They Gave Then, Now It's Your Turn

 

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for connecting the success advice of Elvis Presley back to your own life. With Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the U.S., and with Elvis being a soldier, we're going to talk about service and belief, two traits demonstrated by serving one's country.

To recap the old story, on November 11th 1918, on the 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th hour, an armistice was signed ending the Great War, the largest war in human history. After four hard years, it was time to look at the future and rebuilding. But simply forgetting the sacrifice shown in those years was inconceivable, so afterwards people started 'remembering' on ‘armistice day’. Of course, we should thank those who fell all year 'round and we do. But this day gets their full attention. 

Not twenty years after the armistice was signed, the man with the funny moustache and not-so funny ideals took over Germany. The previous armistice had hurt the country much and made their people angry. All it took was one man to chew up all the work done after the war aimed at creating a more peaceful world. He started a war even larger than the first, even more terrifying. By its end, the world had seen atomic weapons and suffered like few people now can imagine.

For years after the end of the second war, countries including the U.S., the U.K. and Australia had mandatory conscription. And, in 1958, Elvis Presley, perhaps the most well known rock star in the world, was called upon to do his time.

And he did. In 1960, he was honourably discharged as a sergeant. It blows my mind how a man of his influence, who could have got out of his service easily, decided to stick with it. To me, it shows traits we should all demonstrate, traits not only Elvis but all those who served before and since him have shown to survive their time in the armed forces.

Service to the community

The first is service to the community. Now, a community can be defined as a group of people anywhere in size from a classroom to a country, including the world as a whole. In a way, it’s a living organism, constantly in flux and impacted by the actions of those making it up.

In Elvis's case, it would've been much easier and perhaps preferable for him to get out of his regular service by performing, as he'd done before entering the army. Elvis had a public service type of job to start with and many might have excused his swimming away from his draft because of this. But Elvis decided to support his country the way all young Americans at that time did − by serving.

A lot of people fall into the trap of dieing behind their front door. In other words, they never do anything outside their own home unless someone forces them to do it - like going out to get groceries or work. They cut themselves off from not only society but also their neighbours. The lack of bond between them and everyone they live by destroys the dynamic of their neighbourhood - a real community survives by caring for one another, by love. Pogoing away from this excludes them from being a real part of the body.

But soldiers, they go all out. They not only become part of the community, they leave their homes to meet citizens from all over the country, the larger community. And they do this, in Elvis's case anyways, to do their part in making their country a safer place. He was being paid chocolate almonds compared to what he'd been getting on stage, but by serving he got a feeling that he'd helped a little and acted on the same level as all his fans (and, as a side note, they were impressed with him for it).

You don't have to serve in the army to serve your community. There's always volunteer work to be done. But a lot of people say, 'why should I have to do that if I'm not being paid?"

In short, because it boosts your confidence. You feel you're capable of making a change. You make connections that can move over into your business life. You give of yourself to others who can't give themselves. And because of that, you're increasing the quality of life for everyone in the community. And remember what I said about the community being an organism? The better the community is, the better everyone in the community is. And that includes you.

And besides, if Elvis and all those millions of people who served in the wars and beyond could give of their time and lives for others, why shouldn't you?

 

Belief in the future

Whenever someone serves in the army, it shows a belief in what their community and to a larger extent their country, the places that make up that army, stand for. A lot of people point out the wrongs the government does against its people. And it’s true. Heck, the propaganda thrown up at people during the Great War was bordering on being a full out lie at times.

But those who did fight did it for the people at home. The ones they loved and oftentimes lost.

To last in the worst of conditions, you have to fight for something. Sometimes for yourself but, for me anyways, it's easier to motivate myself by believing I'm doing something great for others. That belief alone can get me through the job.

Elvis and the veterans of the wars had to think they were giving their lives for something worthwhile. You don't just walk up in front of machine gun otherwise (unless you're severely depressed and I'd guess at least some of people who die in action aren't).

