Spend five minutes with actor Robin Williams and instantly you’ll take note of the antics inspired by his desire to be the class clown. He didn’t just fall into a role; he required it or faced a mind, body and soul set to explode. Most comedians admit that being open with “it” that once tightly gripped itty bitty childhood secret… is what saved them from them. Because so many can relate…it’s turned pain into profit.
You don’t have to be on stage to be the rage.
Singing, dancing, drawing and playing musical instruments at work develops an environment of gain inside a society still untouched by a 12% unemployment rate. Incorporating hobbies into your unfinished business on the job gives permission to creative flow.
According to G Wayne Clough the President of the Georgia Institute of Technology—people who have other interests tend to communicate, they’re more social, ask for help while lending a more friendly hand and are readily available if extra time is required.
How often are you locked into your everyday playing by rules set by a tyrant? Friday rolls around the corner and they’re out playing golf while the essence of SYA keeps you planted in a chair until 5pm or later. Going to work can feel like reporting to jail time—we’ve become a people of lost hopes, dreams and more importantly no time for something once called family.
A year ago this week I set out to study the path of the thinker by introducing 12 artist canvases in my recording studio—the only goal was to see how many passerby’s I could convince to doodle for me. Each piece carries a theme based solely on nothing more than trying to introduce fun. 52 weeks later clients who advertise will spend several minutes staring into the art they helped develop. Returning clients grab the brilliant array of writing instruments and race to become part of the next. The vibration of my studio is constantly positive without having to rely on motivational speaking.
By loving art and sharing what I hold dear to my heart…a cloudy day is almost never visible within the limits that make up the circle.
When I walk into a business and the faces are captivating with smiles and warmth I quickly become involved with their energy wanting to store for myself the secrets they hold by being open with such clowning around. You don’t have to be a fool or paint sad smiles to make people laugh or feel welcome, office entertainment is infectious and since the great recession of 09 plays a key role in my decision to return.
A Chinese restaurant was open on Christmas day…I being addicted to fried rice house special walked into the heavily scented arena of multiple flavors and instantly bowed to the chef. It was my way of showing him respect for being there while the rest of the world felt a need to take time off. Having confidence in the hidden within class clown gave me the courage to step outside the realms of being a typical American and show a separate nationality that I valued their service…in doing so, he and his wife showed their interest in me being a client by offering free soup. Lord have mercy that is the secret key to my soul. Hot soup and a nice corner to open up some pretty cool conversation.
The moment you turn your working conditions into a place of positions is the day your job becomes nothing more than a mob of people out to convince anyone willing to listen to buy into your idea…from the outside the image sent out is a well dressed gang.
It’s ok to have an interest in art, music and people singing horribly out of tune on American Idol. Convince your boss to host the first annual worst in the office singing competition. Ellen says it best…even if you’re brilliant at singing…doing it bad on purpose makes you a better performer.
Gaston Eye Clinic is known for tossing down some incredibly fun after and during work celebrations all in the name of setting the standard of hard work, dedication, loyalty and a major payoff in the end. Anytime I see one of their employees on the street away from the job…they’re still smiling and happy about being alive. Can’t say that about too many bankers, mall store managers and the late night crew at the burger joints—the thought of working is nothing compared to doing nothing.
I recently spent some time with a former coworker whose singing vocals are astronomical and yet that side of her smile seems trapped in a world that will instantly go away if a bigger name on the line suddenly reaches up to the microphone and says, “Today is the day you’re coming home.” I’ve extended my studio to her for no reason other than to torch up the origin of rediscovered singing passions.
It took a heart attack for me to come to terms with my musical writing blocks—what is produced isn’t perfect but I don’t care…doing it again is like climbing on a bicycle and hitting the streets with a Batman costume on. Re-releasing that desire to perform has led to a music recording studio to contact me to sit in on some pretty serious sessions involving a major up and comer… My high school friend Tony from Wyoming wrote to me, “Dude get the book Singing for Dummies.” No way…look at who my inspirations are Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Neil Young.
The fear of losing the job has destroyed our nation’s reasons to dream. No President can write the perfect speech to inspire until the depths of everything we are and have become is given reason to feel safe inside the separate worlds of art we all carry with us daily.
Today…not for me but for your child’s, child…rediscover you. Sing…even if it’s out of tune. Don’t send a joke via email…you tell the joke. Doodle a picture then hang it up. If its against company policy then put it inside your desk…there are no rules that state employees can't open and close that metal monster.
Being creative at work with something you love to do invites change with absolutely no government taxes.
Steal my art…
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
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