Biz Shizzle: What I Learned About Business from Loverboy

 

Remember that 80’s rock band, Loverboy?  You know, the “Working for the Weekend” guys with the red leather pants and headbands?  Yeah…THOSE guys.  

Although they had some mighty infectious earworm-worthy tunes, I pretty much forgot all about them until I caught them on some blast-from-the-past show a few years back.  

I don’t know why I was even watching this show because I was never a fan.  In fact, my crew often made fun of that peppy “feel good” brand of rock.  I half expected some sad sack glory days whining and perhaps a bland performance of one of their hits.

Turns out this hip hop lovin’ old skool punk rocker was  in for a pleasant surprise.  The show began with a little “what have you been up to” bio on the band.  Each member talked about the old days and shared glimpses into their current lives.  Rather than mourning the past, these guys were still playing out, recording, and most importantly, they seemed pretty content with their work and their lives.

When they hit the stage, they went into pro musician mode automatically.  I had to admit that they still sounded good, but what grabbed me the most: they seemed to be having fun and were really into it.  In other words, they were giving their fans a terrific show.

It didn’t matter that they weren’t young and “hot” anymore – or that their songs might be considered “outdated” by industry “experts”.

They weren’t there for the critics, the judges, or the haters. They were there for their fans, ready rock out, and show them a good time.  In fact, my sorry ass was tapping along and enjoying the hell out of it.  (I even did a fist pump when they finished!  Yeah, I’m corny like that.  Um…plus I think I was drinking.)

There were probably plenty of armchair critics watching and busy picking them apart (I shamefully admit, I thought I’d be doing that too.).  It’s easy to sit back and rip on someone you don’t know for their style, their product, their personality, or their looks.  If you’ve hung around with musicians or artists, you quickly learn that the trash talkers are part of the territory (they all get a lot of flack, no matter how talented, attractive, or famous they are).

Constant scrutiny can tear apart even the strongest ego.  In fact, it sucks big time. When you  lovingly create a song, piece of art, blog post, product, class, or whatever, you pour your heart and soul into it.  And when someone turns around and poops on your glitter with their salty opinions, it can feel like a pair of too tight leather trousers pinching you in the worst possible part of your nether regions. But you know what?  

Those snarky, bitter types don’t matter.

Forget the critics, the haters, the bashers, the biters, and the experts who think they know more than you.  You’re not doing what you do to get their approval.  So stop trying.  

Instead, you need to hit that stage and do your very best work.  You need to keep on showing up for your fans.  Ignore the rest.   No matter what shade gets thrown your way, remember that you are doing what you are doing because you are called to do it.  It’s your passion.  It doesn’t matter if someone else doesn’t like it or get it.

Leave those people in your rear view mirror.  They are not your inner circle of awesome.  Just keep on trucking with your bad self.  Hell, wear red leather pants and a bandanna if you feel like it (or a caftan and fez if you are comfort oriented like me).   Put on the best damn show possible every time and please remember to have fun.  It’s sometimes an unkind world out there but you have a job to do.  Go on now.  Your fans are waiting.

“Work freely and rollickingly as though you were talking to a friend who loves you. Mentally (at least three or four times a day) thumb your nose at all know-it-alls, jeerers, critics, doubters.” ~ Brenda Ueland

Blessings!

Theresa

© Theresa Reed | The Tarot Lady 2014