How a pop band can help you succeed

Robert Gerrish

Several years ago I took a stab at managing a pop band. They were good musicians. I was an okay manager. Together we failed abysmally. I think I know why.

Before I talk about the band, let me tell you about my son. Oh, go on he’s so cool.

Like most seven year olds, Master Gerrish frequently attempts feats requiring great skill and courage.

Sometimes the pursuits are really impressive, other times they are somewhat dull, and now and again they are spectacularly overshadowed by the white-knuckle drive to the nearest Accident & Emergency.

The point is, like most young boys he always aims high and simply doesn’t accept climbing halfway up a tree.

To our detriment, the pop band were different and so was I.

The pop band really wanted some groovy t-shirts with their name on and a highly polished demo recording. I duly supplied both.

For my part, I fancied the idea of telling girls I managed a pop band and so got myself some snazzy Duck and Dive Management business cards. Too easy.

Accoutrements aside, we met with no commercial success. I now put this down to the fact the pop band and I settled for climbing half way up the tree. It was nice. The branch was comfortable and we all got our needs met.

I still have the demo recordings and a small pile of cards and as you can see, continue to milk the adventure for all it’s worth. But I wonder, could it have been something much more tangible?

Very possibly.

Realistically though, success could only have come if we’d aimed higher and demanded rather more of ourselves.

Pursuing goals is one thing, setting them is another.

As a challenge, I invite you to select one of your 2008 goals right now and make it bigger. Stretch yourself. What’s more, I want you to share it with the world.

And if any fans of Bigtime are out there, would either of you have a t-shirt I could get copied for my son?

Until next week.

Love your work,

Robert Gerrish is Flying Solo’s managing director and founder and works as a business coach, professional speaker, business commentator and consultant. He’s the co-author of Flying Solo – How to go it alone in business.

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Kittens aim high as well - again, and again, and again, and finally when you think even the most ardent would give up, they succeed. Persistent little blighters. So often people either don't aim high, or they give up too soon. Denise Maffey CA from Kumeu NZ
I've had the same aim since I was about 8 or 9 ... total world domination ... But you're right - I probably could aim slightly higher. Now, where's that map of the cosmos...? I've always believed in aiming unreasonably high - because no one ever achieved anything great by telling themselves that where they were was 'good enough' - you have to push and stretch yourself constantly. I sound like a Tony Robbins tape. Which makes total sense given where I'm working at the moment ... Leela - Galactic Empress and Lord of the Earth. www.leelacosgrove.com Leela Cosgrove from Sydney, Australia
Hi Robert,
All my life I was always on the outside of the social circle, my dream was to always be a Hollywood action hero.. a couple of years ago, I got to a level of amateur Bodybuilding competitions where i was lean and had serious potential to be a formative competitor, the catch was that i needed another 3 years to be more well rounded. At the time i was in my final year as a acting student and the bodybuilding was affecting my breathing( I was chest breathing rather than Diaphram breathing required for acting). At a crossroad i had to make a decision and decided to follow the acting.
The acting training has now led me to be a live entertainment producer and Talent agent for trained actors as well as comedians and the bodybuilding has inspired me to be an action movie producer in Australia. My goal this year is to produce a action short film and submit them to festivals and hopefully have enough money with my business interests to spend some time in Hollywood for a meet and greet sessions and perhaps create a platform agency for my actors and Comedians on my books.
Here is to 2008 everyone darrell dower( starflex entertainmentgroup & starflex management) from Brisbane
I don't know how useful this little nugget of advice is - but if you're going to aim high, aim for something that matters, either to yourself or to other people. Nothing is so waserful as aiming high, reaching the pinnacle and then looking down and realising you have achieved something totally useless. (Back in my days as a direct response writer, I used to have this recurring nightmare. I was at the pearly gates and St. Peter asked me what I had done with my life. And I replied, 'I wrote some great junk mail!:) Nick Usborne from Montreal, Canada
Hi Robert. I reached great heights in a business in a relatively small time-frame (2 years). Recently, unscrupulous characters (a husband and wife) stole what I developed and are claiming it as their own. This is gaining them recognition and respect from people who are none the wiser. The Company we are affiliated with would not act upon their "theft" and hence I went through the Christmas/New Year period feeling down and weighing up my options. Your article helped. I know now that I really can go on......it's my decision to make the most of what has happened, learn from it, and continue on from there. I will be successful this year - - stay in touch and watch this space! Nicole Hore from Melbourne, Australia
My advice to my brother today was that when I say I am going to do something & he does not think I can achieve it simply tell me to keep working on it rather than he doesn't think I can do it. ie Glass being half full rather than half empty. This way I am encouraged to keep working rather than stopping half way up the tree, as you put it Robert.
So today my goal is that I am going to be a successful website usability consultant by the end of the year with a number of high profile clients. Desmond Sherlock from Melbourne

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