The Only Guarantee

Hey guys,

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario where, once again, we'll be exploring the success principles demonstrated by Elvis Presley and see how they can be used in your life. Today, we'll be talking about the effects of acting and the effects of not... something I call The Only Guarantee.

I’ve got a question for you: Why do people do exceptional acts? Because it’s monumentous and it boosts their feeling of self-worth. Now, I’ve got another question for you: Why do people not do exceptional acts? Because it’s monumentous and they’re scared it will decrease their feelings of self-worth.

Do you notice the difference between the two questions? The first one, the one about doing monumentous things, talks about action: doing the act makes you feel awesome. The second question talks about an imagined possibility; they’re scared (read: they think) failure will lower their feelings of self-worth.

We’ve talked about Elvis making a fool of himself in the past: he couldn’t finish his first tour in Las Vegas in ’56 because he was going over so badly with the audience. Then, in later life, he put on a lot of weight. Some people would have been so embarrassed about their physical condition they would never want another picture taken.

But not Elvis. You see, he realized that this perceived fear of failing and lowering of self-worth is not a guarantee. He lived through it and we’ve seen the results years after his death. Failing in Las Vegas was not the end of his career. Not only did he continue doing well in the 50’s, later on he became one of Vegas’s great symbols. And people still buy the tracks and posters and memorabilia from his ‘fat’ period. He might have looked upon it as a low period, but to us he’s still Elvis, putting out those tracks the same as usual.

There’s no guarantee that failing will ruin you. You can only take it as you will, as a crippling loss or a lesson to be learnt.

On the other hand, doing something momentous produces guaranteed results. I mean, once you’ve done something incredible , no one can change that. They can show their jealousy through criticism and slanted reviews but the act remains the same. The act is certain, it is a guarantee, and that guarantee not only boosts your feelings of self-worth but others’s feelings of admiration for you.

Now, using some commonsense, the guaranteed result will help you, the perceived loss will not. The guaranteed result is certain and unchangeable, the perceived loss is flawed and easily changed. The guaranteed result shows others you’re awesome, the perceived loss is only seen at its worst by you.

As Elvis is remembered for his great successes, the acts he accomplished, and not the perceived (and often overlooked) downfalls, we too can learn. We can learn that doing, or at least aiming, to do great things will take you much farther than any perceived loss. We can learn that most people only care about those who attempt at success, even if they don’t achieve it, rather than those who never try out of fear. But, most importantly, we can learn that when we have a dream and it is our choice to go for something momentous or ditch it out of perceived fear, we can go for the momentous act and attempt victory over our dreams.

Elvis’s Lessons:

The act of doing something momentous is the only guarantee; it will increase your feelings of self-worth and the respect others hold for you. The perceived threat of failure brings no guarantee; it can help you learn or destroy your soul. Ultimately, as Elvis showed, going for something monumentous is the only way to achieve a dream and, at the very least, attempt success − it’s the only way to live a fulfilling life where both you and others believe in yourself.

P.S. If you're interesting in seeing Elvis singing some momentous soul music, here he is with "Trying to Get to You" from the 1977 CBS TV special, Elvis in Concert.

P.P.S. Remember to leave a comment either below this post or email me at alexghilson@gmail.com to discuss any of my work. I'd love to hear from you!

Give Back

In 1958, Elvis Presley reaches the peak of his early success. He’s scored a bestselling LP, garnered several number ones in charts all over the world and has starred in several movies, including ‘57’s The Jailhouse Rock, but he is about to hit a metaphorical transport truck; in the years following the Second World War, conscription is present in the U.S. and it is Elvis’s turn to join the army.

So, let’s look at this the way Elvis might have seen it: he has come from nothing to exceedingly successful in several areas of the entertainment industry. He has achieved more than many would think possible… and now he is going to be serving time in the army. The media has always been fast-paced but this is an age when a big record company dropping you could destroy your career. And if Elvis’s fans go onto the next sensation, Elvis is out of a job.

But apparently Elvis doesn’t see it this way; he believes that he is good enough and has good enough fans that after serving in the army they won’t desert him. He doesn’t fight to get off the draft. He feels that it is his duty as a US citizen (of the time) to join up and if all the other men in the country are being called up, why not him?

So, on March 24^th 1958, Elvis is sworn in as a private in the US army and, on the 25^th, has his hair and sideburns shaven off

Elvis is a good soldier, or so his promotions infer. In the two years that Elvis serves, he rises to the rank of sergeant and is discharged honourably at the end of his tour of duty (served mainly in Germany). Elvis is possibly in the best shape of his life at this point (wait… he is scary thin!) and has met his future wife, Priscilla Beaulieu.

Though he has released a couple tracks in the army, now comes the big challenge – will anyone remember him!? Well, it seems that his time in the army hasn’t hurt Elvis much at all (unless you count his now seemingly more-reserved stage behaviour as ‘hurt’).

On 23^rd March 1960, Elvis’s train to Miami, Florida, is well marked by fans and the press. Later, on May 12^th, Elvis performs on the Frank Sinatra show and sparks high ratings. Thanks to his time in the army, men who previously thought he was overly-feminine had no ground to stand on and people who criticized his ‘easy’ lifestyle lacked evidence.

And support from fans? Elvis releases Stuck on You” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” (both peaking at number one on the Billboard 100) as well as the movie G.I. Blues which becomes Variety’s second highest grossing film of 1960. Elvis was back, and the world still knew who the King was.

Elvis’s Lessons

Ø When something great happens to you or you are successful, remember Elvis; give back through time, money, energy, participation in some service (it doesn’t have to be the army – charity is a good way of giving back, too) to let others know how much you appreciate their support. And the best bit: the more people you give back to, even if they didn’t care about you before hand, the more people will respect you afterwards.

Ø A little bit of self-confidence and belief in yourself never hurts. When you believe you are the best, you don’t have to worry about going away to give your energy to others for a bit; you will still be capable of remaining the best when you return to your normal work (providing you put the effort in returning to your previous station). But beware. Notice ‘giving your energy to others for a bit”, well it means a bit! Don’t lose your vision or you’ll be in real trouble.

P.S. If you're interested in seeing Elvis in his first comeback, this is a clip of him from his famous Frank Sinatra Show appearance.