August 30, 2010

surprise revelers

when was the last time someone surprised you with their "other life"? recently, one of my clients fell victim to my own stereotyping tendencies. at first glance, he came across as a friendly middle-aged computer geek. one, because that is really who he is, happily helping people to fix their utterly frustrating computer problems is his occupation. two, because his exterior image lines up perfectly with what most would expect from someone who does this job. go ahead, picture him.

so on the first night of class I always ask clients to name three things that bring joy into their life, outside of the hobby or passion driving their entrepreneurial pursuits. i then encourage them to keep honoring these commitments/hobbies/likings, because attempting to make your livelihood out of your only hobby can unfortunately become a killjoy.

this particular gentleman shared with me that he is in a marching band on the weekends. i liked that answer. and so i pictured him marching along in stride with his well- rehearsed bandmates, all sporting polished shoes, shiny buttons, and synchronized feet.after a little more digging, I got him to send me a link to watch his marching band on you tube and finally got the real picture of his band life. simply put, it is unbridled,fantastic, true revelry. silliness and chaos. and what looks like a damn good time. again, i love it when people surprise me.

if you like, check out a quick clip for yourself. one more reminder of how few of us really reside within the stereotypes we cast. i bet if you asked a few folks some pointed questions, you could find some pretty good surprises around you too.



1 comment:

  1. Oh my goodness, how I love this! Needed the smile today, thank you!

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