My name is Dan Perez and I’m a fan of “American Idol”. There, I said it. This may shock some people but I’ve been a fan of American Idol for several years now. I had initially dismissed it as a lame teeny-bopper talent show when my wife and daughter started watching it the first season but being a family that usually sits down together for dinner around 8pm and having a TV in the kitchen, it was hard to avoid. Now for those that don’t know me, I grew up in the Bronx (and was never one to back down from a scrap), listened to Death Metal as a teenager, and my favorite films usually don’t have happy endings. So it came as a bit of a shock to me when I found myself asking my wife or daughter, “Is American Idol on today?”
It wasn’t love at first sight as the show really didn’t pique my interest until the few weeks leading up to the Kelly Clarkson vs Justin Guarini showdown of season one. But by season two I started to realize that some of these kids can really sing. Then I started to get a real kick out of Simon Cowell’s snarky, perceptive, and brutally honest critiques of the finalists. I then found myself pulling hard for Kimberly Locke and actually debating with my wife and daughter how she was a better singer than Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard. Oh dear, what’s happening to me?
By season three I found myself awash in “Fantasia Fever” (who can forget her stirring rendition of “Summertime“?). There was no denying then that I had indeed become a fan of the show. Now without the loathsome Simon Cowell, the show has lost some of its spark but the core elements that endeared me to the show in the first place still remain. For one, unlike other reality show contests (Survivor, Fear Factor, The Apprentice, etc), American Idol isn’t about throwing other contestants under the bus to save your own ass or using underhanded strategies to eliminate an opponent. There is no trash talking; no need to act like the biggest jerk to belittle or humble other contestants. Equally refreshing is that when a finalist is voted off, emotional group hugs replace smirks and smug looks. I like that. But American Idol also teaches us several valuable lessons that we can apply to our business and personal lives…
The First Step
Contestants often travel hundreds (thousands) of miles and wait in line for hours for their turn in front of the judges. For many of the hopefuls, their long journey comes to a sudden and heartbreaking end during their first audition as they are dismissed (usually with indifference) by Simon & co. For others, their journey ends a few weeks later in Las Vegas. For a few others still, the journey goes on for several months. For a select few, however, the journey ends being crowned “American Idol” and a hefty recording deal.
Now, regardless of where your journey ends, it begins with that first step. Nobody knows what the future will hold; “The best laid schemes of mice and men go oft awry”. But if American Idol teaches us anything, it is this one certainty: absolutely nothing will happen without that first step. Don’t be afraid to take it.
The Comfort Zone
If you’re going to make a successful run as a finalist, sooner or later you’re going to have to step out of your comfort zone. If you’re a soul singer, you’re going to have to crank out a country/western tune eventually (and vice versa). A one-trick pony won’t go far on the show. Judges will begin to call the finalists out and strongly suggest they consider some variation in their song choices. The beauty of the show is in witnessing the failures (some of them rather fantastic) of those who venture too far away from their comfort zones while watching others succeed.
If we plan on achieving any real success in our own lives, we’re going to have to eventually step out of our own comfort zone; take some risks. Whether it’s taking on a new job, relocating one’s family for a new opportunity in another state, starting a business, or deciding you’re going to become a filmmaker despite never having gone to film school. American Idol shows us that despite the possibility of failure, great rewards also awaits those that are not afraid to take risks. “There are some things one can only achieve by a deliberate leap in the opposite direction.” ~Franz Kafka
Originality Pays Off
The most memorable and successful of the American Idol finalists all had one thing in common – the ability to make something old into something new. Fantasia, Chris Daughtry, Adam Lambert, David Cook and others were able to take songs we’ve heard hundreds of times and make them sound brand new. They took their own interpretation and shared it with the talented American Idol music producers and composers and created something fresh and memorable; the kind of number that once the commercials came, you’d rewind your DVR and immediately watch it again. The kind of performance that people still talk about years later.
How many of us look to put a new spin on what we do? How many of us have stirred awake at 3 a.m. in the morning with a great idea on how we can improve a certain aspect of our job? That morning, we can’t wait to get to work to share our brilliant idea but as we walk through the doors we start to think, “Well, the company has been doing it a certain way for so long – why would they even consider implementing my idea?” By the time we arrive at our cubicle, we’ve convinced ourselves that maybe our idea wasn’t so great after all. Then a few months later we learn that Bob in accounting was just promoted to Senior VP because of an idea he shared with management that was the same exact idea you failed to share. Whether you’re a filmmaker, blogger, designer or just an account executive working out of a small cubicle for a large corporation – originality gets noticed.
Next Week Isn’t Guaranteed
On American Idol, success one week doesn’t guarantee you a spot on next week’s show nor does a poor performance guarantee your departure either. It’s a sobering reality for many of the finalists (and their fans) when a seemingly more talented finalist is voted off after a strong outing while another finalist bombs but remains on the show to perform another week (Sanjaya, anyone?). Life isn’t always fair, yes? But just like the quarterback who fumbles the ball in the final seconds of the game to seal a loss only to come back the next week and throw a game-winning touchdown in the final seconds, American Idol finalists sometimes get the opportunity to redeem themselves as well. It is yet another thing I’ve grown to appreciate about the show: “The Comeback Performance”. The finalist that should’ve gone home last week comes back the following week and knocks it out of the park. Oh, and does it in front of over twenty million viewers. It doesn’t always happen but when it does, it’s fun to watch.
