A Lesson From the Superstars
"What have I learned from getting richer? I learned that working with the negatives can make for better pictures." - Drake
One thing I've learned throughout my many experiences (from touring with megastars like Jay-Z and Kanye West to owning my own styling company, getting licensed in investing & helping others find financial freedom, being the Director of Community Relations for an uber-creative college and sharing my experiences with young bright-eyed creatives), is that LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
These types of experiences don't come without (many, many) negatives, but how we choose to perceive and transform those negatives into something amazing is what sets apart the successful ones from the mediocre. These negatives can also help us develop thick skin and a great character, refined by fire, if we let them.
While I was side by side with superstar musicians and athletes in the most vulnerable parts of their jobs and homes (the dressing rooms and closets), I was able to observe how they responded to issues, how they treated others and their reactions toward the BS that consistently comes their way. As a young 20-something, sitting back and learning was the most beneficial thing I could do (aside from doing a kick-ass job, of course). This offered me the opportunity to experience firsthand how true businessmen and women effectively handled their business, during storms and prosperity alike. The lasting success of my former clients was largely due to their resilience and patience when under fire.
Most of them had an impressive ability to turn undesirable situations into something worthwhile, not only quickly but with positivity.
Owning my own company brought on a type of fire I didn't feel prepared for, but being able to fall back on my learning lessons from observing other successful businesspeople around me was key to my strength and perseverance when I was under the microscope. When criticism and jealousy would flow in, I remembered how they responded (basically, brushing everything off their shoulders, as they had a bigger mission to accomplish that didn't include distractions or hateful opinions). This helped me to focus on the positives, the beauty, the great things happening around me, despite the storms. Silver linings and rainbows are all we need to keep focused.
When we see the beauty in everything, the beauty begins to reveal itself more vividly in everything.
