Let's Get Back to lessons The Beatles taught us

My favorite rock band is The Rolling Stones. Since I saw them live for the first time in 1995. I've seen them other three times, bought many of their albums, books, memorabilia, and am constantly seeking news about them. I don't think they are the best or the greatest band ever from a music perspective. Led Zepellin and The Queen are the best bands. However, the greatest band is The Beatles, and I'm not contradicting myself. Anyway, it's always silly to set an absolute qualification for artists, given that art is subjective. 

This past Thanksgiving weekend, my 14-year old son and I watched and bonded over Disney+ three-part documentary about the Beatles (my son's favorite band). Lennon, Harrison, McCartney, and Ringo worked three straight weeks in January 1969 to record one album and perform their last public concert. 

It was a perfect doc to fill the lazy days of Thanksgiving weekend. I felt a need to list the lessons I saw because they are valuable for anyone working elsewhere.

Be human: We saw first-hand that these four men were humans. They got tired every day with their anxieties, smoked, and yawned a lot. Although it was astonishing to see them create some of their main successful songs out of thin air, it was nerve-wracking to see them stuck for days in a couple of words. We often felt their tension when they spoke about the project. The Beatles feared the future uncertainty, just like anybody else, despite being settled financially and artistically for the rest of their lives.

"Yes, and": A powerful lesson that surprised me was seeing how they tackled each other's ideas, regardless of how silly they seemed. They applied the "yes, and" method used by improv comedians. Instead of criticizing or killing ideas, they built on top. If the lyrics didn't make sense, they would try new words. Were the chords or the rhythm off? Then, another idea would come right away. They kept working at it until it felt right. 

Goof around and have fun: We saw four big boys playing in almost everything they did. Their childish and silly jokes never ceased. Lennon and Ringo were two clowns, against my assumptions. A bit more serious, Harrison and Paul didn't hold back their laughter and punch lines. It is clear to me that they were having fun, despite the exhaustive nature of the project. Besides being in their late twenties, it felt like they were teenagers. Moreover, they wanted it to feel like their teenage years again.

Know your craft: They had ridiculous musical capabilities, from the range of their voices, the speed of their fingers, and even knew how to play many instruments well. Everyone was a great piano player, and John played the bass well with his guitar many times. According to Ringo, Paul played the drums with his 'heavy left arm,' and Harrison killed at the Hawaiian guitar.

Go easy on yourself: They made fun of each other, and it was funny to see them making music with tabloid articles that bad-mouthed them. It is a sign of strength and self-confidence when one can laugh at themselves, and these guys sure knew how to do that.

Nurture friendship with respect and love: They were real friends, brothers, and loved each other. Brotherly love and the ultimate respect for each other filled the studio. They may have questioned each other's attitudes or behavior, but they never tried to change any of that. Even when George 'quit,' he did so without arguing or confronting anybody. He just wrote in his diary, 'I left The Beatles'. A few days later, he was back after meeting the band at home.

Immerse in a state of flow: Science tells us that we should focus and work in a state of flow or optimal experience. No interruptions! It gives us a sense of accomplishment, which is good for mental health. Our whole being is in complete sync with our purposes, and time moves at a different pace. When they were in that state, their best work was created, and they were in that state often. The song Get Back is the evidence. From the moment Paul begins to make it out of thin air to its final version. After long hours of work, it was usual to see someone asking if it was time for lunch as if they'd lost track of time.

Prepare to end it... graciously: The Beatles would end anyway, and it wasn't because of Yoko like we grew up to believe… They hadn't realized it yet, but this show (fifty years later) leaves no room for a different interpretation. I felt this project was their way to give it a chance to continue, but it is clear now that they wanted to pursue different paths and interests. Yes, Lennon's interest was to be with Yoko. They were deeply in love. After a religious experience in India, Harrison wrote beautiful songs and wanted to try them out without the Beatles. Ringo just wanted to play. He would be a father soon and didn't want to be traveling around the world as much. Paul seemed disciplined in need of structure. He was clearly trying to balance his fantastic musical creativity with the business. They were clearly in different stages of life, but they agreed to try it one last time for the sake of their friendship.

The Beatles weren't perfect and magical, and that's why they are the greatest. After finishing the show, my son and I would grab our guitars and play their songs randomly for the next few days. 

With the sad passing of our beloved Charlie Watts, the Stones are now short of a bass player and a drummer. Would it be too crazy to see Paul and Ringo join them so I could watch a concert by my favorite greatest band ever: The Rolling Beatles?