The Time Trap

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario where we discuss the success lessons of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and see how we can apply these lessons in your life. Today, we’ll be talking about something I call ‘The Time Trap”.

Sounds kinda like the name of some 60’s TV series (anyone else watch The Time Tunnel from 1966-1967, co-starring James Darren and Robert Colbert with Whit Bissell, John Zaremba and the beautiful Lee Meriwether? Man that was good… but anyways…). What we’re saying here is that people know something’s coming in the future. It’s big, it’s scary, and it might be career changing (for better if you do it right, for worse if you flub it). But because it’s so scary, people won’t start it. They won’t even touch it. They’ll procrastinate about it because they’re scared they’re going to mess up. But they don’t think this. Instead, they pretend they have more time than they do. “I’ve still got a month,” they’ll say.

“I’ve still got a week,” they’ll say.

“I’ve still got an hour.”

They put it off until they cannot possibly avoid it anymore. Either it never gets done or it gets done really badly and it blows the toes off their career (and relationship with their superiors). They trick themselves into thinking there’s more time than there is until they’re ‘trapped’ and have to do something disasterous (if they do anything at all) to make up for lost time. Yea, and that’s right − doing a bad job isn’t going to win you any medals. It’s not going to make you more successful or any money either. It might burn you, though.

Burn you bad.

So, this paradox of imagining extra time when you don’t have it is called “The Time Trap”.

“But what can I do about this?”

Well, let’s look at our pal Elvis Presley and see whether The Time Trap hurt him; possibly, but it’s hardly noticeable. Elvis was constantly producing new records, new songs, new movies − The Time Trap is a form of procrastination that prevents you from producing, or makes you produce badly. As Elvis didn’t do too much stuff that we hate, it seems The Time Trap didn’t hurt him too much.

Why is this? Perhaps Colonel Parker, his manager, was on his back about working, perhaps crazy record/ movie execs pushed Elvis to work in a wheelchair every morning to get him going. Or maybe one of the reasons Elvis was so incredibly successful was simply because he was good at overcoming The Time Trap. Perhaps he was one of those incredible individuals who loved their job and could have enough fun doing their job that they would get to work despite The Time Trap. He acted differently to 99% of the population and was therefore more successful than 99% of the population.

So, first you need to know if this applies to you. That’s answered simply: do you produce as much as you should or would like to? And if you don’t, is it because you keep putting it off, because of procrastination?

Then this’s for you.

Next, how do you deal with this?

One, you can get ‘a crazy record exec’ to help you − if you have somebody, a friend, your spouse, pushing you to do something, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate. That’s how my Mum got my brother to clean his room all that time ago − she kept pressuring him until he got sick of it and finished it. Another method I learnt from David DeAngelo (a dating coach who also works as a business coach under his real name, Eben Pagan) was to put something you didn’t want to lose on the line. You’d tell a friend about your goal and say that if you didn’t get it done you’d have to give them, say, $20 to pay for not doing it. This might work even better if the money goes to an enemy. You don't want to be paying your enemy with your money. That way it will further inspire you beat The Time Trap.

Two, get a job you like. It was the second article I wrote on Graceland Ontario and I stand by the message as much now as I did then. If you like writing, try journalism. If you like music, try to become a soundman (or a full out musician if you’re really brave). If you like being a salesman, be a corporate salesman. The truth is the more you want a certain job and enjoy the work, the less likely you are to procrastinate. Why? Because you want to do well with the work, not with your boss. If they didn’t pay you, you’d still do the work because you enjoy it so much. Then, The Time Trap and nobody else will stop you from working.

Three, if you can’t give up your current job, find the fun in it. If it’s fun wrapping up burgers in McDonald's, then you’ll like the job more. If it’s fun working on high pressure assignments because you feel like James Bond or something, then you’re more likely to try it than wait around for The Time Trap to get you. This is like step two, minus the job you like. If you have to do something you don’t like, at least making it fun will make it bearable. And, hopefully, you'll be more successful in business and life.

Thanks for reading this article! I hope it will help you become more successful and productive in your daily life. Now get to work!

Elvis’s Lessons:

People often kid themselves they have more time than they do. Then, a deadline sneaks up on you and you mess up. This form of procrastination is something I call The Time Trap. To overcome this, you can get someone to force you to acknowledge your work, you can choose a job you like and enjoy it enough to work through procrastination or you can find the fun in your current job. Thanks for reading, now go get to work!

