Rock Your World
Jun 30, 2008 10:04:03 PM
Clarity about who I am and my life’s work has been a work in process. I heard Malcolm Gladwell speak at the 2008 ASTD conference in San Diego. He described genius as either being quickly brought into form, or taking a long time to develop. On one end of the spectrum you have instantaneous knowing, and on the other it takes trial and error.
For those of you who are children of the 70s, he compares and contrasts the Eagles with Fleetwood Mac. The Eagles sky rocketed to fame and fortune and it took Fleetwood Mac years to find their style and sound.
I’m more like a Fleetwood Mac. The song I sing is a captivating tune. But lately I find I want to add the sound of a flute here and there, and nothing else will do to finish it off, other than that earthy Australian aboriginal instrument (whose name always escapes me).
It’s like that for me. I never feel like the piece is quite finished. There is always a little more here and a touch of that needed over there. Some might think that means I am never satisfied (There is a truth in there). I might say, what else is needed now? Can I step into this situation with lightness and joy, or is something needed that is going to take a raw power that I haven’t drawn from before.
These are interesting times and adding new sounds or revisiting old instruments is something I am playing with daily. My husband went to the Crosby, Stills, and Nash concert last night (we are children of the 70s!), and he left me a gift this morning. It’s a t-shirt that says, “Teach your Children.” I decided to wear it today as a way to remember that the song I sing is about leaving a legacy. That part isn’t going to change, but I may need to turn up the sound, add a new verse, and rock it like I never have before.
How is today’s environment challenging you to write a new song?
