Susan Boyle has become a household name. Ever since I saw her on Britain’s got talent for the first time, she’s had the ability to move me to tears. Of enjoyment, that is. Viva, Susan, Viva. World-class. But what intrigues me most is not her ethereal voice, or that the fact that she remained undiscovered for so long, or that the people who first sniggered when she walked on stage that fateful day on Britain’s Got talent eventually rose in unanimous applause, or that even the cynical Simon was at a loss for words.
I’d like you to watch that now-famous video online, with particular focus on her body language. When the music started, she changed from a somewhat unattractive middle-aged working-class woman (no offense meant) into a DIVA. She BECAME that world-class singer she aspired to be. She BECAME Elaine Paige. Whatever the audience thought did not matter any longer.
On the contrary, I have watched many an acclaimed Hollywood actor become unstuck when coming on-stage for Larry Ling live or the David Letterman show, or to collect an Oscar. Suddenly their confidence seems to vanish and they’re no longer cool and composed. The suave actor is no longer present. He has left his movie character at the studio.
Let me give you one more example. Many years ago, at Primary school, we had an English teacher by the name of Dan Davis. Dan’s biggest challenge was to let kids talk English (their second language) in front of their peers. He solved the problem by letting them don masks. Little Johnny might have been very hesitant when chatting to Sally before putting on the mask, but in doing so he BECAME Leo the Lion. And Leo had no problems chatting to Tammy the Tiger.
So what’s happening here? My hallucination is that we all operate from the perspective of a ‘default persona’. Our ‘persona’ or ‘personality’ is basically a set of rules that govern they way we walk, talk and act in various situations, and it governs what we are capable of, or not. In short- who and what we are. I’m shy, I’m confident, I’m hot, I’m not; the list goes on and on. Now if this helps us to achieve desired results, it’s fine. But if it gets in my way, then we’ve got a problem. If your persona helped you to level out at $50K a year for the past five years, there is NO WAY you are going to breeze into a million-dollar income bracket with the co-operation of that persona.
This is the point where we, as entrepreneurs, often become unstuck. We need to create that new ‘persona’, and imbue it with all the attributes of the ‘new me’, capable of doing whatever we desire. Then put on that ‘mask’ as often as we can. And eventually BECOME that person.
Is this a tall order? Heck, no! An overnight exercise? Sadly not. But it’s fun!
PS I watched that video again, just for kicks. ENCORE!!!
