What Can You Learn from an 87 Year Old Doctor and a Dead Rock Star?

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!!!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location in researching the success lessons of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll so you can implement them into YOUR OWN life! Today, we’re returning to that classic topic of enjoying your job.

Check out this BBC video:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19289230

In it, the BBC meet Dr Russell Dohner, a practicing doctor of medicine in Rushville, Illinois who’s 87 years old − he’s been running his practice for 57 years and has no intention of retiring. Furthermore, he still charges $5 a visit, the same price he charged 30 years ago.

When asked about his price, he says he never felt doctoring was for money anyways, only healing, so maintaining his $5 charge doesn’t surprise him. Locally, he’s a hero for doing what he has for so long. A patient at the end says the doctor’s secret is his spirit and the doc says as long as he’s living he intends to be doing what he loves most.

This brought me into Elvis mode. I mean, Elvis loved his job, too. He was in the army for a bit and then in the movies but he always came back to singing. Some people say he lost his mood in his later years − perhaps for the rock ‘n’ roll songs, but the gospel songs and ballads were more powerful than ever. Listen to “Hurt” from 1976 if you don’t believe me. Man, Elvis had passion when he wanted to.

So, Elvis loved his job, Doctor Dohner does, but how many do? How many would be willing to work for the rest of their lives? To enjoy their work so much they wouldn’t want to retire even when they have the opportunity? Plenty of people I know would. Maybe even you would.

Like the patient said when he described Doctor Dohner’s spirit, or when people describe Elvis’s soul in music, these individuals enjoy their work so much they act like superheroes. It’s kinda like Batman; he’s only human like the rest of us, but he’s still able to tackle supervillains because of his superhuman mindset, his love of maintaining justice (and his Batmobile, but that’s another story).

And when people work their jobs like superheroes, they become heroes, like Elvis or Dr. Dohner. People look at these others and are inspired. They ask, “How can they be so amazing?” The answer’s simple.

They love their job.

And the added respect they get, plus achievement within their work, makes the extra work they put in over others worth the pain.

So, now you’re hopefully convinced of the importance of loving your job (which hopefully you already recognised before), let’s talk about getting that way.

So, of course the best way to find a job you love is to find your passion. We all have something we’re good at, something we’d do even if we weren’t paid for it. For some, it’s music, for others it’s writing, for others it’s video games. When you know what you love, it’s easy to work at it. In fact, it’s not even work, just paid play.

That said, it might require a career change which you might not be able to make if you have a wife (or husband), house, car and kids. It’s scary jumping out of a safe job for that (though, having your dream job might be worth it). Anyways, you can still do your dream job on the side. Some people play gigs with a local band on top of what they do at the office because they love playing but don’t have the guts to throw away their day job and live on Mac and Cheese while they tour. Others sell stuff at Trunk sales and shows around the country on top of being factory workers and janitors. Fitting in your passion alongside your regular job can make coping with your existing job much more bearable. And heck, if it becomes profitable enough, you might even be able to drop your regular job and take your passion, Mac and Cheese free.

So, what happens if you cannot leave your present employment? Maybe your Dad works there still, maybe your family’s always worked there, maybe you’re in a contract, or maybe they’ll just send a hitman after you if you put in your resignation. Ok, I get it (though again, if you do get the chance, I’m backing you all the way if you decide to change). You can still find the fun in your job. It’s not always easy, like trying to enjoy broccoli (which is just a metaphor I thought you might agree with − I personally love broccoli…) For me, when I get to know my co-workers, joking about with them and the like, the job breezes by. It’s like the job becomes background noise compared to the good times you’re having with your mates. Another strategy is being competitive, like trying to overtake people on a track. When you try to get things done faster and better than before, it moves your concentration away from the present situation. Also, you can aim to get that feeling of accomplishment, so you can say “WHOO!!! I JUST RANG MY 1000^th CALL TODAY! I’M A ROCKSTARRRR!!!!” when you’re finished. You can even try to feel like you’re doing something useful. Saying to yourself, “just because I work at McDonald’s doesn’t mean I don’t have a serious job. Most of the people in this country eat here AT LEAST once a week and I’m fulfilling a useful purpose in society for being the guy who makes that dinner happen − like the guys at a pit stop who keep the Formula One racer rolling”.

I hope this post will improve your day and week and I look forward to seeing you soon in the future!

