Home
>
Success
>
Liberating Success Lessons from Singing - If It Is Rubbish, It Is Rubbish; If It Is Not, It is Not

Liberating Success Lessons from Singing - If It Is Rubbish, It Is Rubbish; If It Is Not, It is Not

Reggie Yates, a pop song presenter, was singing on 7th March 2005 at the UK Fame Academy for Comic Relief a charity that helps people in Africa and the UK. He is probably the worst singer in the group but has managed to survive to the last stages of the competition.

Following a key principle of evolution, the weakest singer gets slung out at the end of each day. Reggie has survived for several days even though he can't sing for toffee. Having been expelled from a choir at the age of eight I can relate to him and his lack of confidence and inability to sing. Gradually, however, his confidence is growing as he keeps being voted in. As his confidence grows, his tuning improves.

While he practised his song for Monday March 7th, Carrie Grant, the voice coach reassured Reggie that he was hitting the notes spot on. She commented:

"It just goes to show you that so much of singing is about confidence and what you are learning in here is building something in you because that is so much more in tune"

"Yes, it's getting better isn't it?" Reggie agreed.

Before his evening performance, Reggie had had his hair died red because he had allowed two goals in during an indoor game of soccer. He had agreed to pay a forfeit and his companions chose red hair. Reggie, being a man of his word, paid the forfeit and appeared on stage with close cropped red hair.

"Do you think it's going to improve your singing tonight" asked Cat the presenter.

"No-o!" replied Reggie emphatically. The audience laughed.

"But this performance is going to be all about having fun isn't it?" asked Cat.

"Yeah, man, I've had enough of being emotional and getting worried about songs. I'm going to try and enjoy it. And If it's rubbish, it's rubbish and if it's not it's not ".

Reggie sang a song of celebration and joy - 'Dancing on the ceiling' The words suited his mood of confidence and fun:

"What is happening here? Something going on It's not quite clear. Somebody turn on the lights We're going to have a party and its starting tonight

Oh oh what a feeling when we're dancing on the ceiling Oh oh what a feeling when we're dancing on the ceiling

So come on let's get loose. Don't hold back cause it ain't no use Got to keep your feet on the ground, because when we like to party We only want to get down

Oh oh what a feeling when we're dancing on the ceiling Oh oh what a feeling when we're dancing on the ceiling Oh oh what a feeling when we're dancing on the ceiling Oh oh what a feeling when we're dancing on the ceiling."

Reggie danced about the stage without a care in the world and sang with more confidence than ever before. Some of his singing was in tune! The audience gave him a rapturous reception.

One of the judges, Craig, gave his verdict: "Confidence and movement was great. The only thing I didn't like was the hair and the voice!"

Carrie Grant, the voice coach was laughing: " I noticed that the judges were bending down to listen closely to their monitors because they are not quite sure now whether you are out of tune or not. A couple of days ago they knew you were out of tune. Now they are not sure and that's good!"

I once played in a pop band where the singer was not always in tune but he sang with such confidence that everyone in the audience assumed that he was. The confident can get away with blue murder.

The secret to Reggie's success was his detachment from how good his performance would be: "If it's rubbish, it's rubbish and if it's not it's not".

Having accepted that his performance might be rubbish, he was free to go ahead and give it his best shot. This is a key success lesson in any activity.

Perfectionists become tense and anxious and sometimes do less than their best - those who are willing to work hard but to accept that they have much to learn can relax and let the chips fall where they may.

In the end Reggie's performance was a mixture of rubbish (weak singing) and not rubbish (movement and cheerful confidence) The audience loved it and they loved Reggie himself.The judges were left wondering! Reggie had successfully focused on his strengths and had successfully entertained the audience.

Growing confidence, focusing on one's strengths, accepting the possiblity of the worst outcome in advance and a cheeful, devil-may-care attitude, can be truly liberating and empowering. Reggie is still in the competition and is still dancing on the ceiling!

Resource box

John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams. They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.

The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now!" The book can be found at this URL http://www.motivationtoday.com

You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine so long as you do not alter it and keep the resource box as it is.

insured cleaning company Deerfield ..

In The News:

Chrome now autofills passport and driver's license info automatically. Google's latest browser update adds official document support with encryption and user control.

Scammers impersonate Department of Veterans Affairs employees claiming veterans owe money, but real VA communications only direct to VA.gov or official channels.

The AltoVolo Sigma hybrid-electric aircraft flies 500 miles at 220 mph while operating 80% quieter than helicopters, featuring safety systems and compact design.

Google search scam alert: fake customer service numbers can give scammers remote control of your phone. Learn how to spot these traps and protect yourself.

Electric vehicles overtake gas cars in total CO2 savings after just two years of driving, with emissions benefits growing over time as power grids get cleaner.

Louvre Museum reportedly used "Louvre" as password for surveillance system during $100M jewel heist. Learn how weak passwords put even famous institutions at risk.

Bipartisan AI jobs bill from Sens. Hawley and Warner would require companies to report AI-related layoffs and hiring to Department of Labor quarterly.

Joe A. from Shelton, Connecticut, lost $228,000 to a ZAP Solutions cryptocurrency investment scam after his divorce, highlighting rising online fraud.

AI-powered autonomous trucks from Waabi and Volvo target U.S. freight driver shortage with Level 4 self-driving technology and NVIDIA computing platform integration.

Survive flight disruptions with expert travel tips: Book early morning flights, download airline apps and know your refund rights during service cuts.

Apple's iOS 26.1 update delivers major security fixes, performance boosts and enhanced privacy controls for your iPhone. Discover why updating now protects your data.

Russian hackers use fake CAPTCHA tests to spread dangerous malware targeting governments and journalists. Learn how to protect yourself from these deceptive attacks.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Miami-Dade debuts America's first autonomous police SUV with AI cameras, drone deployment and real-time crime detection in groundbreaking law enforcement pilot.

Bank impostor scams cost Americans $2.9 billion as criminals use AI voices and caller ID spoofing to steal life savings. Learn nine essential fraud protection tips.

Foreign-owned apps secretly harvest personal data from seniors, making them prime targets for scams. Learn how to protect your privacy and stop data brokers today.

Sens. Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal introduce bipartisan GUARD Act to protect minors from AI chatbots through mandatory age verification and disclosure requirements.

Ghost-tapping scammers exploit wireless technology to drain accounts through small transactions, but RFID-blocking wallets and transaction alerts can protect you.

French pilot project demonstrates wireless charging roads that can deliver over 300 kilowatts of power to EVs while driving, potentially eliminating range anxiety.

YouTube's Ghost Network spreads information-stealing malware through thousands of fake videos offering cracked software, using compromised accounts and fake engagement.

Protect your privacy by disabling your smart TV microphone. Most TVs have hidden mics that listen even when voice commands are off. Learn quick steps to stop unwanted audio capture.

SessionReaper vulnerability hits Magento and Adobe Commerce stores, compromising 250+ sites in one day. Hackers steal data and hijack shopping sessions.

Master essential parental controls and digital safety tools to protect your kids online. Learn screen time limits, location settings and privacy controls every parent needs.

Cybersecurity expert shares six essential steps to protect against dark web threats, including data removal services, password managers and antivirus software.

NVIDIA GPU space mission could revolutionize cloud services by enabling orbital data centers that make apps, games and AI tools faster and more efficient.