With Less than Two Months’ Notice, I Sang a Concert at Carnegie Hall. Here’s What It Taught Me.

If you’d been staying in the hotel room next to mine on my trip to London this past summer, you might have been awakened in the early hours by an unfamiliar sound: the mezzo-soprano line of the Gran Misa by Martín Palmeri.  

I was rehearsing for the world premiere of the piece at Carnegie Hall on June 23, performed by a chorus of over a hundred singers, a full orchestra, and a quartet of four soloists, of which I was one.

Why was I rehearsing at about 6:00 a.m.? Because it was the only time I could do it. The rest of the day was devoted to SuccessConnect, SAP SuccessFactors’ flagship regional event, which had 1500 attendees and a speaker roster that included author Bruce Daisley, adventurer Bear Grylls, and some of our biggest clients. 

Over the eight weeks since I got the part in the Gran Misa, I found myself rehearsing in the spare moments of an overfull schedule. There was the frantic ramp up in the weeks before SuccessConnect. Then the week after, I went to Cannes to represent SAP SuccessFactors and promote employee brand advocacy at the International Festival of Creativity. When I got the call from my agent to sing in the Gran Misa, I knew all that was coming, but I said yes anyway. 

Why? 

First off, the voice in my head that periodically says work and parenting should push music out of my life was loud. So when my agent called, it seemed like the universe reminding me to ignore that voice. It seemed like a reminder that music also matters.

Second, I’d recently talked to incredible thinkers like Margie Warrell and Arianna Huffington about the personal and professional benefits of pursuing your passions, so saying yes seemed like the only choice. And I’m overjoyed that I did. But I’d be lying if I said it were an easy choice. 

Here’s what I learned during my preparation. I’m sharing it here in the hopes that it will help you hold on to that passion project that you might be on the verge of putting on the back burner or letting go of entirely. 

 THE TWENTY MINUTE RULE 

We all want to have ample time to devote to our passions. And for creative or highly technical work like singing, sometimes you feel like you need an hour just to get focused.

But to my surprise, twenty minutes a day was all it took to be prepared to walk on stage after just eight weeks. Just as there never seems to be quite enough time to reach all of our work goals, but somehow we do it, the same is true of our creative goals. As Leonard Bernstein said, “To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”

So if you’re facing what seems to be an insurmountable project, try giving yourself twenty minutes a day for a month or two, and you just might be amazed. If you truly don’t have that much time, work with what you’ve got, even if it’s just five minutes. 

YOU’RE DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE A FAVOR (INCLUDING YOUR CAREER)

Even just a few days into the process, I was amazed at how the other parts of my life started to feel better. I noticed that I had increased physical energy, which meant the dreaded late afternoon slump wasn’t quite so bad, and it was easier to keep pace with my kids in the mornings and evenings. An endorphin rush from physical activity or even stressful activities seemed to come more easily. And I found it was much easier to lose myself in whatever I was doing in the moment, whether it was for work, family, or fun. 

Most important of all, I was able to be there in the moment more fully with others. That feeling that everything was an equal, urgent priority was replaced by an ability to tackle everything as it came up. I could give my full attention to my family, friends, and colleagues without worrying there was an emergency somewhere that I needed to take care of. 

I’m convinced that making time for my singing even helped me avoid getting sick during such a busy few weeks. 

Turns out singing, even if it’s just in the shower, has numerous benefits, including boosting immune function. And making time to follow your what you have a passion for, no matter what it is, has been associated with feeling more satisfied with your life overall, and having a greater sense of well being, including better cardiovascular health.

 SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP

I found that making time for sleep also kept me physically and emotionally fit, and ready for the performance when it came. But just like the twenty minutes a day I set aside for rehearsal, I had to defend my sleep from other obligations. Even when it felt awkward, I decided to approach the problem head on, by being totally honest with people that I needed to stay well rested. And better sleep, like the many benefits of making time for my passion, had a cascading positive effect on the rest of my life.

After I walked off the stage, I found had more than could hope for: a renewed connection with my passion, a healthier perspective on workplace stress, a great reminder as a marketer of the importance of connecting emotionally with your audience, and a reminder that work and passion projects are stronger when they coexist.

Question: Are there any creative projects you have waiting in the wings? What do you think it will take to pursue them again?