Those familiar with Lady Gaga know that despite her outwardly showy performances and larger-than-life persona, her actual creative habits are more private and withdrawn. She often hides away for periods of time, focusing solely on her own music without the influence of others.
For someone in her position, it’s easy to understand why. Competition and critics are in abundant supply for anyone, and the more prominent you are the more of both you have. It’s hard to be original if you’re trying to please others, and the lesson extends beyond superstars and into the day-to-day life of the average businessperson.
Differentiation—the businessperson’s version of originality in show business—is difficult to achieve and even harder to consistently communicate. It takes out-of-the-box thinking, not just when you’re the little startup but even when you’ve grown into a major industry player. Along the way, as you grow, you pick up more and more competition (and more and more critics).
As you work to communicate your message, take a play from Gaga’s playbook: tune out the competition. Tune out the critics. Don’t try to put together a presentation based on what you think they’ll say or do; seek excellence, put together a presentation that has passion and enthusiasm, and let the competition and critics adapt to you.
It’s not easy being the presenter. It takes risks, hard work and a lot of hours to even get the nod in the first place, and once you’re there someone is always going to be a backseat driver. Take pride in what you do and who you are. Just being there says something about your character and talent. Keep doing what got you there in the first place, before you acquired all those competitors and critics. They come with the territory, but they shouldn’t influence your path.
Question: How do you keep your eye on the prize leading up to the big pitch?
