Current mood: inspired
Category: Music
I have often discovered that success doesn't always equate to positive reactions from others! Oh sure, we all love a winner- no doubt, that's a proven historical fact of human nature! However, it is also true of human nature to be jealous, bias, prejudice and envious!
This entire past year, I have had to face far more than my fair share of detractors, slanderers and critics in the public eye! And the worse part of it was, these were people that didn't even know me and had never seen or viewed any of my videos, nor had they ever come out to one of my shows or events! It seemed like everytime I turned around, there they were, ready to pounce again! ha! But I took it in stride and kept on working hard, just like I always do- knowing that good can only come by way of continual movement, hard work and effort! And of course, it has!
The critics said I must "suck" because I have no video's on the net... so now I have over fifty (50) on Youtube and various other video sites and twenty (20) on MySpace- some duplicated, of course. Now "they" say (paraphrased) I must be an "egomaniac"! Go figure! *lol* I guess the only true way to silence one's critics is to just keep doing what you're doing and do it well and trust that your audience will love it too!
Notwithstanding, I ran across an interesting and very insightful excerpt from one of my favorite "bedside" books..."The Right Words at the Right Time" by Marlo Thomas and Friends. The excerpt comes from Willie Nelson and here it is...
"There I was, six or seven years old, walking through the streets of Abbott (Texas) singing "Amazing Grace". Even at such a young age, there was never a doubt in my mind about what those words meant:
Amazing grace,
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost
But now I'm found,
Was blind but now I see
They're all about faith and positive thinking. Which, to me, are the same things. It's a pretty daily occurrence how "Amazing Grace" seems to rescue me at just the right time."
And the part that particularly caught my eye...
"See, I live and breathe around negativity. It's all around me and always has been since I decided to become a musician."
And then in a few passages following, Willie wrote this...
"All that negativity really helped me in the end, because there's no better inspiration for doing something than having somebody say that you can't do it."
I know exactly what Willie meant in that text and I know exactly what he was feeling as well! It's that drive to better one's self- improve and polish your craft and work hard toward your goals to achieve and not fail and therefore, silence your critics! And in the process, taking pride in all that you have accomplished in spite of the odds!
Keep on singing Willie and thanks for the inspiration!!!
... Rick Sibbett
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