Call it coincidence that I was catching up on ‘Glee’ this weekend and witnessed yet another moving rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables. I call this coincidence because days before I had started working on this blog post on Susan Boyle. Who is Susan Boyle, you say? Susan Boyle is the middle-aged woman who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in 2008, and despite being mocked and judged by her physical appearance, went on to perform one of the most captivating television performances of all time. The song she sang – “I Dreamed A Dream”. Now, I’m not one to watch a show like Britain’s Got Talent. Seeing as I live in Canada I’m not even sure I would have been given the opportunity. However, the buzz on this performance has refused to go away and a few months ago I broke down and looked up Susan Boyle on YouTube. Seven minutes later I knew I had to share this inspiring story, and share the inspiring video of her performance.
“I know what they were thinking, but why should it matter as long as I can sing? It’s not a beauty contest.” ~ Susan Boyle
Susan grew up singing at her local church, and after winning several local singing competitions was convinced to audition for Britain’s Got Talent. The funny thing is that in the days leading up to her audition, Susan wanted to withdraw from the competition because she felt too old. Luckily, at the tender age of 47, Susan pushed past her doubts and took to the Britain’s Got Talent stage, proclaiming that her dream was “to become as successful as Elaine Paige”. As you will see in the video, no one could expect what was about to happen, and Susan Boyle’s rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” (ironically, a song about a broken dream and loss of hope) went on to be proclaimed by one of the judges as the “biggest wake-up call ever”.
“Modern society is too quick to judge people on their appearances. [...] There is not much you can do about it; it is the way they think; it is the way they are. But maybe this could teach them a lesson, or set an example.” ~ Susan Boyle
Since her performance on Britain’s Got Talent in 2008, Susan has gone on to release her own album entitled “I Dreamed A Dream”. It topped the Billboard chart for six straight weeks and narrowly missed becoming the best-selling album of 2009. On December 13, 2009 Susan appeared in her own television special “I Dreamed a Dream: the Susan Boyle Story”, featuring a duet with Elaine Paige.
Why do I share this story with you today? First of all, it’s hard not to feel inspired after watching the video of her 2008 BGT performance. Second of all, I feel this is a great story of overcoming criticism, judgment, and self-doubt to see the realization of a dream. Susan Boyle dreamed a dream, and because of this has provided inspiration to millions.
Do you ever wonder what you can really do to make things happen for yourself? According to one of the many good points in the book “How to Succeed in Anything by Really Trying” by Lyman MacInnis (copyright 2008), “reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body…It’s not knowledge that’s power; it’s the application of knowledge that provides the power, which contributes to success.” Knowledge and study are the keys to expanding your mind and skills, which then opens the door to many personal and professional opportunities. Let me now share with you five key areas where Lyman MacInnis offers up advice on how to develop important skills that will benefit you for life in his book “How to Success in Anything by Really Trying”.
Learn how to Listen – Too often we approach conversations as a competition. We want to make sure that our opinion is heard, but unfortunately this comes at the expense of really listening to the other person or people taking part in the conversation. One way that we can work on being genuine and present in a conversation is to listen for intent and understanding. When someone is talking, listen to what they are saying. Don’t just be waiting until a break in the action so that you can add your two cents. Also, keep eye contact and don’t interrupt. These two bad habits will get you on the fast track to hurt feelings or a reputation that you don’t really care. Another way to listen is not with your ears, but with your eyes. Observe body language and facial expressions. If you’re paying attention, you will be able to empathize with how that person feels and really be able to be there for them. Working on becoming a good listener will build relationships and show others that you can be trusted.
Develop Communication Skills – Not only is listening important, but so is the ability to write, converse, and speak in public. Writing skills are important for getting your point across in a clear and concise manner, especially in the workplace. Be human, be specific, be positive. With hundreds of emails coming at people every day, becoming an effective writer will set your emails apart. Other skills to work on are being able to hold a conversation with just a few people or to speak in front of a larger audience. The experts say that learning to speak in front of large groups is one of the best ways to boost your confidence in all situations. Just remember these key ideas when speaking in public – be excited, know your topic, rehearse, and keep it simple. If you need practice with this, seek out the closest Toastmasters Club in your area.
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