Character predicts your future
Many years ago, I worked in the music industry in New York City. Then I left.
Fifteen years later, I came back to New York and met with many of the people I hadn’t seen since then.
Every single one of them had ended up about where you’d expect, based on their character.
The disciplined ones had succeeded. The temperamental ones had flamed out. The ones who’d acted like leaders were now leaders. The ones who’d blamed everyone else for their lack of results were still doing just that.
It didn’t matter where they were before. What mattered was the direction they were headed. Some people had been unpaid interns at the bottom of the ranks, but their determination and smart approaches had led them to the top. Some had been famous or successful but seemed so fragile or combustible, and yep — they’d come tumbling down.
Character isn’t fate or destiny. Character isn’t DNA, decided before birth. Character is the result of your little choices and little actions.
How you do anything is how you do everything. It all matters.
Your actions are completely under your control, and seem to be the best indicator of future success.
i think too many people get caught up in how other people judge their character rather than developing their own.
I like this, but isn't success in the eye of the beholder? I bet these people put a tremendous amount of pressure on themselves and feel inadequate/unsuccessful quite often.
Attitude is Everything!
(along with perseverance)
Great article Derek. I just taught a class for my Artist's EDGE Membership (http://artists-edge.com/join) - The Art of Leadership. This is not about politics or even business - it's about who you are from moment to moment. The choices you make, the beliefs you hold, the level of responsibility you take.
One of the biggest traps people fall fall into is thinking that their ... Read Moremoods define them (as opposed to they define their moods).
You can build your character - if you're willing to do the work. It's very challenging making these internal changes by yourself, though. Because you can't see what you can't see. And very often our definitions of ourselves is like wallpaper - just below our awareness and in the background.
Great post! I saw Star Trek last night and much of the character development was the opposite of what you say here. The characters were mostly all from some disturbed youth or past. Their success was almost haphazard. Spock was the studied one but he was steering the ship and crew into disaster. Only by exposing his flaw did the course of the battle change.
It bothers me because people think they don't have to work hard at something; that they can write their own rules. It's just not that way! Fine, they're your rules, but what do other people want?
A great book is "Talent is Overrated" and I think it validates your post. Oversimplification: Work hard and honestly at the right things, then you reap the rewards.
Success is most certainly "in the eye of the beholder." Character is an ill-defined concept and perhaps most important is the notion of 1)having a vision, 2) being committed to that vision, and 3) taking the effective action to make it happen. Additionally, allowing oneself the permission to ajust and adapt is also important.
this message deals with integrity ... which is, as i understand it, being the mindful act of alignment of your emotional core with your art/life ... regardless of outcome in the conspicuous sense, you can't lose, ever.
This is a great article! As an indie artist, I live by this rule in all that I do. You are what your heart says you are, and the heart speaks through energy and actions. Things get rough sometimes, but keeping the end in sight keeps us pushing forward, taking joy and peace along the way. Others can feel that.
After signing a bad deal with Island/Great Jones in the late 80s I decided to take control of my own destiny, and start speaking MY mind, rather than be unhappy. Sometimes my honestly, and quick responses can set people off, but I like getting it out there on the table and out of my head. Besides music, I became a studied luthier and now repair high end violin family instruments, doing mostly varnish and color (grain lines) touch up. Ah but it's still music at night ha ha!
my favorite line in this is: "how you do anything is how you do everything." I think being committed to consciously living in every moment, approaching every action and interaction with mindfulness and interest-This is your Life! (instead of trying to get through the boring bits to the big moments) affects your whole life in a positive way and in turn, the whole world. Living truthfully and allowing joy sweetens your experience and then you find there's nothing to complain about! I think living joyfully and enjoying what you do is success, regardless of whether the world recognizes you or not.
I agree with Esther. Only the individual can determine what is "successful" for themselves. We in America are obsessed with traditional monetary success stories and celebrity.If you're not highly visible in big media your not successful or you're just"pursuing" your career.It's a super archaic model that still dominates our culture and still is instilled into our DNA.The fact is everyone is on their own life path and own set course. Some folks may want,require, and need a more glittery high profile art life and some amazing artists might be content with just creating art and fishing on the weekends. To each his own.