That belief in the future, in those around you, in your neighbours is something that is often forgot now, at least in my neighbourhood. With social media, we're closer than ever and there're more of us than at any other time. Yet, we don't tend to believe in the future and those around us.  People don't take care of themselves and the world because they feel they won't be here long enough for it to matter. That selfish kind of thinking damages everything and everyone.

You show belief in others through acting with kindness (as Elvis did), through smiling (yep, Elvis did that, too), by joking around and having a good time with others (umm yea, Elvis did that as well). You show belief in others by serving them, which makes them feel like a freshly polished dress shoe. And because they're happy, you feel even better. And if the point of living isn't to feel happy and have a good life, then I don't know what is.

Have a great Remembrance/ Veterans Day and see you next week! And if you are a veteran from ANY conflict, serving any nation, let me take this sentence and post to thank you for all you did. It took guts and I, as well as anyone with an inch of gratitude, am moved by your actions.

Elvis's Lessons:

Elvis was a soldier. In the spirit of Remembrance Day, we talked about a couple of the most noble traits of the soldier: giving to the community and believing in the future. When you follow these traits, you create a greater community feeling which make everyone feel happier. And since one of the main goals of living is to be happy, it seems like a good deal for everyone involved.

P.S. If you'd like to see Elvis singing a hit that came out while he was in the army, here's a Youtube video of him with “I Need Your Love Tonight”.

P.P.S. Please remember to leave a comment below or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com. I'd be glad to talk with you about anything that's on your mind.

If you like this post, you might also like these other Graceland Ontario posts:

• Service Pays Dividends
• Elvis and the Photographer: A Story of Gratitude
• The July 4th Special (Or July 1st for Us Canadians…)
• Give Back
• Doing All You Can
• Elvis Presley meets Usain Bolt: Do You Use THIS the Way They Do?

The Respectful Parting: Firing with the Future in Mind

Helloo0O all you wonderful people!

Welcome back Graceland Ontario for your weekly fix of success tips as modeled by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself (and you can’t do much better than him… I mean, check out those cheek bones! But I digress…) This week we’re going to be talking about remembering people on the pathway of life (and success) and how to deal with them when it's 'just not working'.

So, as we tango through life, whether it be school, work, the barber’s shop, we meet people who become associates, business partners and plain, ol’ employees. Then, days, months, years down the line, we realize that the partnership is a bad idea and either it’s outlived its usefulness or was never meant to be to start with. It’s time to ‘fire’ that person from your business life. Now, there are three ways to deal with this: one, ignore it (this would suggest being indecisive, and if you don’t know my opinions on that check out what I write on it. In short − it’s not good); two, break off the relationship casually, stating things aren’t working well and it’d be better for both of you if you did your own things or, three, step on their toes, tell them the hell where to go and screw the relationship up permanently (Donald Trump, anyone...?).

Let’s tie this to our friend, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Elvis met many people through his career. Oftentimes he partnered up with them for long times (the Jordanaires, the TCB (Taking Care of Business) Band) or re-partnered up with them at later dates (Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana, his original guitarist and drummer, played with Elvis during the ’68 Comeback Special). When the partnership had to end (because of a dispute or someone else was better for the role), it did − no hard feelings. Then, if there was a use for the partnership in the future, it could be re-exploited.

Hopefully you’re getting the point I’m trying to put across − sometimes, partnerships should never have occurred but we, as fallible mortals, don’t know when this is true or not. Even if there’s a clear problem in the present, your ex-partner might be able to help you (and you him) in the future. This makes financial (they can help you make money if you need them), health (you’re not worrying over some psycho ex-partner killing you) and social (you might have a friend even if you don’t have a partner) sense. Asides, who wants to have a long argument over a partnership that’s dead when you can have a short conversation putting both people out of their woe.

Now going back to Elvis, who generally had good relations with his fellow workers − after his death, many of these musicians have said or done something positive in correlation to Elvis. Done a song, a speech, a dedication… the 'Elvis Presley in Concert' shows where former musicians do modern arrangements to recording and movie footage of Elvis live. Now, I’m not saying money had nothing to do with this sponsorship but, from the genuineness in what they say, it seems most of the people who worked with Elvis looked upon him favourably. So favourably that, if he were still alive and required their services, they’d probably accept.

