Sunday, October 17, 2010

Life Among The Stars; Zodiac, Maniac?


Two kinds of people consume an environment inside entertainment. There are those who feel like stars above and beyond all other creatures. Then there are those who don't care if they are or are not stars. With variations to this rule of two existing; it only seems appropriate to keep this example simple. More or less it has nothing to do with Star Wars or a Sith master/apprentices.

It takes a lot to figure out what's going on in a person's career, hobby, or during their elevation through different stages of said crafts. Though, like drugs, one may not realize an addicted brewing until it's to late. How will one know it's to late? One may enter a room, where it had been thought to be a particular holiday celebration, only to find out it's an intervention. Of what you ask? Of being a total douche-bag.

People who feel like stars care about one thing, their stardom. How they will become, continue, and go down in history as a star. These people sometimes don't realize they're not even stars yet. Or have nothing in common with a person who can be a start. These people do anything to help forward their career. Most of the time these people never care if it forces another person to fall. They are naive know-it-alls. Things such as “Why is that person more famous than me?”, “This person sucks and shouldn't be successful.” and “I can totally out do them in that craft.” can be evidence of douche-bagary. Which leads to something interesting.

These people are annoying. Why not focus that hate towards something constructive? Maybe look into why these people are further, instead of just making fun of them. Focusing on why you're not further, instead of wasting time on hating other people's success. There is more to this world than worrying about how other people are doing, what you'd love to be doing. If anything, wouldn't you want to be friends with them? So you can learn, you can help them, in turn helping each other?

The person that doesn't care if they are a star usually has much to offer. They make time for themselves to do things that are necessary to succeed. These people take any time available to watch what's going on in other people's careers, performances, on how they made, what they are doing, and looking into how they live their business lives. They don't find time to stand there in hate, or anger, for someone's success.

I suppose the main difference is knowing what it takes, and thinking you have what it takes. You can sit there all day and think you have what it takes, but until you become a person who is willing to do what it takes, then you are basically a dreamer, hobbyist, or person who will turn into a judgmental annoyance among an artists community.

Think about what you do. It reflects on you, and those around you. A rule I live by is. “You never know who someone is, or knows”. This rule lives in me and I try my hardest to always be nice to people. Even those I can't stand. To figure out if you are doing something incorrectly. Let us take a look at your activities at, say... a show/event.

Do you stay around waiting just to go on while being annoyed that other people are performing?

Do you leave right after the show/event just because “there is no other reason to stay around”?

When a performance is going on, do you judge their performance, or do you embrace what they are doing as an art form?

Do you say this constantly... “If only...”? If only the right person saw me. If only I played the right show I'll be seen by someone of importance.

These are examples of a person who most likely will not succeed in entertainment. You need to reverse this attitude so you can embrace art as expression. When you have that down you can embrace how important it is to concentrate on your business side.

Make things happen by not being a douche-bag. Be nice to people, be nice to yourself and live in the moment. You can't make anything happen by not being out there. So why leave once YOU are done? -unless you have somewhere to be of course- Just remember this. There is nothing more important than the moment of NOW. Right NOW it is happening, you are living. Right NOW you can go left or right. RIGHT NOW YOU ARE, YOU EXIST!

Peace in Harmony, until again...
~ Thomas J Bellezza

P.S. A pet-peeve if I may. I encounter this out in the field. People come up to me asking questions only to tell me I'm wrong. Fine. But they ask more questions. Why keep asking me questions if I don't know what I'm talking about? The other part of this is how I don't really like wasting my words on people who think my information is silly, or outrageous to a point they defend themselves when I explain why their way is not working. If your way was working, why ask me and how come you are nowhere?

At this point, I usually tell them that I can set up a meeting for consultation at a nice monetary rate. Only to hear this sentence, which have numerous formation but this is the gist. “I am not going to pay you. You have nothing worth listening to.” or my favorite. “You are an ass to think anyone would pay you for talking.”

After said comments I walk away only to be approached later with more questions FROM THE SAME PERSON! If I am worth nothing, why bother me? I have been doing this for 15 plus years to your 2 years. I have been to the top and back. You are standing around just doing shows with nothing to SHOW for it. Give me the respect if you are going to ask me questions over and over and over and over again. I own a company, I make money by talking, helping and guiding people. So any advice I give you for free should be taken as a sign of kindness from me. That I respect, or care enough about, you to even give you this information.

It upsets me so much to see people doing the wrong things to “make it” happen. When I see them doing what I have, or others have, done to fail in the past I just feel obligated to just explain the deal. But I know it is not my place, and yet, if I keep silent, they still bother me as I have explained above. I have recently made a vow to myself that I am not going to give advice anymore to people unless they ask me. BUT, if they ask me only to tell me I am wrong, or to defend themselves, then I am just going to stop so we can set up an appointment.

My life is to short to get aggravated through this. I have a career I am involved in, and people around me that I am helping. As a group I know we'll all continue making things happen. Camaraderie is the best form of success.

Lesson over...