Bill Mike/Minneapolis
p.s. we can also thank corporate media for feeding us one percent of the cool people and artistic activities that go on in each of our individual towns and cities.People are busy with family and paying the bills and don't have time to blog it 24/7 to find the nooks and crannies of coolness.
I agree with Ester's response. Quoting:"but isn’t success in the eye of the beholder?" End Quote.
Since for some, success may mean battling a disease and getting back to health. And for others it may just mean finding some water and food for the day. However, Derek does mention, Quoting: "Your “character” or “nature” just refers to how you handle all the day-to-day things in life, no matter how small." End Quote. And so I believe this was kept in mind when writing this article. So to keep this thread going, I would like to pose the question: What is your version of success?
Derek, love reading ur blogs. You're a smart man.
Cheers,
CS
I really needed to read this. Thank you for your character that wants to see others succeed.
Those in judgment are the guiltiest of all.
mindset too has a lot to do with character. Your character is not set in stone either. You can, if you have the courage to evaluate who you are and how you are being in the world, make positive changes toward success.
You seem confused. Is character everything - and if so is it as malleable as you seem to think it is?
Ryan: character isn't everything. Plenty of fuckups have become successful. But it's clear that character makes a huge difference. As for malleable: good question. I think we all have baselines that we're born with that may account for some of our nature/character, but the rest is completely under our control, and can be changed through mindset and hard work. — Derek
amazing.,.. yesterday i went and saw Annie's photo exhibition in Berlin and watched a stunning documentary... I am still moved. And now reading your blog realize once again, how in sync we all are.
All the best, keep up your amazing work,
Kara
Malcolm Gladwell's latest book "Outliers" emphasizes how success is not just about innate talent or intelligence, but factors such as the generation you were born into, and the environment you were raised will influence a person's ability to succeed in a given field.
Gladwell also talks about the 10,000 hour rule, where you've got to put in about 10K hours to become an expert or proficient in your work. If you're going to put in that much time, might as well do what you love. Creating and working in a field that makes our heart sing might be the most important ingredient to success.
Laura: I think the "Outliers" example was more about people who become absolutely exceptional (the "one in a million" types) like Rockefeller, Beatles or Einstein. Some of those factors may be out of one's control (when/where born, etc). But I think this day-to-day character stuff is a great way of making the best with what you've got, no matter where or when. And can influence success quite a lot within those birthplace/birthtime grand-scale boundaries. — Derek
...sharing a Nelson Mandela perspective...
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
best,
rada
I’m probably going to destroy this quote but I’ll try to convey the meaning.
It was Cary Grant or Clark Gable or someone like that who was being interviewed when a reporter stated. "Everybody we ask about you, says you are all of what you seem and more off screen. Normally we find the great actors have fatal flaws when they let their guard down, they are secretive or rude and aloof, sometimes mean.
His response was a little startling, He said (to the effect) "I was a little shy and kind of hard hearted, not very trusting and a little cynical, but I realized one day that’s not what I want to be and that’s not what I like in other people. So I took a look at the qualities I liked in other people and I formed a blend of these people. Since then I started acting like the people I’ve admired and I have been doing it so long now, I don’t know any other way to be.
Thank you for your info.I am honored.I am still babysitting my 2 grand kids at home but never give up.I will polish For Your Tomorrow CD to honor our heroes again.If you have so many good singers&artist..why dont you give them my CD or please give me their mailing address.I will let them sing FYT CD &honor our heroes.TY
Derek, why don't you write something about where you got your optimism which I presume came from your parents? What was it they gave you that was important to your success?
I enjoyed the Sammy Cahn story.
Peace!
While I often find your essays and writings spot on, I think you're traveling a tad far into self-empowerment la-la land on this one, Derek.
