Alright, I confess: I stole the title for this blog post from the Broadway musical currently starring Daniel Radcliffe, who plays a young and ambitious window-washer who reads a book full of all the terrible (yet all-too-common) “words of wisdom” on how to brownnose your way to the top of the corporate world. I was fortunate enough to see the play a few nights ago, and the entire time I was on the lookout for anything that could actually be used to get ahead in the real world, where highly-choreographed musical numbers are thankfully something of a rarity.
But I realized afterwards that the best piece of business advice from the evening was not one of the comically bad snippets read by the narrator in a comic deadpan over a loudspeaker. In fact, I humbly submit that the best piece of advice on how to succeed was what I told my cousin before the curtain went up.
A little back-story: my cousin is an aspiring actor who is currently trying to figure out where to attend college. He was accepted into NYU’s acting program with a rather sizeable scholarship, and although he knows it would be a dream-come-true, he is not sure he’s ready for that big a step. Of course, all of us want him to take it anyway, and so the entire weekend in New York was spent arguing with him about how great he will do and how he’s a fool for even wavering at all.
The problem is that he also was accepted into all of his “safety schools,” and since he had prepared himself for the seemingly inevitable rejection letter from NYU he was actually getting quite excited about a couple of them. Which, of course, meant even more arguing with all of us. Both sides tried to win with logic, but eventually I told him simply to “go with your gut.” Visit the school and if it feels right, just jump in. Trust yourself.
Many successful businessmen say the same thing. Sometimes the most attractive venture will fall apart, and sometimes the ventures that seem like they have no chance in hell will hit the big time and make you millions. How do you know which ones to back and which ones to avoid? Yes — it’s important to gather your facts. But once you have them, it often comes down to a gut reaction. Does it feel right? If so, then just jump in.
But how do you learn to trust your gut? Or, to put it another way, how do you acquire a gut worth trusting? I pondered that throughout the next day, and my answer came that evening during a performance at Carnegie Hall. I watched in amazement as a 18 year old violinist, Paco Montalvo, performed literally the most complex and challenging piece of music I have ever heard in my life: Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major.
For those who are unfamiliar with Paganini, he is said to be one of the greatest violinists who ever lived. Legends say that he must have been taught by the devil himself. His compositions, written to showcase his technical proficiency and lightning-quick fingers (he could play 12 notes a second with impeccable accuracy), are like nothing I have heard in all my nine years of studying the violin.
To say that the performance was amazing would be an understatement. Montalvo flew through his numerous (and lengthy) solos effortlessly, and without the aid of sheet music. How? By practicing so much that his fingers knew every movement without being told explicitly where to go. I remember this feeling as a musician — admittedly a far less accomplished one — and it is the epitome of going with your gut. When you know a musical landscape well enough you can almost just zone out and let your body guide you through it.
This comes with practice, just as a trustworthy business sense is developed. You must immerse yourself in the game, to the point where sound business decisions are natural, easy things. And when the time comes to step up to the plate and do something really exemplary, you will be adequately prepared.
About the author: John J. Walters is a freelancer with WasabiVentures, director of marketing with TestSoup, and a research associate with The Maryland Public Policy Institute.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48GGZzzUXlI
just saw him today in the Carnegie hall...he's aawessome!!! genius..
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El español Paco Moltalvo debuta en el Carnegie Hall
El joven violinista cordobés Paco Montalvo actuará como solista en el Carnegie Hall de Nueva York el próximo 24 de abril, lo que le convierte en el primer músico solista español que a su edad se sube a este mítico escenario.
Junto a la New England Symphonic, y bajo la batuta del británico John Rutter, Montalvo interpretará el Concierto nº 1 en Re Mayor para violín y orquesta de Niccolò Paganini.
Junto a la New England Symphonic, y bajo la batuta del británico John Rutter, Montalvo interpretará el Concierto nº 1 en Re Mayor para violín y orquesta de Niccolò Paganini.
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Comentarios:
28/04/2011 06:56:37 - Maco Lagunes Rueda (mexicano)
El concierto para voilin de Niccolo Paganini que ofrecio Paco Montalvo en Carnegie Hall fue una experiencia increible¡¡¡Toco por espacio de una hora sin partitura¡ y con una calidad y soberbio manejo del instrumento que debe de enorgullecer a todo el pueblo español..un verdadero maestro, un virtuoso que afortunadamente tiene todavia muchos años por darnos. Mi esposa y yo tuvimos la fortuna de estar en la tercera fila en el salon Perlman el 24 de abril del 2011 y nos sentimos embelesados y privilegiados de escucharlo..Felicidades Paco¡¡Bravo Bravo Bravisimo¡¡¡¡
El concierto para voilin de Niccolo Paganini que ofrecio Paco Montalvo en Carnegie Hall fue una experiencia increible¡¡¡Toco por espacio de una hora sin partitura¡ y con una calidad y soberbio manejo del instrumento que debe de enorgullecer a todo el pueblo español..un verdadero maestro, un virtuoso que afortunadamente tiene todavia muchos años por darnos. Mi esposa y yo tuvimos la fortuna de estar en la tercera fila en el salon Perlman el 24 de abril del 2011 y nos sentimos embelesados y privilegiados de escucharlo..Felicidades Paco¡¡Bravo Bravo Bravisimo¡¡¡¡
11/05/2011 23:53:27 - Tony Marshall
Watching a concert live is always a far more rewarding experience than listening to a recording, and in this case, it was a truly astounding experience! Paco played beautifully, displaying skill and self-assuredness that belied his youth. Time stopped as I watched him perform the most challenging and difficult violin techniques for which Paganini is famous, and which will no doubt bring fame to this young virtuoso.
Watching a concert live is always a far more rewarding experience than listening to a recording, and in this case, it was a truly astounding experience! Paco played beautifully, displaying skill and self-assuredness that belied his youth. Time stopped as I watched him perform the most challenging and difficult violin techniques for which Paganini is famous, and which will no doubt bring fame to this young virtuoso.
14/05/2011 04:07:04 - Daniel Gastel
A dazzling performance by a violinist who at eighteen has already climbed the Mount Everest of violin solos by Paganini.
A dazzling performance by a violinist who at eighteen has already climbed the Mount Everest of violin solos by Paganini.
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