Each week we talk about different topics that help create value and give us the perspective on the human potential. This week will be a little different.
I was pleased by an email I received a few weeks back that I would like to share with you:
DEAR DAVE
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED BUT I STARTED RECIEVING YOUR ARTICLES VIA EMAIL NOT EVERY DAY BUT ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AND I REALLY ENJOY THEM.EVERYTIME I READ ONE IT FEELS LIKE A TEN MINUTE VISIT HOME TO MY BELOVED CENTRAL NEW YORK.. I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE TURNING STONE.
ALL THE BEST -- BENNY MARDONES
Needless to say I was surprised and extremely pleased.
As the weeks followed I would receive other emails from Benny letting me know how much he enjoyed the articles. Now I have known about Benny for years, not personally, but by his amazing music.
In fact, as a young teen I even sang in a band, which of coursed had “Into The Night” on our song list, who didn't?
But as I looked at his website something clicked. Why does someone stay in an industry that has so much heartache? Looking at his bio showed a rocket ship rise to the top, and a hard-lived fall from grace. Here he is 40 years later getting ready to come back to Central New York to do another show at the Turning Stone Resort Casino December 12, 2009.
Why?
Why do some people stay strong and dedicated to follow their dreams. Not just stay, but to stay long term, through all the trial and tribulations. To answer that question was easy for Benny.
“I would rather play my music for $500 than do anything else for $5,000.”
You see your dreams have three phases:
* First you must Be It – Act as if you will be what it is you want. For Benny it was being a Rock Star.
* Then you must Live It – Each and everyday do something that moves you toward your dreams.
* Finally Own It – At this stage it is who you truly are, your authentic self, where anything is possible.
For Benny, he was 11years old when he decided to be it, singing and playing music whenever he could. At the age of 15 he got the chance to live it, playing at a high school show. As announced by the high school principle, “The kid that taught Elvis how to shake” was living his dream.
The reaction not only pointed Benny in the right direction that night, it anchored in him a laser beam focus that has spanned over 40 years.
So often we come upon challenges in life and more often than not we shy away instead of beating these challenges into submission.
Benny had his fair share of challenges early. After high school and a stint in the military putting his dream on hold a bit, Benny decided to do what for most of us would be the same thing we all struggle with: Doing what was right instead of what you want.
What was right for Benny was going to MIT to get a great education and a job. With his military training and a degree from MIT Benny would be set for life. Except, for Benny, his dream was pounding a hole in his heart, and as has faith would have it, he started making more money playing gigs on the weekend then he ever was going to make at those big government jobs he was studying for. So Benny packed up his stuff, left MIT and headed “Into The Night.”
The challenges didn't stop there. All too often in life when we get a sniff of our dreams the universe decides to ask us how bad do we want it? For Benny it was the same thing, wanting to be a singer was his first love and that is what he set out to do so he went to New York City. But again all roads are not smooth and comfortable, and for Benny it was no different. Benny met Joel Diamond, then President of CBS Publishing. At Joel's suggestion Benny tried his hand at songwriting, with that Benny penned the song "Too Heavy To Carry" with Alan Miles. Two weeks later, Brenda Lee recorded the song and Benny the songwriter was born.
Please don't miss next week conclusion to this amazing interview with Benny Mardones. Remember be positive, be real and live your life In The Zone.
To find out more about Benny go to www.bennymardones.com
To get tickets to his show at Turning Stone Resort on December 12, 2009 go to www.turning-stone.com
Dave Muraco is a certified life coach, motivator and radio talk show host who lives in Oneida. In 2004 he founded "In The Zone", a business dedicated to helping people reach their goals. His column runs every Wednesday in the Utica Daily News. To contact David, email him at davemuraco@in-the-zone.biz or visit his website at http://In-the-zone.biz
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