P.S. If you're interested seeing Elvis in one of his 60's movie songs (when he was fighting the time trap all the time with those crazy movie execs), here's a Youtube video of him singing "I'll Take Love" from Easy Come, Easy Go in 1967... I mean, what a great song!

P.P.S. Remember to leave a comment or story either underneath this post or send it to my email, alexghilson@gmail.com to continue the conversation.

Elvis, Sir Isaac Brock and the Success Constant (Or The 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 Special)

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario for another week of linking the success principles demonstrated by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll to how you can implement them in your life. This week we’re going to be talking about the similarities of greatness throughout time and how it never really changes (what I like to call the Success Constant).

If you’re a history buff (or pay attention to the news), you may be aware that this Monday past, June 18, 2012, was the 200^th anniversary of the start of the War of 1812.

War of 1812 History Lesson:

If you’ve never heard of the event (a distinct possibility if you live outside of North America, where it’s often overlooked), in short: the American government, pushed by people wanting to conquer the largely unpopulated Canadian colonies (called Manifest Destiny in history classrooms) and exasperated by the British Royal Navy’s tendency to steal American sailors off American ships in the belief they were deserters (which, occasionally, they were), declared war on Britain and, therefore, Canada. Canada only had a small number of British troops (Canada was a British colony at the time), a few native warriors and some militia defending us. The war lasted about 2 ½ years, between 1812 and 1815. In the end, nobody really won; Britain (and its Canadian subjects) successfully defended their land, Britain/Canada attempted an invasion of the U.S. but were repulsed (though, we did burn down the White house). The biggest losers were the natives who didn’t gain anything but continued losing their land to the growing U.S.

End of War of 1812 History Lesson.

One of the most influential leaders of the conflict was British General Sir Isaac Brock. He was born on the isle of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands off Britain, in 1769. He became noted for his bravery, in both life and the way he died (he was shot leading a charge at the Battle of Queenston Heights in late 1812) and, a hundred-odd years later, he became one of my heroes (yep, right up there with Elvis).

With the bicentennial of the war, I see many similarities between my two idols: they were both strong leaders in their field, they had unique ways of performing, they were both soldiers at one time and, sadly, they both died young (Elvis at 42, Brock at 43).

Now, I wanted to find why both men inspired me so much in my life… and I think I figured it out: they were both so unique and successful and this made me, and others remember them. We respect them so much that we kinda want to be them.

But how does this help you?

Well, let’s make a list of some of the positive traits they demonstrated and see how they can be implemented in your life:

Strong Leaders in Their Field

Both Brock and Elvis were leaders in their field. Elvis had a cutting edge, highly energized way of performing that had never been seen before on the big time when he started in the 50’s. Brock used his bluffing and bravery to win the Siege of Detroit with barely a shot being fired, one of the first victories of the war. He won his knighthood as a result. They led the way for change and the strong, bold way they did this earned the support and respect of others. When you lead the way for positive change in your organization, respect is similarly earned for you being a leader, attempting to improve your work and move it forward to the future.

Different Ways of Performing

Brock and Elvis didn’t act the way most of their contemporaries did. Elvis wasn’t like any other rock star, more interested in the energy than the tune; he liked the music as much as he did shaking, perhaps more. Also, he really cared about his fans, paying attention to them, kissing them. He respected them so much for their support and his humility and thankfulness made him unique. Similarly, Brock wasn’t like other generals; for the man in charge of Upper Canada (present day Ontario) he cared about his men. In fact, it was perhaps this opinion that led to his untimely death at 43 − he would do anything he told his men to do, including leading a frontal assault into an enemy position.

When you do something a bit different than others in a positive way, putting in the extra effort, people notice, and they respect you for it. They respected Elvis for his appreciation of the music and his fans, they respected Brock for his love of his country, his men and the way he made them feel like his equals. That little difference goes a long way in making you seem awesome and unique, which leads to our next point…

Uniqueness

Both Brock and Elvis were, and are, looked upon as unique − Brock for his bravery at the front of a charge, Elvis for a type of passion in his music unheard of nowadays. They were originals in every sense of the word and, as such, were respected.Why do people respect originals? Perhaps because it’s hard to be one for it leads to criticism (people are jealous when others are more creative than they are). But, when done properly, it leads to better results. In a way, being a leader in your field and performing differently to your colleagues is also part of this uniqueness. People forever remember and respect those who were different simply for that − being different. Whether it be Alexander the Great, Socrates, Henry VIII, Brock or Elvis, uniqueness is why their names are in history books.