If your goal is to create great, lasting art, and not just ride some wave of look-at-me-I'm-great-positive-thinking all the way to "success" (whatever that is) - I think you need true depth. And that doesn't always come from this kind of pop-positive thinking. Being overly "confident" and "positive" can often be horribly contrived.
You need pain. You need self-doubt. You need self-flagellation and nagging existential turmoil. You need cynicism and perhaps even misanthropy. You need a drive to do the art itself that has little or nothing to do with external marks of "success."
Look at Kafka. Look at Hemingway. Look at Sylvia Plath. Ingmar Bergman. Look at Marilyn Manson, for that matter. Not exactly the kind of people who convey a pronounced and lasting positive outlook. But one can hardly argue with their real, true, actual artistic legacies.
I think you need to dare to be wide open to the idea of your own artistic inadequacy in order to produce anything good at all.
Do you think Leonard Cohen wrote the majority of his lyrics with "success" in mind? No, he wrote them because they were true.
As the Buddhist might say, "abandon all hope of fruition."
Them's my two pennies on this one.
I agree with this post, but you left out something important: when we behave "in character", that may not mean we will head into conventional business success. That's because that may not be natural for us or (really) desirable for us (no matter what the world tells us). "Character" can be such a loaded word, and it's too easy to read this post and think "Gosh, if I had real character, then I'd be a big financial success with thousands of fans." But if you don't wake up every morning, just burning with the desire to go marketing, then trying to do so would be acting "out of character" for you. Every one of us has to ask the question "who am I" and "what do I REALLY want", as opposed to "what do I only THINK I want"? Really, how do I want to live RIGHT NOW? Meaning, what action can I take on a daily basis, right now, that will give me joy to do? Stephin Merritt recorded alone in his apartment for ages before some friends passed his tape along to a record company. He acted according to his own character. The friend was a lucky break. But I don't think he'd have regretted one second of the time he spent making that music in any case. Simply, it was what gave him joy to do, and who can regret having a good time?
In Chinese language, there is a pictogram called shēn 身. It represents a pregnant human being standing up with one leg forward to control balance.
Anyways, this symbol means that the individuals are pregnant with their own self, they are responsible for themselves...
What a tantalizing and intelligent response to Larry's comment. I have perused those 48 laws of power, but found them so freaking depressing. I and others sure would like to know how you defeated the "crooks" in the (music) business. As for your point about knowing more people instead of grumbling about it -- brilliant! Thank you!
Derek,
Great post. I just placed a hold on "The 48 Laws of Power" with local library. Appreciate great reading suggestions.
One trait I possess that all who know me would tell you is persistence. Of course with age I have learned a bit about letting go. But with music I persist. Would love to generate more interest in my work, but I keep playing music and am slowly learning about marketing.
I suspect the people you are referring to also place learning with reading, experience, discussion, etc very high on the list.
Derek,
You have taken to your new endeavor "like a duck to water." Personal stories are great motivators, as well as, smartly written metaphors, similes and other devises used by Shakespear. I hope that you are finding a just reward in your effort to help musicians find a way to personal successes.
I'm enjoying your new Emails!
Have fun,
Al
As I once heard, "what blesses one, blesses all." It is a blessing that Derek shares what he understands in his heart with the world. Why most haven't figured it out is a mystery, but I "get" it and believe you create your future. Your thought, attitude and actions all work to create the reality you choose. Blessings, MelaniePhippard.com
i love this Derick. Never thought of it quite this way. We are the captains of our own ship..why we sail, how we sail, and where we sail is our choice. Stop whining. Stop wishing. Don't look back.
Do. Clock is tickin'...
I totally agree with this article. There is a quote I have always loved and it is posted on my desk so I see it everyday. It states, "There is no such thing as failure, until you fail to try again!" Just keep at it. Don't give up. I don't let things get under my skin. But I always do what makes me happy!
Geez, somebody should have told me this when I was 20. But of course, I wouldn't have listened.
Kudos to Robbi K!
