It's back! Season 18 of American Idol started on Sunday night. While I am unable to name all the winners in chronological order, the show has been "must see TV" for me through the years. Idol has undergone many changes over the seasons, including a revolving door for judges who have come and gone as well as a television network change. One of the things that I have enjoyed watching is the inclusion of celebrity coaches/mentors who have nurtured, encouraged and supported the contestants. One of the newer coaches is Bobby Bones, who is an on-air radio personality, musician, comedian and author. You may recognize his name as one of the recent winners of Dancing With the Stars. Bones has a no-nonsense yet compassionate approach to mentoring the American Idol hopefuls. He shares his personal experiences in the business as he imparts his advice and suggestions. His personal mantra is now the subtitle of his latest book: "Fight. Grind. Repeat." In the words of Bobby Bones himself, this is what the expression means:
Fight: Deciding what it is you really want; setting your goals; and strategizing and taking the first steps toward those goals.
Grind: Never missing a detail; always being ready and on call; and doing the work no matter how tired, sick, or 'over it' you feel.
Repeat: Having the patience, resources, and resilience to keep doing the same thing over and over until you get what it is you really want.
The singer-songwriter-musician Maddie Pope immediately comes to mind when I think of the FIGHT-GRIND-REPEAT philosophy. You don't have to be familiar with Maddie or her songs to appreciate her backstory. Maddie was voted as the American Idol winner two years ago at the age of 20. Prior to her big win, she had been eliminated from The Voice when not one of the four judges "turned their chair" to choose her. There is no humiliation like that which is aired on national television. She certainly could have packed up her guitar and ukelele and gone home (she actually did go back home to finish high school). Maddie did not give up, however, and we now know how her story ends. She overcame her stage fright, auditioned among thousands of other American Idol contestants and went on to win the big title. Maddie is currently on tour with Ingrid Michaelson and her songs have been in the top 20 of the US Adult Pop charts. Maddie's story is actually just beginning....the beginning of what promises to be a successful career in the music industry because she chose to keep fighting for her dreams.
You don't have to look very far to come up with stories of people who fought hard in order to live out their dream and become successful. They probably each have a tale to tell that sounds very similar to Maddie's story. What about you? Is there something that you have always wanted to do but your version of the "four chair rejection" has held you back? If Bobby Bones was your coach, he would tell you the same thing he says it takes to become the next American Idol - "You need to enjoy this. You need to smile more. I need you to show me how you are going to own that stage. If you are not able to fail, then you won't hit your highs and successes." Bobby tries very hard to make sure the contestants realize they shouldn't be comparing themselves to the others in the competition - they just need to focus on being the very best versions of themselves. He tells them to sing the song the way they want to, not the way the original artist did. He encourages them to find out who they are, how they can perform in the most authentic way, and that they should unapologetically be themselves. "We already have an Adele. We don't need another Adele." That is great advice for all of us.
Remember when I said earlier that I really like the American Idol mentors and coaches? The reason is because unlike the judges who just come in at the end with their critiques, the mentor is with them every step of the competition. While you don't have Bobby to push you to the finish line, you have me. I am here rooting for you to grow and to succeed and to help you to enjoy the journey. Like Bobby would say, "it's not about winning the show, it's about getting the most out of each and every opportunity. The only person you owe a good performance to is yourself."
When you decide what it is that you want to do, remember that I am here as you FIGHT-GRIND and REPEAT!