Impact

Finally, I’d like to talk about these two men's impact on the world. Brock stopped the momentum of the American invasion; it’s quite possible without his effort, Canada wouldn’t exist as it does today (with the Maple Leaf flag, anyways). Elvis created recordings that will be remembered as cutting edge with the power to make people want to hear them 50 years after being released. The impact these men had on others makes them relevant to people who otherwise wouldn’t care. And people remember them for that.

Really, the similarity between these two men, over a century apart with different professions is astonishing. Perhaps it is once more a reminder that success principles don’t change, that they remain similar through time and across professions, something I call the Success Constant. They are present as rules and can be learned if the work necessary to learn them is put in. It’s an empowering conclusion to come to.

Elvis’s Lessons:

Great men (and people in general) are similar in their success principles; success is predictable. Doing certain actions will bring you certain results. Acting a certain way will also bring you certain results, no matter what year it is or what profession you have. This is something I call The Success Constant. By being leaders in their field, performing differently, being unique and ultimately making an impact, both Brock and Elvis demonstrate the Success Constant, and they are remembered for it − two different heroes from two different times but both successful in life, and death. Take their lessons to heart.

P.S. If you're interested in seeing Elvis making an impact on his fans and the world, here's a Youtube video of him with "Blue Suede Shoes" from the '68 Comeback Special.

P.P.S. Please remember to comment below or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com to put forward your stories, praise or constructive criticism.

Service Pays Dividends

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop blog discussing the traits that made the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll successful and how those same traits can be used to make you more successful. This week, we’re going to make a reference to last week's post but we’re going to be talking about service.

Last week, we talked about how it was Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of England and the British Commonwealth’s Diamond (sixty year mark) Jubilee. Here at Graceland Ontario (which is part of Canada, where her Majesty is head of state), we talked about stability as one of the main reasons why people love her. Another trait she exhibits is service.

The average person works for over twenty years before they earn their pension. A few exceptional people work for thirty years. If you’re a martyr, you might work forty years. I can’t tell you anyone I know who worked for fifty, let alone sixty, years. Most people get to the age of sixty and want a pension (not that I can blame them) − if you asked them to work for sixty years until they’re 86 (yep, her Maj’s birthday’s in April and she’s in her mid-eighties) they’d think you were crazy.

“So, she’s dedicated. Why should I care?”

People admire a person, man or woman, who would dedicate that long to their country. Some people feel patriotism for their nation, for the Queen it’s her job. People respect her because of her service, they respect her very much − even if they don’t believe in the monarchy.

Now, though Elvis in no way showed that kind of service to an office, he did to his fans.

In, "A Predicament Called Presley," September 7, 1957, Elvis said, "…fans want my shirt. They can have my shirt. They put it on my back." He loved his fans because he felt they were responsible for where he’d been put. But it went deeper than that.

Patrick MacDonald, music critic for the Seattle times, wrote on August 16^th, 2002, the 25^th anniversary of the King’s death, that, at one concert, “[Elvis] kissed a lot of girls and gave away a lot of scarves, but was kindest to a cute little girl who presented him with a royal crown on a satin pillow. She got a hug, a kiss and a scarf.”

I mean, this was in the middle of a big concert. Not only could Elvis respect his fans but he could respect his fans as individuals. He, a busy superstar, took the time to give one little girl a hug, a kiss and a scarf. That extra little service to his fans made him exceptional.

Elvis would kiss his fans, he would talk to his fans, he would stop shows for his fans. Considering how important he was, he was really dedicated to his fans. And, what was especially important, he could single out his fans and make them feel like human beings. For a man that busy, what an incredible achievement; what a wonderful way to show service to his fans. And guess what? His fans love him back for that extra effort. And people who see his shows respect him for treating his fans that way, even if they don’t like his style of music (like they respect the Queen for working so long even if they don’t appreciate the monarchy).