On the other hand, there are other bands with one person becoming ‘the star’ and ditching the rest of the guys. Oftentimes these ‘stars’ release one record, maybe score, maybe not, fall from grace, then go into quiet retirement, living off the royalties from the band they backstabbed. I’m not going to name any people in particular (though I’m sure you can fill in the blanks) but clearly these individuals, by hurting those they worked with, even if they didn’t intend to work with them again, messed themselves over in the long-run. They certainly can’t boast having a legion of individuals who would work with them if they needed (like Elvis), a group of friends they could talk with outside of business or even a safe life (gotta watch out for those psycho ex-partners).

Now, I’m not saying people who shouldn’t work with you must stay or that you should keep in good contact with them if they’re bad news. Simply that you’re nice and respectful to them, even when you can’t work with them anymore. Remember the old adage ‘action speaks louder than words’? Your simple lack of response to their ideas and proposals will give them the idea − you don’t have to shout in their face!

Elvis’s Lessons:

So, what’s the point? Here it is: Do what is best for your career, even if it means parting with somebody, but remember to be respectful during the break-up process. It makes the process less messy, it leaves the option of re-partnership possible and it gives you the opportunity to keep a person in your social life even if they have no part in your financial circle.

P.S. Remember to leave a comment below or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com to discuss this post personally with me.

P.P.S. If you're interested in seeing Elvis singing in the '68 Comeback Special (where he re-partnered up with original guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana), here he is with "Heartbreak Hotel".

Accept it How It Is

Most people, as you’re showing by reading this post, are interested in becoming widely successful individuals with great business, personal and spiritual lives, or at least something close to that. We want to be the best and get to the very top.

But like it or not, when you’re going to the top, you find yourself a long way from the ground so when you fall, you fall far.

Elvis is one of the most successful men in history; he broke records that stand over thirty years after his death, let alone when he set them. And he had a legion of adoring fans. At one time, he even had a perfect (seemingly anyways) family.

But when you’re at the top, you can fall a long way. His marriage broke up, his physical shape deteriorated. It must have distracted him because even his musical success was not what it had been.

What hurt Elvis more was not the event of, say, his marriage breaking up but how he reacted to that event and how that event then ate into other places in his life.

Man that sounds terrible! But it’s unavoidable, right?

Yes and no; The bad stuff will happen, but you don’t have to give up on life because of it. A way of staying positive when this happens in your own life is accepting an event how it is.

Robert Schuller, founder of the Crystal Cathedral, put it wonderfully in one of his books about positive thinking. He said that if you look at life as an experiment, there can’t be bad or good. There can only be feedback. And the nice thing about feedback is you can learn from it for more successful trials in the future.

When something bad happens to me, I have a little breathing technique I do to get over it.

You want to know what it is?

Alright, let’s do it together… Take a deep breath and… let it go. Let it all go. All the pain, the suffering. Everything that happened yesterday that still haunts you today, even when it logically is past.

What?

Let it go. It sucks and we hate it and if we could change it, we would. But for now, it’s over. That’s the nice bit about the past; we can learn from it and use it to guide our present to a better future, but it’s done.

We either catch the next ball and forget the shot we missed or we throw the whole damn game away because of one stupid play.

Elvis went into a decline over his marriage with Priscilla that only death stopped. We can learn from the pain he endured by realizing that the only way to get out of a really sucky past situation is to learn from your mistakes, take a deep breath and keep going.

I hope this article will help you keep going, no matter your past.

Elvis’s Lessons:

• When something bad happens to you and keeps on holding you back, even when it’s far in your past, take a deep breath and keep going. You can learn from the past, but you can’t live in it. Living is for the present, and the present shapes the future, not the past. Skip the suffering Elvis had over his broken marriage and learn to accept the situation how it is, and keep going as best you can.

P.S. If you’re interested in seeing Elvis from those good years before he accepted the desperation of his broken marriage, here’s a clip of “Patch it Up” from the 1970 documentary, Elvis: That’s the Way it Is.