Alan Alda

"If you are just looking to take bows, you'll almost always be disappointed, because the applause is never loud enough."

— Alan Alda

American Actor, Director, Writer

1936 -

Commentary:

As a speaker, I understand almost immediately what Alan Alda is talking about.  There are speakers who brag about getting a standing ovation every time they speak.  The applause is more important than touching the lives of people.  Applause is very short-lived.  If you blink, it might have faded away.  Yet, people yearn for the applause.  Whether you are a writer, a comedian, an artist or an actor, we all crave recognition and praise.  Yet the novel, the poem, the painting, or the performance are more important than the reward.

There are writers who become so caught up in the applause that they stop writing and instead live the life of a writer going from party to party enjoying the praise and recognition.  Some live off their reputation for the remainder of their lives.

Too much praise and recognition from the general public can be harmful to a person's creativity.  They may stop growing and maturing.  The key to avoiding the negative impact of applause is to remain humble.  True humility will free most people from the harmful impact of praise.  

Don't believe your own press releases.  You are not as good as people say.  And on the flip side, you are not as bad as people say.  I have had people tell me that I am the best speaker they have ever heard.  Now, either they have never heard any other speakers or they say that to every speaker.  Within 15 minutes of the end of the speech the meeting room is empty except for the speaker and the staff who are cleaning up.  Most people have moved on with their lives and the applause has faded.

The person we have to learn to please is ourselves, not our readers or our audience.  Our readers can be very fickle — love you today and hate you tomorrow.  Have you applauded yourself lately?  Have you given yourself a standing ovation lately?

Creative Practice:

Cast of M*A*S*H

This week find reasons to give yourself standing ovations.  Review previous poems, paintings and stories that you have written or painted and praise the good that you find.  Ignore the bad.  Be thankful for the gifts that you have been given.

Background:

Alan Alda was born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo in The Bronx, New York City.  His father was an actor and singer and his mother was a showgirl.  Alda began his acting career in the 1950's as a member of the Compass Players.  In 1966, he starred in the musical, The Apple Tree, on Broadway.  Alda is remembered most for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in in the TV series, M*A*S*H.  He was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards for the show and won five.  He also wrote and directed many of the shows.  He appeared in all 251 episodes of the series.

Video: 

Here is a video of Alan Alda being interviewed on CBS about his memoir, Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself.

Quote Source:

Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself, by Alan Alda

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Pablo Picasso

"A young artist must forget painting when he paints.  That's the only way he will do original work.  To blossom forth, a work of art must ignore or rather forget all the rules."

— Pablo Picasso

Spanish Artist

1881 - 1973

Girl Before a Mirror
(1932)

When I teach people to be speakers, I tell  them that first they must learn the rules of speaking and then learn that they can break all the rules.  When it comes to the creatives arts, no rules are absolute.  And all rules can be broken.  Yes, it is good to know what the rules are so that you are aware when you are breaking them.  But understand that you can break every single rule and still create a masterpiece.

But watch out for the rule police.  Their job is to find all the mistakes that you make and throw them into your face.  Maybe it is a spelling mistake or a misplaced comma.  Or maybe the arms in your painting are too short or the eyes too big.  The rule police thrive on finding something wrong, but usually are unwilling to paint or write themselves.

The key to your success in the creative arts is knowing when and where to bend or break the rules.  You must learn to push the envelope.

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Julie Otsuka

"I really like the act of writing; it's the same as painting in that I become engaged in the process of making stuff.  What I love is the form and language.  Each paragraph is like a puzzle."

Julie Otsuka

American Novelist

1962 - 

Julie Otsuka graduated with a bachelor's degree in art in 1984.   Thinking she would have a career in art, she entered the MFA program at Indiana University and quit after 3 months.  After struggling with what she wanted to do with her life, she switched to writing and her first novel, When the Emperor Was Divine, was published in 2002.

Sometimes we think we know where we want to go in life, but events and circumstances can and will alter our course.  When I was a sophomore in high school, I committed to being a preacher.  By the time I was a senior, I had rejected the faith of my parents.  I turned instead to writing, hoping one day to be successful.  Instead for almost 25 years, I have spent my time and energy as a speaker, a preacher variation.

Have you traveled the roads that you thought you would travel when you were 18?  What surprises did you not anticipate?  What impact have these changes had on your creative expression?  How many times have you changed careers?  Where do you see yourself tomorrow?

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Zig Ziglar

"You never know when one kind act, or one word of encouragement, can change a life forever."

Zig Ziglar

American Speaker/Author

1926 -

Words are very powerful.  A few words here or there can change a life.  Who have been the encouragers in your life?  Maybe it was a parent, a teacher, a friend, a child or a preacher? What did they say to you?  How did they touch your life?  How did they change your life?  

Many motivational speakers have inspired me over the years.  Driving to Texas from Illinois in December of 1982 to start a new job, I discovered Zig Ziglar, the grandfather of motivational speaking,  on the radio.  I didn't know who he was or the impact he would eventually have on my life.  I have since met him and seen him on several occasions speak.  The last time I saw him speak was at the 2000 National Speakers Association annual convention in Washington, D.C.  Like many speakers that I enjoy, I have listened to him dozens of times on tape.  I, with his permission, actually tell some of his stories.

One of my favorite Ziglar stories is the story of the man who had an opportunity to visit heaven and hell before he died.  St. Peter asked the man where he wanted to go.  He told St. Peter to take him down to hell.  There he saw a beautiful banquet hall with the finest food and drink you could imagine.  When he looked at the people he saw that they were skin and bones and that they were cursing and swearing at each other.  He told St. Peter to take him up to heaven.  In heaven, he saw the same beautiful banquet hall filled with the finest food and drink.  When he looked at the people, he saw that they were healthy and robust and that they were laughing and singing.  The man asked St. Peter what was going on.  St. Peter responded, "Did you see the silverware."  Strapped to each arm was a four foot fork and a four foot knife.  Now, we all know we can't eat with such large silverware.  The people in hell were so busy getting everything for themselves that nobody got anything.  Up in heaven each person would feed the person across from him and that person would feed him back.  The message is very simple but powerful:  if you help other people get what they need and want you will get everything you need and want.

As creative leaders we have the opportunity to touch the lives of the people we meet through our books, paintings, songs, photographs and stories.  Whose life did you touch today?




Here is Zig Ziglar telling his famous primp the pump story.

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