So, what does this mean for you? It means that when you put in that little extra effort, give a little extra service to those around you, people notice. And they respect it. And the more service you give, the more respect you get. And even if people don’t like your style or work, they begin to appreciate you as a person. Then, they tell their friends about their appreciation and soon more people respect you. Over time, that appreciation of you, as an individual, can work into your finances (everyone’s a potential customer) and your social life (all the possible tea dates you can now have). For a little extra service given at your place of work everyday that sounds like more than healthy compensation.

Elvis’s Lessons:

Both Elvis and Queen Elizabeth II have given incredible service, in the Queen’s case to her country and in Elvis’s to his fans. They make others feel special by giving that bit extra than everybody else. And even if people don’t like their style, they respect them for giving that bit extra. When you start adding that extra little bit of service, people start respecting you more, too. And even if they don’t like what you do, they can tell their friends and get more people interested in you. The more people interested in you, the better it is for your financial and social lives. It’s a lot to gain for a little extra service given.

P.S. If you're interested in seeing Elvis showing service firsthand, here's a video of him interacting with his fans (while on horseback!).

P.P.S. If you agree (or disagree) with what I'm saying, remember to drop a comment below or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com. I'd love to hear your stories, feedback and constructive criticism.

The Elvisian Diamond Jubilee Special

Hey Ladies and Gentleman,

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario for another week of finding the success lessons the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll showed and learning how to implement them into your life. This week we’re going to talk about stability.

As you might know if you’re British, from a Commonwealth country or otherwise well-informed, the Queen of England and the British Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee was earlier this week (in other words, she’s been on the throne for sixty years). Anybody working that long is pretty impressive but considering she’s eighty-six and still going strong, it’s mind blowing.

Anyways, after watching the Jubilee concert on Monday, I watched a couple interviews on BBC from some of the most famous performers (Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Paul McCartney) on why they thought the Queen was so special. The message that got me thinking the most was the one from Sir Elton John; he said, essentially, that people love the Queen because in this ever-changing world, she’s constant − she’s stable.

Strangely enough, that made me think of Elvis. Now, in the past I’ve talked about how Elvis was good acting with change. This is true. But, being constant/stable does not require one to not change. The Queen has changed many times in her life; her hair’s gone silver, she stopped riding her horse, Burmese, during the Trooping of the Colour (a military ceremony held every year in honour of the Queen’s official birthday) and members of her family (her father, mother, sister) have passed away. But, despite this change, the Queen still seems the same; she still rarely smiles (but when she does, it’s always a beam), she’s got that funny little wave and she’s always helping people around the world, perpetually busy.

That’s what I mean about being constant. She’s reliable, not predictable in action but predictable in character. We see a situation and think we know how the Queen would react because she’s got a constant set of values. The same is true for Elvis and our belief in how he would react because he tended to act a certain, stable way, whatever change was present in his life.

When we think about Elvis, we think about that strong, humble character who honestly believed he was “just an entertainer”. He changed and faced change through his life (like all of us) through careers (musician to movie-star and back again) and went through marrying, having children and then divorcing (an all too common pattern these days). But, his character remained constant. And being constant in character builds trust; whatever happened, we believe Elvis would react in a responsible manner. We play him for our kids because being trustworthy and consistent means being a good role model (you have to be consistent to be a role model or you won’t be showing a lead to follow). We even take strength in his music because he seems stronger than we are (or his consistency makes him seem stronger). We trust he’d be capable of doing the right thing given any situation, even when we’d doubt ourselves, and we hold onto him like a senior with a cane when we’re in trouble.

So, what’s the benefit of being consistent/stable? People imagine that your life’s stable and they want to hold onto you to stabilize because their life’s wild. The truth is everyone’s life’s wild, even if you’re Elvis or the Queen, but when you’re going through hell you don’t think that − you imagine you’ve got it the worst. So when you’re scared that your existence is going to throw you into the rapids, you listen to someone like Elvis or watch the Queen who seems perfect and ‘normal’. They’d be able to deal with this, you think and you hold onto their image of stability for dear life.

It’s not necessarily being stable that counts, it’s looking stable. If people see a stick jutting out of a tree while they’re sinking in quick sand, they’re going to try to hold onto it. They don’t know that stick’s rotten on the inside. It looks like support so they grab for it.

