Stephen, Stevie and Roger

SK (aka RB), SRV, and RF

An author, a musician, and an athlete. Three people that I used to like but now I love. In each case, I came to admire these men because of what they did. I loved the stories. I loved the music. I loved the performances. I grew to love their unique styles. I was dazzled. I was entertained. Initially, my interest and fascination was because of my appreciation for the product. And I still have that appreciation, but now, I’m much more interested in the process. In the work behind the work. Where did these books come from? How was he able to create such amazing music? How can he consistently rise to the top of his sport year after year? Looking back, it’s clear that each man was not just a professional. Each man was a craftsman. Each was an artist. Each was a world-class expert who became so through years working to build a voice and a style. I still love Stephen King’s stories, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s music, and Roger Federer’s tennis game, but now I’m a greater fan of men behind work and the artists behind the art.

Style and Voice

Artists tend to have a certain style. There’s usually something about what we see, hear, or read that tells us, “that sounds like ________.” The thing is, we all have a voice or a message or a gift we would like to share, but artists have found a way to release that voice. To share that message. To give that gift. To the artist, the way becomes their style. The style becomes the path. It's like taking a walk in the woods. At first we walk through weeds and briars. Then we slowly clear and widen the path. With more time and more passes, it gets easier to walk. The more time we spend working on a path the easier it gets to travel. This is our path. This is our style. There is a message or a gift to deliver. The style makes the delivery easier. I like to think about reading Stephen, listening to Stevie, and watching Roger as a gift. A gift that has taken the giver years to create. We hear the voice. We see the style. We receive the gift. They did it. And we can do the same.

Deliberate Practice and Identity

Stephen, Stevie, and Roger are dazzling. We see the results of years of practice. We see men performing at a world-class level. What we don’t see is the years of preparation. The mountain of mistakes. The resilience and persistence in overcoming obstacles and resistance. We don't see the necessary deliberate practice. These men have built their identities as artists. They have developed their styles and they are sharing their voices through years of intentional, focused work. I love the David Allen quote, “you can do anything you want, you just can’t do everything you want.” Artists don’t do everything. And they don’t do things ordinarily well. They do one thing. And they do that thing extraordinarily well. Let’s think about that. And let’s think about what we do. We don’t have to do everything. We can do our one thing. And we can learn to do that one thing well.

Let’s Be Experts

What separates King, Vaughan, and Federer from the pack? Why are they the experts? Why are we dazzled to see them write, play, and perform? I think it’s their relentlessness. Their passion for the craft. Their ability to do the work every day. They have a voice and they have found an outlet. They have a gift to share and they have found a path. They have a message and they have found their style. So what is yours? What is mine? Let’s find an opening so we can begin building the path of becoming experts. Let’s find that voice, message, or gift. Let’s find that path, outlet, or style. Let’s do the work. Today, let’s look inward at what we have and outward at how we can share it. Do the work. Let's be experts.

Have an awesome day!