Please, please watch this entire video! I promise you that it is worth every second of your time.

Also, for an American, Susan Boyle’s accent is difficult to follow at first, but make sure to note that she says she is almost 48 years old, has never been married, and never even been kissed.

Enjoy,

Glen

Susan Boyle sings for judges

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ybO2AZA2Q&feature=player_embedded

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***** DO NOT READ BELOW UNTIL YOU HAVE WATCHED THE VIDEO *****

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And now, some thoughts:

The truth is that we must “judge the book by its cover” all the time. How else would we survive? When you see the beginning of rising flood waters, or a thunder storm approaching that looks like it might harbor tornados, do not ask questions, RUN! Run for shelter RIGHT NOW. If you are driving into a lonely parking garage late at night and see a suspicious looking person, do not get out of your car and introduce yourself, stay in your car and drive away. Do not question your instincts. Your ancestors developed those instincts well and that is one reason you are here.

In business, and sometimes in our personal and community lives, we are so incredibly busy that to manage our time and be effective, we must make very fast decisions based on visual and other immediate inputs. You cannot be successful unless you learn to do this and do it well. However, the most successful entrepreneurs are often the people who see something others miss. Manage your time, make quick decisions, and trust your instincts, but humble yourself to always leave the possibility in your brain that you just might not know or see everything. Be a little bit of a dreamer and at least a little bit creative so that you just might see more than others. AND, when you hear, see, smell, touch or discover new facts, then always be willing to update your opinion. Many have lost out on huge opportunities by first being convinced they had all the facts and were right, and then by failing to update their conclusions quickly enough based on new facts.

And one final thought. Always put your best foot forward. I go to church, and for many years have heard the old children’s spiritual that contains the simple lyrics “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” There are two great lessons for contestants on “American Idol” as well as “Britain’s Got Talent.” The first is that to be successful, you must be self-aware. No matter how great a singer you think you are, if everyone around you is telling you that you can’t sing, then you probably shouldn’t for anyone except yourself in the shower. The second is that you must get out there and try, and then using your self awareness, seek improvement. If you are willing to get out there and try, and listen to feedback and improve, then you can fulfill your potential (maybe not as a singer, but at whatever you do best in your own unique way). It is painful to go out every day in the world and face rejection and scorn (just ask any salesperson, including the best salespeople, or any actor, including the best actors, or any politician, including the best politicians). However, if you can endure the feedback and make improvements, then you can succeed. After all, it is a terrible shame to waste a great voice because you did not stand straighter, speak clearer, eat better, exercise more, and fail to audition until you were almost 48 years old. To be successful, you often have to be great at one thing, but to compliment that, you usually have to be at least good at many other things.