Now, imagine you’re the stable one, the Elvis or Queen of your business or social circle. Sure, there’ll be the people who are needy and want you to support them all the way but there are others who only want to see someone consistent in their ragtag existence. When that person’s you, they respect you and become your follower. Why? Simply because they trust you’ll remain the same in character, an individual they’ll be able metaphorically hold on to when times get tough. The nice thing about trust is they’ll support you in your ventures and career, too (trust is easily transferred). By being stable, people will think you’re safe to socialize with, to deal with, to confide with. It puts you in a position of power. And a little extra power never hurt anyone. But remember not to abuse that power. Abusing the trust of people who believe in you is not a great idea… with power comes responsibility. I hope you can hold that responsibility for the best.

On a side note, a very happy Diamond Jubilee, your Maj! I trust you reign for many more wonderful years…

Elvis’s Lessons:

As Sir Elton John put it, one of the reasons people love the Queen of England and the British Commonwealth is because she’s consistent/stable. Like Elvis, she has predictable values that we can count on and trust. People’s lives are crazy but they tend to think they’ve got it worse than someone else. When you become the stable one (or put that image across), people latch onto and begin to trust you. With this trust comes a position of power. It’s up to you not to abuse this power but to use it well, to use it to help others, to make others as stable as you’ve become. That’s the true wish of those seeking stable people. A wish you can make reality.

P.S. If you’re interested in seeing the original Sir Elton John video I referenced in this post, you can find it off this BBC article.

P.P.S. Remember to leave a comment or send me an email at alexghilson@gmail.com to add to the conversation.

Getting Into It

Hey Ladies and Gentleman,

Thanks for joining me for another week at Graceland Ontario where we talk about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and learn the lessons he presented during his life that can help you in yours. Today, we’re making note of ‘getting into it’.

“Getting into what?” you may say… Good question.

‘Getting into it’ is when you put all the passion you can muster behind what you’re doing, when you savoir the very action of your job − when you find the joy in your work.

Really, you can get into anything whether that be a book, a project, or chemistry homework. But whatever it is, there can’t be any half measures − when you ‘get into it’, there’s no turning back.

That’s still a little confusing… To illustrate, let’s turn to my idol, Elvis Presley. Elvis sang a lot of fast songs when he was young. The crowds that flocked to him in the 50’s wanted to hear the fast rockabilly beats he and the Blue Moon Boys were pumping out of Sun Studios and RCA. Elvis would put all his energy into performances. Looking at clips from the Milton Berle Show are evidence of this. He would dance, and twist and jive to the music. He would ‘get in to it’. And people loved the music even more because of that.

But the years went by… Now Elvis is in the International Hotel in Las Vegas. He’s singing a country song called “Just Pretend”. It’s a slow ballad and there isn’t much opportunity for Elvis to swivel his hips. But he ‘gets into it’ all the same. He doesn’t walk around, but he sways to the music, heaving with emphasis at the dramatic parts. And guess what, the Casino audience is silent. Even with the slow song, the energy is still there. Elvis is still ‘getting into it’ and, by doing so, people love the slow song as much as the faster ones.

So, what does this mean for you?

Imagine you do a project for work. You go up and the rest of your company’s looking at you like you have three heads. You feel a little weak at the knees but you know you’re not getting out of this. So, you’ve got a choice: do you slide through it as quickly as possibly without enjoying it, not making the subject dance with your audience, or do you ‘get into it’ and give the presentation your all?

Well, given the Elvis pattern, ‘get into it’. Because as soon as you ‘get into it’ and start enjoying what you’re doing, others will notice it. And even if your presentation is a slow song, like “Just Pretend”, and there isn’t much room for you to swivel your hips, you can still give it your all. And like Elvis, people will see the excitement of what you’re saying and agree with you, probably subconsciously, the presentation will go like a dream and you’ll sell your idea with ease.

Elvis’s Lessons:

When you have a job to do, ‘get into it’; that is, do it with all the passion you can muster. By ‘getting into it’ people will enjoy what you’re doing more because you enjoy it. This may even happen subconsciously to your audience. And when your audience enjoys what you’re saying or doing, they’re more likely to support you, buy from you, over-all be awesome to you… Getting into it’s worth it for so many reasons.

P.S. If you’re interested in seeing Elvis ‘getting into it’ with “Just Pretend” at the International from Elvis: That’s the Way it Is, here’s a Youtube clip of the performance I talked about.

P.P.S. Remember to comment below or send me an email at alexghilson@gmail.com to add your input to this article.