfort zone and try something different.

I never would have tried to ride a unicycle or walk on a wire on my own because, on the surface, it is too daunting. However, once I was open to learning the technique, these were fairly easy skills to pick up. In fact, I can still ride a unicycle today! Walking on the wire on the other hand appears to be a perishable skill as my balance is not what it was back then.

I think now days some people see me as risk taker, but in my eyes, the act of stepping outside your comfort zone to learn a completely new set of skills needed for a new venture is all part of the fun.

2.     I learned that with teamwork you can pull off the unthinkable.

This may sound silly but one of the clown-acts we used to perform required loading as many people as possible in a small VW Bug. I may be exaggerating (with time) but I recall we could get close to 30 people in that little car.

What we learned is that it takes a special type of person to be the first one in, and the last one out, as it is certainly not for those who suffer claustrophobia.

With every team project, there will be tasks that some will be better suited to handle. Understanding each member’s unique skills as well as limitations are important when assigning tasks to a team. Everyone should be put in a position for success, and that can only be done by really knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each team member.

3.     I learned that with challenging work, perseverance, and dedication to a task, you can achieve the unimaginable.

While I was able to master a few feats (riding a unicycle, walking on a ? inch steel cable, performing front and back flips off a small mini-trampoline) some of my “circus family” absolutely stunned people with their talents.

·       Riding a unicycle on a steel cable 30 feet about the ground.

·       Juggling while walking on a wire or while riding a unicycle on a wire.

·       Performing double twisting flips on a swinging trapeze and then being caught by another performer who was hanging upside down while swinging from another bar.

Through these examples I find that any task, regardless of how daunting, can be carried out when approached with prudence, arduous work, and commitment.

I carry a lot of lessons from my days in the circus, but these are the ones that stick with me and come in handy every day. Others, like do not sleep without cover in Denver (even in the summer) or do not walk around in dark areas of a building in El Paso (Spoiler alert: cockroaches) are topics for another day...

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