Motivation is an interesting thing. I recently attended a performance that I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into it. The tickets were cheap, it was in the smallest venue I had ever seen a performance in, and this was someone known around the globe. In fact, the highest amount I have ever paid to see a performance was for this same person, in a sold out 10,000 + person arena. We got there a little early and got front row seats literally 10 feet from the person.
The first thing he did was an explanation. We were a test audience of sorts. He was recovering from a medical condition that previously prevented performing, and he had been working on some new material while he was recuperating. There have been few names bigger in music, and I think that public persona is the measuring stick for his own progress. There was an unspoken theme of “I hope you like this” which was probably more accurately “I hope this is still good enough”.
Measuring Up
Sometimes it can be hardest to live up to yourself. The news recently is filled with young stars committing suicide because they are no longer the person they thought they were. There was none of that here. This was starting over, trying to figure out how best to not be 20 something again, and having a plan for moving forward. He could be a poster child for motivation because he’s not someone you would think needs motivation, but it’s clear that is present at every level.
One of my favorite books on Organizational Change is called Riding the Tiger. Basically it is about holding wakes for organizations that have reached a point where they can’t go any further. You basically acknowledge the contributions of the organization, declare that it is done, then take an inventory of the assets, and you reallocate things and start over from scratch. Most importantly, it’s a reestablishing of connections. Watching this performance was a lot like watching that take place.
Intimacy
In many ways we were in a living room in 1950s New York. We were the family and friends who’s approval was being sought. The one difference is that everyone knows the songs and has probably sung them in the shower or while driving. It was sort of interesting because people were trying desperately to not sing along, which was next to impossible. So instead of the family becoming the audience, the audience became family.
Was it technically perfect? Probably not. Was it a perfect show – most definitely. Clearly the most memorable if not best performance I have ever seen. Rehearsals don’t get standing ovations in the middle of the performance. This was clearly something more.
Making Magic
So was this magical moment intentional or just a happy coincidence? I think in many ways both are true. Anyone who has gone through any sort of physical therapy knows you basically need to start over from scratch on things that you have done for years. The worst part is you generally don’t remember how you first walked, or talked, or sang for the first time. And with star performers they reach a point where their audience is just a sea of nameless faces. Everything that got you started is often a faded memory. We see innovative companies have meteoric rises and then fizzle or crash and burn because they have gotten away from what they started with in the first place.
Finding Motivation
What would you do, knowing everything you know now, to start over? So many people have an injury or reach a point where they say “well I guess that part of my life is over”. Others find a way around the obstacle, take a different approach and keep moving forward. You might not get where you think you are headed. You might do something magical along the way. It all depends on your motivation.