Elvis’s Lessons:

Doctor Russell Dohner is an 87 year old doctor with a 57 year old practice. His deal? He loves his job so much he’s still going all these years later − and he never wants to stop! Like Elvis, he has a passion for his job so huge it is his life. And like Elvis, he’s now become a hero (albeit a more local one). When you love your job to bits, too, it gives you the opportunity to be a hero as well. Plus, you don’t feel like your working at all. When you find your passion, fit your dream job in on the side of your day job or find the fun in your work, you’re giving yourself the chance to improve your life AND do better at your job. Three cheers for Dr. Dohner! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

P.S. If you appreciate this post, remember to put a comment below or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com. I’d love to hear what you’re got to say.

P.P.S. If you’d like to hear Elvis singing Hurt, that passionate work from 1976, here’s a Youtube video with it.

If you like this post, you may also like these:

• The Time Trap
• Have a Job You Love (or "Don't Do a 'Normal' Job"!)
• Getting Into It
• Doing All You Can
• Be Really Good At Something
• He Who Does Not Sympathize, Loses...

 

Elvis Presley meets Usain Bolt: Do You Use THIS the Way They Do?

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario for another week linking the success lessons of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll back home to YOU. Today, we’ll be returning to the final episode of this Olympic series to explore how YOUR support (and the support of those rooting for you) helps you, and others, perform at a higher level.

At the beginning of the London 2012 Olympics, I recall seeing an advertisement essentially saying “They work harder when you’re there”. The idea was to boost views for the Olympics which would lead to more advertising money and souvenirs and so on, like any sports advertisement. But the advertisers had a point − Olympians do perform better when you’re watching.

Look at Usain Bolt, the Olympic (and World) record holder and gold medalist of the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay athletic events. After the Olympic trials, everyone thought Bolt was going to be beaten by his team-mate, Yohan Blake, who’d runner faster than he had. But, given the real event, the power was pulsing, the crowd was singing and this all gets to Bolt. The extra energy from the crowd is what made him reclaim his gold medal − their support shaves off those last few milliseconds.

Bolt’s a showman and hero to his country − and so was Elvis. Elvis did some good recordings but they rarely matched the passion and energy he showed live. In fact, one of his three Grammys was collected for a live recording of “How Great Thou Art” in 1974. The crowd’s support got to him, too, and pumped him up to that next level, like Usain Bolt, so Elvis could break his records for the quality of his music.

For these great performers, the added crowd, the added support, inspires them to go further than they have before, work harder than they thought possible. Their responsibility and love for you, the listener/watcher, makes them want to do better. Because however scary it is getting on the line for the 100m, they’d rather take it and go as fast as possible than disappoint their fans with a losing performance. I mean, you don’t see Elvis sing “He Gave Me a Mountain” while watching his designer boots. He was there to give a gift to you, the gift of his voice, and he was going to do a good job, too.

So, what’s the lesson in this for you? Well, like Bolt and Elvis, use the energy given to you by your customers’s support to work harder for them and break your own records.

“But I work in an office and don’t see anybody all day?”

Yea… but the people you work for will still be impacted by your work. Do it for them, or better your family. Imagine they’re sitting next to you watching you − you don’t want to disappoint your kids do you? Give it your all so that when you look back at your day, you can smile at the extra swing you gave your work.

“But I work in Wal-Mart and no one cares what cashiers say there anyways…”

Wrong! People do care how Wal-Mart/McDonald's/local petrol station workers react to them. When they’re excited to see you, you can feel that energy. It’s like when you meet someone serving you at the store and you go, “Wow, that’s one awesome gal− I wonder what she’s doing working here…” She’s pushing her limits in doing her best for you, and you like it. On the other hand, the people who lack energy come across as snobs. And they don’t win your business. You know who I mean…

So, push your limits for your customers, family, or any other crowd you serve. After all, you “work harder when [they’re] watching”, when you have their support. And they are watching… not in the creepy, Big Brother way that sounded, but they do care how you react to them. When it’s dead and below level, they don’t want to support you (and that includes paying your salary by giving you business). When you break records, like Bolt or Elvis, they want to help you, you get their business, your boss pats you on the back, the sun shines a bit brighter and you feel fantabulous. I mean, what can you lose?

Elvis’s Lessons:

Be aware of the crowd that’s ‘watching’ you. When you use the energy from their support, as Elvis and Usain Bolt did and do, you perform that bit harder and push to the next level. This is a great technique to win your customers over and earn their business. And when you earn their business they pay you, and isn’t that just the greatest thing!?

P.S. If you want to see Usain Bolt reclaiming his 100m Olympic title, here he is on that fateful day in London.

P.P.S. Remember to leave a comment − love to hear from you!

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.