
I have been thinking a lot about music lately. It’s not only because Bruce’s new album was just released and will be followed by a world tour as soon as the ‘rona ends. No, I have been thinking about music lately because it has a meter and a tempo that has been influencing my business and my life.
Since we have no secrets between us, I can admit that I “see” my life playing out before me as if set to a soundtrack. Most days, the soundtrack is Promised Land (some days, it’s acoustic and other days, it’s “Live from Giants Stadium”). My life with Mary plays to The Power of Two or Have I Told You Lately (no, not the theme song from Married with Children!). The score for Penelope and Henry is usually Times of Your Life (“Good morning, yesterday…You wake and time has slipped away”). And, if I am being truly honest, in the middle of a great round of golf or an awesome woodworking session, I do hear the music from the NFL Films highlight reel.
You see, the first step to realizing and achieving your dreams is recognizing you have the power to do it. You have the music in you. Don’t worry if the first thing you play is Chopsticks. You’re making music. No problem if you can’t “carry a tune without a handle”. You’re making music. It’s OK if your first lyrics are “Rose are red…” You’re making music and, to paraphrase Seinfeld, “It’s real and it’s spectacular.”
You’ve got the music in you
Don’t let go
You’ve got the music in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don’t give up
You’ve got a reason to live
Can’t forget
We only get what we give
What’s next? Practice.
Practice in business. Practice in life. Try. Fail. Try again. Fail again. Try a different way. Springsteen tells a great story of learning to play the guitar – “I stood in front of the mirror and I strummed. The strings were like telephone wire. I sucked. I put on The Beatles and I practiced. I still sucked. I put on The Stones and I practiced. Yep. Still sucked. My friends went to the movies. I practiced. My family went on vacation. I practiced. And, I practiced. And, I practiced. 10,000 hours? Way more than 10,000 hours! Then, one day… IT… WENT… LIKE… THIS!” As he performs a roundhouse and the sound explodes.
But when the night is falling
You cannot find the light
You feel your dreams are dying
Hold tight
Interestingly, the greater challenge for us in business and life is not the recognition that we’ve got the music in us and it’s not the recognition that we have to practice. No, it is having the will and stamina to continue to practice and to continue to develop and to continue to improve once you have felt the satisfaction of initial success.
This whole damn world, could fall apart
You’ll be ok, follow your heart
The separation from the pack – to go, as the great business author, Jim Collins, would say, from Good to Great – is the willingness to not just practice, but to never stop practicing; to never stop striving; to never stop improving. Sold a new client? Great. Now sell 10 more. Opened a new branch office? Fantastic. Go grow it by 20%. Hitting it 20 yards further off the tee? Well done. Get to work on your short game. Marriage is on solid ground? Awesome. Start looking at her the way Jack Campbell (Nic Cage) looks at Kate (Tea Leoni) in The Family Man…
Kate: How do you do that?
Jack: Do what?
Kate: Look at me like you haven’t seen me every day for the past 13 years
Raising smart, well adjusted kids? Hats off to you. Try not helping with the science project. Don’t explain to the teacher why they need extra time. And, for God’s sake, don’t bribe them into college.
Wake up, kids,
We’ve got the dreamers disease
That’s exactly what this is – a disease. Here’s the contract you enter into – You don’t get to choose when/where you will turn on/turn off this trait of constant improvement and striving for greater excellence. It is always on. It is awesome and it is exhausting. Not everyone appreciates it. Everyone sees the outcome, but no one sees the effort.
Guess what? It doesn’t always pay off, either – Jordan Speith dunked it on the 12th hole while leading The Masters; Bruce wrote Queen of the Supermarket; Jack Welch bought Kidder Peabody; I tried to flip a house… in ’08.
Don’t let go
I feel the music in you
Don’t let go
Fly high, high
What’s real, can’t die
You only get what you give
Don’t give up
Just don’t be afraid to live
I’ve been thinking a lot about music lately. I have a soundtrack to my life. I have the music in me. I have a soundtrack to my business, too. I hear the instruments. I see the notes. I feel the melody. I am ready… To conduct my Symphony.
Coming Soon…

Thanks to “New Radicals” for letting me borrow their lyrics
Michael C. Marcon is Managing Partner of M3K Holdings, LLC and Nonno to Penelope and Henry.