Like many we spent the night of Wednesday, November 2nd flipping between the 50th Annual CMA Awards and Game 7 of the World Series. There are so many rich stories behind and within each of these events, I could go any number of directions.
The fact that there WAS a Game 7 between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians is alone evidence of their journeys and perseverance to it. The Cubs, the long-time cursed team destined it seemed to be relegated to their lot in the league. The team was able to focus on something besides the curse and triumph prevailing through a three-game deficit and a rain delay in the final game in Cleveland.
From Cleveland’s standpoint, the series ended in a fashion similar to how the season had begun – with a rain delay and a loss. The team’ legacy earned movie credit reflective of an adult version of Bad News Bears. I hope that title speaks for itself. Like the Bad News Bears, the Cleveland Indians of “Major League” were able to adjust for idiosyncrasies and to work together to produce remarkable results. Life imitates art – you’ve got to be a winner to get to the World Series!
My focus is on people coming together to produce remarkable results – expressing their own excellence while accentuating the excellence of others. I’m convinced that that’s how you get to the World Series and the CMAs. I turn to the Beyonce and DixieChicks’ performance of “Daddy Lessons” at the CMAs to exemplify this specifically.
Here are some headlines regarding the performance:
A crew of people behind the scenes worked together with the approximately 20 performers to weave, own, kill and evidently help Matt McConaughey dance like no one was watching. Let’s be honest though Matt always seems prepared to seize an opportunity.
The entirety of the collection on stage seemed to be performing effortlessly and well in sync fully enjoying themselves. You don’t get that level of performance and ease without considerable experience and passion as well as time in diligent and disciplined collaboration. More eloquently translated from the Roman Philosopher Seneca, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” This is evident visually in this picture (I took of my TV screen showing ABC’s broadcast).
What I see appears to be complete immersion and expression of two amazing artists. One, around the world, is recognized with a singular name and a few nicknames. The other is Leo Pellegrino, playing the saxophone and dancing with “Queen B.” Leo, I learned having Googled for him like a few thousand-other people is a graduate of Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School and has been a member of Lucky Chops Brass Band and Too Many Zooz. (Pittsburg Post-Gazette) The article quoted Leo saying “She saw the video of Too Many Zooz in the subway, and she liked it and got us in the studio.”
Preparation meets opportunity!
Lucky and fun to be so skilled; so confident; so collaborative and open as to be in such an intense collective flow for 5-minutes. Maybe they are mostly lucky to have the experience to know the extensive preparation required to make it look so effortless. Maybe they are lucky to have learned their crafts and built their confidence so as to be able and open to flexing their style, lyrics, and allowing others to shine. Beyonce’s original “Daddy’s Lessons” has country overtones and “the Dixie Chicks have been performing a countrified version. . . since the song was released earlier this year” (RollingStone).
By working to co-create something new enough to warrant an official version for free download on SoundCloud, they collectively show us the power of individual excellence expressed collectively. I attest that the same was going on in Game 7 of the World Series; each team having worked to co-create new versions of themselves earning the Chicago Cubs their first championship since 1908 and the Cleveland Indians having earned themselves the American League pennant for the first time since 1997. None of this happened overnight – hard work, disciple, sacrifice and some disappointment were prerequisites. On the Cleveland Indians’ official website, Indians ace Corey Kluber is quoted regarding the league championship saying, “Nobody has shied away from the challenges that we’ve faced. It speaks to the kind of guys we have. Nobody is backing down from anything. Everybody is just trying to go out there and do their jobs.”
It sounds like people coming together to produce remarkable results – contributing their capabilities while accentuating those of others. If the Cubs and the Indians can do it. If Beyonce and the Dixie Chicks can do it. If Leo Pellegrino can dance with Beyonce at the 50th Annual CMA Awards.
If we have time to cheer them on then we have time to invest in our own capabilities and our own remarkable results! Game 7 lasted 4+ hours. The CMAs were ~3 hours. How much could you grow personally, professionally, in YOUR craft, in your passion with just four (more?) hours per week?
The process can be arduous for sure – learning and working our craft and contributing to the craft of others, doing our homework and practicing independently and collectively to make great work look easy.
Maybe one day people will want to pay to watch you do your job. You are an artist. You are a player. Your season is upon you. Get ready to dance!
The People Fox 