Being a Independent Recording Artist I can relate to hard work, just getting it out their is not enough street teams are a good tool as well. It's like the saying goes what you put into something is what your going to get out of it.
Surround your self with greatness and awesome things will happen for you, the bottom line is how bad do you want it and are you ready to give up a few things to get it. I jam with some Bad Ass Musicians and they have taken me to another level of performing. Never give up on your dreams you have to dig down deep and just go for it.
Success for me is in the music, the dream and the audience... reflecting notes with appreciation... passing-on all the joy in playing for them... in a moment recorded in pure energy for all time and beyond us.
This life is a grace note of success in a symphony of growth in an anthology of common experience.
this is so damn important in whatever field we work and play.
Give me sound character any day over charming personality.
Character is the cake and personality the icing and this surely reflects their relative importance.
Developing character takes work and real effort over a lifetime - 'bah humbug' - say the bitter and the cynical.
The humourist in me says 'Too preachy' Probably so but the importance of this elusive 'thing' is where we derive real self worth. The glitz and the glam do not nourish because they lack substance.
Now ... where did I put my uppers, downers and disturbing elements
Yes indeed, this type of character and success consciousness can be grown into an individual. Just think of the stories in "Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill". It is irrelavant what you do, but to have that character and base is the most important thing. Do what you truly love and do it with character :-)
Dear Derek:
Great article! How one handles the "small things" day by day builds one's character day by day and ultimately "you" become you through this process of character building. One of the things I have learned is what I call my UP Principle. Unrelenting Persistence! Day by day focusing in on what one wants to acheive.
Dear Derek,
I totally agree with you. Character influences everyone's future. I believe that if you have a goal, make positive thoughts about that and try as hard as you can in order to manage it, but without being anxious, then you can succeed.
Hey Derek!! I was thinking about you this week and so it's nice to hear your thoughts to us! I agree that people who are diligent, single themselves out of the crowd just because of their persistence, but I think there is more to it then self motivation. Sometimes the soup of life is thicker and takes more ingredients...
In a band, everyone is considered, and for love of others, sometimes the timing of success?? is moved. You may have all these traits and passion, but your personal future is dependent on others as well. So then you do have to believe and have faith..just this something inside of you that won't let the dreams go..And true, some things ARE just meant to be.
"And luckily, it’s completely under your control." is a contradiction. However I like your article and agree that you must take pride in not only your work, but pride in your existence.
great news keep'em coming
As a teacher for music business at UCD I see students come into an 'Intro to Music Business' class who are asleep, pissed off, don't give a damn, and believe there is nothing that they can do to change their lot in life. Of the 100 or so in that class some make a fantastic turn around by the time I see them again in the fall of their 2nd year. Many have told me that part of the reason for that turn around is getting a positive message about ways to succeed in the "biz" side of music. And sometimes I think that is all it takes to get somebody on what James Brown used to call "the good foot" Hey!!!! You gota, gota gota have it! And, in many ways that is what CD Baby was/is all about -- your "can do" it attitude. If teach it, if you preach it, not all will get it, but you would be amazed at how many do... keep it coming Mr. D
Another manager, .... seemed too moody and unfocused. Sure enough, he flamed out of the company, and is now bitter, unfocused and unhappy.
I think caracter is part of your succes, to me succes is not only the drive and determination to get what you want, but also to be a human being in everything
you do.
This means sometime's alow yourself beeing moody, ore feel unhappy about things in your live.
I've seen people heading up to their goals and go straight into an emotional colapse.
They forgot to take their emotional human side with them.
So to me balance is alway's important in creating your own succes.
By the way today i am very succesful in a financial way and i can say.. YES I DID IT AGAIN.
