Helloo0O Ladies
and Gentlemen!
Welcome back to
Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for learning
the success lessons of the King of Rock 'n' Roll and seeing how to implement
them into your life. This is part of
our Halloween series. Perhaps not the most scary but, because of Alice Cooper’s
reputation and act, I think it’ll fit in nicely.
Today, we'll do
what we don't usually, look at one of the negative sides of Elvis's
life and see how you can learn from it. Today, we'll be talking about too much
isolation.
In his autobiography, Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict, Alice Cooper says he met Elvis after a show and found it sad he was so isolated. Apparently the King presented Cooper his most prized possession − a police report about Elvis defending himself against these fellas who were taunting him. Given Elvis's expertise in Karate, he made minced meat of them. Impressive. But to Cooper it said Elvis had no opportunity to show his own worth and take care of himself. Even in the given incident, Elvis's bodyguards had been standing behind him. If he hadn't told them to let him handle it, they would have taken the other guys. But Elvis wanted to stand up for himself once.
Later, Cooper
met Elvis when the snake charmer was training for a tour, but Elvis’s
bodyguards pulled Elvis's head back in the car before Cooper and the King could
get into a conversation. Cooper wanted to help Elvis but couldn't find a way to
reach him - he was too far gone.
Because of
Elvis's popularity and worth, his bodyguards (often members of the Memphis
Mafia and friends on his payroll) all had a personal stake in keeping the King
happy. After all, anything happened to him and they were out of a job. Besides,
they'd lost a good friend. So, to keep him safe, they kept him isolated. He
couldn't get hurt because he had no way of getting out of his persona - like
real royalty, he was constantly under watch. And, as a result, any risks,
whether that meant going for a ride in his car or having a night with
his wife in some foreign state were out of the question. Even when Elvis was
alone, he wasn't. There was someone outside his door. A guard holding the key.
And, in a way, Elvis was a prisoner.
Cooper also
mentions that he never wanted to be that successful - he loved his
freedom and felt Elvis had become so big he'd lost that.
So, what does
this mean? However successful you become, however great you are, prize your freedom
above any other treasure, any position, any opportunity. Always allow the
possibility of shutting down for a while. It's not a bad thing to be rich
or famous, but you've got to still be you underneath it all. Otherwise,
you'll turn into a prisoner. Isolation for a bit is relaxing. Permanent
isolation because you're too valuable is a curse.
So, if and when
you need people watching out for your safety, make sure you've still got places
to go to disconnect from all the celebrity. A personal library, a
private room where you're allowed to be you. Because if you don't preserve some
element of the independence you were born into, you'll get into a position
where others do everything for you; where you have to ask to live your life like
you're some sort of kid, where you have to ask your bodyguards whether you can
defend yourself. Though it may be hard to believe now, the more valuable you
become the more you’ll mean to others. And they, like Elvis’s Memphis Mafia,
will become indebted to you for their careers. They can’t afford you to get
hurt so they’ll be careful to make sure you never get into a situation where you could be hurt. They’ll even
condemn you to a life of loneliness if it means you’ll be safe so you can
provide for them. No person deserves that sort of isolation from living their
life. Remember, striving for success is about subsisting life at a greater
level, not becoming prisoner to your accomplishments and a stranger to living.
Elvis’s Lessons:
In Alice Cooper's
autobiography, Alice Cooper, Golf Monster: A Rock 'n' Roller's 12 Steps to Becoming a
Golf Addict, Cooper recalls a couple experiences meeting Elvis. Both
times he felt sorry for him because he was so successful and valuable, he
didn't have his own life; he was so valuable to his
bodyguards, he was isolated by them. As you become more successful and do greater things, remember to
remain in control of your life, not a victim of your success. After all, you're
working to improve your life, not cut yourself off from it.
P.S. Remember
to leave a comment or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com
to discuss the content of my posts. I don’t bite and I love a good
conversation.
P.P.S. Due to
the content of this week’s post, here’s a link to Alice Cooper singing "Poison" on Youtube. Enjoy!!!
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