I really, really want to be a great hip hop dancer.
I want to look cool. I want to be edgy and badass. I want to wow you and show you that this 48-year-old can really get DOWN with her bad self.
So I took a class or two and then learned a routine on YouTube. Then learned another routine on YouTube… and guess what?
I look completely dorky.
WHAT!? After all this work I don’t look like Matt Steffanina, Jabbawockeez or The Royal Family?
Don’t laugh, but I was seriously aggravated by this. I went into full-on whiny baby mode, “This is stupid. Why can’t I do this? I look like an idiot. But I’m trying! And I’m working so hard at this…”
Which is where I had to stop myself.
Really? I was working SO hard at this? Let’s review…
2018: take 3 break dancing classes, then practice one dance routine for 6 weeks.
Fast forward to mid-2019: remember – hey I want to be a hip-hop superstar… I’ll learn another routine. Spend 20 minutes on it and realize I look ridiculous.
I invested almost nothing into my burgeoning hip-hop career and expected to be a Fly Girl?
How. Embarrassing.
Now let me tell you, taking an honest look in the mirror about this wasn’t fun and it REALLY wasn’t pretty, but here’s the point of this story: to change your results, you’ve got to start by honestly evaluating the quantity and quality of your efforts.
Because what you imagine is happening, and what is actually happening can be two very different things.
In my mind, I imagined I was practicing hip-hop non-stop. After all, I watched HHI (Hip-Hop International) videos all the time. I’d even posted one of my breakdancing classes on Facebook, so… obviously I was working hard at it.
But the reality? Not so much.
To become exceptionally good at hip-hop – or anything in life – you’ve got to start by getting honest about the work that needs to be done.
Take a moment and take a look at any area of your business or your life where you’re not getting results and ask yourself:
1. How long has this been going on?
2. What is the work that needs to be done to change this?
3. Am I willing to do what it takes to get different results?
As for my hip-hop career? I got to question #3 and am undecided.
I’ll keep you posted.
Email me if you’d like better results from your client generation efforts. I’ll get you details about upcoming programs!
OMG! We so need to go dancing Mary. You have to know how much I relate to this…LOL! Though, I’m not entirely hip-hop. I’m a fusion belly dancer. Fusion meaning some hip-hop, some Polynesian, tribal, modern, you name it we probably do it. I love it so much that when I was starting my business I wanted to teach on the side to stay in shape and feed that part of my passion. Not to necessarily make money, maybe just to pay for the hobby. However, it was an enormous distraction because it was another kind of business of self promoting to get students. I finally realized at some point I needed to do the “work” on what actually mattered to me and how I give back all my gifs to others. I’m constantly working on my business, at least trying to, with no more hobby distractions. However, dance is still part of my regular life 2 times a week. I feel I am pretty darn good and one of these days I might break out a totally BA move at a public event and… um, yeah that is pretty much a fantasy too.
Maybe there’s a NAWBO program in your future: dance to get outside your comfort zone / what’s a business and what’s for fun!
This post is EXACTLY what I needed today. Thank you Mary.
So glad, Joan!!!