:-)
Although nothing really matters in this world, at all, in the grand spectrum and scheme of life itself, we're all meaningless beings getting ready to pass on to the abyss in time, after leaving our miniscule mark on the pavement of this planet. So, why not make the best of it and not take life so seriously...have a good time. Let's go for a ride and try to challenge ourselves while we're here. Most of us are here for the same reasons...life's' achievements and successes or as much of it that's attainable. Remembering, that our attitude toward life is everything, so we must try to accept the good and the bad that life has to offer us all without preponderance. We have a choice each day; to wake up with a smile or a frown on our faces. And yes, charachter shall predict the future along with drive and ambition but only as long as we're afforded our health and well being and determine it to have value in our lives.
great 3 posts! thnx!
I don't think it's all character. It all depends what you do. If you live in an environment where creativity and depth is not the norm you might be successful at being recognized and moving some sensitive listeners, if you do music for example. However you might not make a whole lot of money. So, it all depends what success means to you. There are other factors beside character in making success you don't mention. One is charisma.
Part of the fuel is having a sense of purpose and also not being distracted..set your goals and not be afraid to attain it. Moodiness..everyone has..but at the end of the day..it's not the storms that define if you'd make it, it's how well you stir to your destination despite-off of it.
- Vivian Khor
Composer, artist
Derek, thanks for writing this blog! It comes at a perfect time for me as I teach this old dog new tricks.
We describe how a person handles setbacks and failures in everyday life as that person's character. We are often puzzled by the success of average talent and the seeming lack of success of the gifted. I am learning that the difference is in how we explain to ourselves our own failures and setbacks. If we view these bad events pessimistically, we become depressed and fail to act. If we have an optimistic view, we are able to move forward. How am I getting smart about his?
I am reading a great book by Martin Seligman in which he entertainingly presents the research to back up this theory as well as a series of exercises to help you change how you view bad events. It is called Learned Optimism. How to Change Your Mind and Your Life.
According to Seligman's research, having an optimistic explanatory style is the key to persistence and success. And it is learned.
So he teaches the reader how to change from a pessimist style to an optimistic one. Now that's reason for hope!
Because as a friend pointed out to me the other day when we were talking about being aging artists and "cracking the whip" to get work done, "One of the things about getting older is that I just can't persecute myself with the same level of enthusiasm."
I'm laying down my whip and learning a new way.
Janet Metzger
Singer~Actor~Voice Talent
Thank you for your comments Derek. Success is how you feel about your life. I am always trying to do things that seem out of reach to me. As an immigrant from South America, as a teenager I was a High School drop-out, but now I have a Masters in Business and an RN license running a large medical unit, I was an officer in the US Army, and created a Record Label producing music... and the beats goes on.
Thank you again!
Oscar
OMC RECORDS, LLC
www.omcrecords.net
thanks derek. you always have such amazing words of wisdom. you have helped me stay inspired for so many years. ten to be exact.
thanks,
simone
there is some good info in just about every reply, lots of good info. I feel very successful as an artist, and proud of my music which I write and play from my heart, but, the business is harder for me to understand and I agree with one of the post above about corruption is tough to deal with. I hope everyone that is deserving should make it but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.
here is something I posted on a cdbaby blog today.I want to trust but its very hard sometimes:
(I agree with everything 1 through 11 but there is something thats bothering me that somehow needs to get fixed.How on earth can anyone prove how many digital downloads are sold. How can I prove that itunes, cd baby etc. actually sell what they report.I was looking at my accounting today on cd baby and it said they owed me $96. something, then I checked 10 min. later and it said $5.something, then it changed to $13 something and then to $20.81. I trust cd baby but seeing the figures jumping around like that bothered me .This is a desperate world and there are people that can't be trusted. There has to be away to validate downloads, a system, a digital code, someway to validate every sale made so that people who spend a lifetime working hard can be sure their getting whats due.I trust cd baby but its asking to much to trust everbody in every company. The industry needs some verifiable way of keeping account for every sale big or small.)
I believe in myself but there are so many in this world that can't be trusted.Some times good people get taken advantage of how do we deal with that?
