Hey Thursday...resisting shopping on Calypso's site today which is offering an extra 40% off of sale. I just can't...trying so hard to be good. Must. Be. Good. I am on a bit of a self imposed shopping hiatus, but with a trip to New York looming next week, I have no idea how long this little retail respite will last. A girl can try, right?
And speaking of trying new things, I'm not sure you knew this, but Steve Martin, he of the white suit, King Tut, Shopgirl, and museumworthy art collection is playing the banjo. Yes, the banjo. My husband is a big Steve Martin fan so he was super psyched to see that his favorite wild and crazy guy, backed by The Steep Canyon Rangers, would be playing at an ampitheater in Nashville while we were there.He's been playing most of his life and is an awarded picker, but perhaps you, like me, have not been following the banjo circuit of late. And although I was not primed on trends in modern banjo playing, music under the stars is not such a bad way to spend an evening, so I agreed to check it out. And what an evening it ended up being- I was floored by how talented Mr. Martin is- and the band that he plays with are young and cool and wear good suits (Martin himself was in a white one, natch). In true form, he killed- combining his stand up with song with great results.
And then it hit me- he's good at everything he tries, and the trying is the thing.
Yes, Steve Martin is a comic genius. And sure, he's made some career choices that are questionable (that movie with Queen Latifah immediately comes to mind). But here is a man who is creative to his core- he is a brilliant stand up, a talented actor, and a fantastic novelist (I recommend reading his books like 'Shop Girl' and 'Object of Beauty'- they are both profound). His art collection is substantive and no joke. I watched him being interviewed about it once- he simply started collecting things he liked when he was younger at flea markets, and as he became a bit more flush, his purchases were less Rose Bowl and more MOMA quality. He's smart enough to use his instincts, and he applies them to whatever he does. I am sure many of us raised our eyebrows at a career as a banjo player. And although the banjo is not my favorite instrument, I more than enjoyed watching him play, because he put his soul into it and he was damn good, and super entertaining. And he tries new stuff and reinvents and retools. It's an important part of the human experience, and sort of essential for creative types. I am a firm believer that many of us are not meant to do only one thing, but are maybe good at a few things, and find this notion of a lifetime career of one a bit limiting.
I say this because I happen to have worked in an industry for years that claims to be nimble and adaptable in terms of change, just not in terms of one's own career. True ad folks adapt to the latest social networking tools, change strategy to affect cultural shifts, and are front and center when big news is made that can change brand perception. But try to change career paths in this industry, and the walls go up really quick. I'm not sure why that is, but it's true. Very rarely would you see someone who works on the client side in an agency (an account person) move into the creative side of the equation (as an art director or copywriter). Rarer still is a move from production to strategy. I'm not saying it never happens, but it's on the rare side. It also seems fairly tough for people who have worked on a lifetime of car accounts to move into fashion, or anything else- the industry itself is quite rigid, regimented, and insanely literal. And I'm not really judging this inflexibility, I'm just observing it. But I do think it should change (ok maybe I am judging it).
So my point with all of this is the following:
Don't let anything or anyone be a barrier to anything you want to try in life- whether it's a mid career shift or an interest in playing an old timey instrument just for fun. It doesn't matter what it is- just try it and do your best to be really great at it. Bulldoze those walls right the hell down if they are holding you back from fulfillment or joy or a passion.
If you are in an industry or career where you feel less than nimble, perhaps it's time to vamoose. It could very well be that you are not a one trick pony and wish to be doing something, or many things that utilize your many mad skills- I suspect this may involve working for yourself, but that seems the best way to go these days anyway. Very few of us feel we were born to do something, but that's ok. Maybe it's because we were not only born to do one thing. I'm cool with that, are you?
If you are a creative soul (and I believe we all are), you can infuse just about anything with your unique brand of YOU. It doesn't matter if you're terrified of writing, or can't understand how your career as a painter could lead you to shredding on the guitar. If you bring your take to things, there's not a lot you can't do. Just ask Steve Martin.
I really was so very in awe of his talent, and rest assured, he's still funny as could be. It was great to see somebody who could very easily sit in his big house in LA, enjoying his art collection and tweeting promotional musings for his next big film. But instead, he was at an amphitheatre on the grounds of the former estate of Barbara Mandrell, picking and grinning. I love people that just go for it like that. It's what life is really all about. Reinvention is the path. I'm sure of it.
Cause that's what's up this multitalented Thursday in the MIA. Go do your thing today. Or maybe try a few things. XO