Wow all I can say great comments by all. Yea its wonderfull to know myself so well now. I was negative a bit like Larry. I also tried to please every one else once too but all thats gone. On the Success... if money is the only aquirement I think thats the view of most. Then happiness does not require money and lots of times money does not create happiness. What a nice bunch of people you all are a great campfire circle...
I was wondering one day how did I start my own business. My father had been self employed since I was a little girl. I said to myself I do not want to be self employed. I did not want the hassle. Once I had an opportunity to become a full time entertainer I jump at the chance. My love for singing was so great that I forgot what I had said. Now I am so glad that I get to travel and sing. I love singing songs like Route 66, Summertime, Fear an original, and What is this thing called Love. Now I am playing the piano something I always wanted to do. That jump has been so wonderful even though I have paper work and phone calls to make.
I enjoy your comments. Personally, I can be very inconsistent. Sometimes people would look at me & say she will succeed at anything (I even have some written references to prove it). There are days I am just burned out & unfocused. And other days everything is great & I am excited & moving forward. So, I would chose to be successful at everything, but my emotions & brains don't always go along. Perhaps One Day At A Time is the very best motto....
I'm confused, Jocelyn Cooper is 29. In 1990 she would have been about 10, given the month. How did you know then that she was going to be great? Are you sure that that is the right Jocelyn Cooper? Am I the only one confused?
OH! nevermind, she was the 40 under 40 in 1994 I believe...I wanted to make sure I was reading the right person, it is!
Character is a must, but making good business decisions is even More. a person has got to know when to say yes and when to say no.
Gracias, por ayudar a encontrar caminos...
I just love this quote, and I just tweeted it with your name... Thank you so much...
Getting to the core of what this means, I often check myself and my way of being... Am I taking the right actions to achieve my goals right now? Yes, I have the traits of a successful person, and we could say I have had success in basically everything I have done purposefully... Like fitness + business.. YET I have so much to learn, like letting go of some of my bad habits, now that I have taken up INTERNET MARKETING.. Like not publishing a picture or a video, because it is not the highest quality... Or not doing something until I can master it... Taking MASSIVE ACTION is key in this new world... Then you can adjust and perfect...
We are in 2013, and now is the time to crush it with your passion... And your personality! So we do have to GET OVER OURSELVES many times, letting go of some of our previous habits that no longer serve us... Thank you + make it an awesome day!
Being over 50, I have seen very successful people in their 20's, lose their edge because they do not possess resiliency, to pick themselves back up. We can be sure there will be ups and downs. How we deal with the downs will determine how successful we are in the ups.
Wow, lots of golden comments.
I notice a few people misplaced their dark focus onto the wrong metaphor. To them I answer: You guys, Derek wasn't talking about life success being a given, he was talking about how you CAN control "how you do anything."
If I was trying to help the concept sink in to a young person, then, given that kids today all know about holograms (you know, those photographs on thin flat strip that look 3-D) I would remind the kids of what happens when a hologram strip is shattered, each and every piece retains the original image.
Meaning: Your life is a hologram. Do you keep thinking your good intentions count more than your observable actions? Do you keep putting off straightening out until tomorrow? The holograph won't show tomorrow.
And of course in every little piece, how you do anything is how you do everything, in every piece.
Wow, this has to be up there with your best, really enjoyed this read. Very inspiring especially since i'm just starting out (21). thank you for your contributions !
I have injured myself thereby ruining my upcomming mountaineering goal.
Your article gave hope. It reassured that setbacks are temporary. In the only that matters are actions i choose going forward.
Ultimately the goal behind every goal is to build a character worthy of the goal.
Thanks
Derek
P.S: I have been stealing your style of writing
I work out.
I read.
I go to Starbucks.
This represents me who currently look for who really she herself is.
Symbolic behavior that best describes present me is 'reading'. I read books that I can find insight from, and try to adapt it in my daily life.
I read books every day
I always organize everywhere
I keep looking for a way and moving forward.(after reading a book)
How do you build a character that will help you become self-sufficient or self-reliant? How do you adjust your character that's been formed by cultural and social expectations for the first 20 years of your life?
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