Sometimes, despite our passion, our strategy, our talent, our best efforts – we can still fall short of our goal; we can still fail. But haven’t we also avoided the axe at some point in our career or life and found ourselves with a second chance we really didn’t deserve? It’s what we do with that new opportunity that will reveal our true character. We can decide that if we’re gonna go out, we’re gonna go out with our best performance; with excellence…or we can just hope to remain lucky. Luck runs out eventually. Excellence silences the critics, the haters. Which one will you choose?
The Big Stage
Ultimately, the most important lesson that American Idol teaches us is that if you dare to dream of achieving great success, you can’t be afraid to perform on the big stage; to share your greatness with the world. Success isn’t meant for everybody. The big stage is only for those who dream big dreams; for those that are not afraid to fail; for those who can withstand being judged by others. The big stage is only for those who believe they got what it takes to win it all.
Do you dare step onto the big stage? Share your gifts with the world? Your gift for writing; your gift for leading others; your gift for creating; your gift for consulting; your gift for giving. It can be a long and difficult journey before we’re able to set foot on the big stage but on that stage is where we begin to realize our biggest dreams. And all it takes is that very first step. Have you taken it yet?
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19 comments
Dan – you make some great points and I applaud you for the opening line. But I still can’t bring myself to watch the show at all. It gives wifey something to do to get away from me.
Thank you for this wonderful post Dan! I have been enjoying American Idol this season, a lot. It lost me for a while, but I’m back! And I’m back because the message of dreaming that dream, living it and achieving it really resonates this year. I particularly like the way they have shared many stories all along the way, and the way they crafted the stories, how they were told. Very touching – and so many incredible stories with these kids. All so talented.
Deb,
American Idol has really inspired me over the years to dream big. We might not always reach the peak but I plan on going out with my best performance 🙂
Thanks for stopping by. Hug.
Magical article. Incredible pictures.
Thanks Dan,
I LOVE the courage that it takes to try out for Idol. Not only do they have to make the journey to get there. They have to wait around for hours before they audition. And then go through the process if they get through. Stamina! Without it, they fail. Same in life.
Folks are quick to criticize the show and the people on it. But I think your analysis has pointed out some real reasons to admire those involved and to learn some valuable life lessons for ourselves AND perhaps use the show as a real teaching opportunity for our kids as well.
Heidi,
I’ve talked the ears off of my 13-year-old already on the points I outlined in the post 🙂 Regardless of whether you like the show or not, its lessons are real and should be considered in our daily lives.
Thanks for stopping by & sorry for the late reply!
Dan. I like your post, but I know that American Idol is a show crafted for you to watch. The producers have created a show to which you have described the ideal.
However, real life is a little less romantic then the glory of such wonderful ideas as “Originality” and “The Big Stage” of this show.
Yes, the show makes us feel good and the lessons the show inspires are already well practiced and choreographed. That’s not a bad thing and I agree we should aspire to those values if they apply.
However, I would encourage folks to shut off American Idol and get back to working on their craft.
Each hour we give up to someone else, we lose for ourselves.
Cheers,
T.
Taariq,
I agree with your suggestion that the producers have created a show with several enjoyable and highly “watchable” elements (they’ve succeeded where many other shows have failed).
However, I do believe that the show offers considerably less “romance” and “glory” than real life. The show is, for the most part, awash in failure more than success. For many of the contestants, fantastic failures are then followed by harsh criticisms by the judges in front of over 20 million viewers followed by a sudden elimination; their 15 minutes of fame gone forever. For the rest of us, being chewed out by our boss at an office meeting in front of a staff of 10 and/or being fired is the worst we get. So much for the show’s romance and glory, yes?
The Big Stage, as in real life, is not meant for the masses but for only a few and originality still matters if we plan to move from obscure to remarkable. The show illustrates this on a weekly basis.
As for working on our craft, there are more than enough hours in the day for that. For me, 90 minutes of American Idol with my family at the end of the day is quality time and time well spent. Nuff said?
Thanks for stopping by as well as for your comment – much appreciated 🙂
Dear Dan;
I noticed that you caned your Idol Horse again so I thought I’d stop by and tie up some loose ends on your reply to my comment.
I think we’re mismatching the chewing out in front of millions with the chewing out at the office. If I were SO “lucky” to receive a chewing out in front of millions, I’m an automatic “star” in American culture. We celebrate the underdog. We want to watch the disaster unfold. This is why The Apprentice draws out long, dramatic failures in the boardroom that would never receive discussions in the real world. The audience voting of American Idol brings in some real-world impact, but impact that has been first “nurtured” by beautiful, famous judges, and wonderful editing and music. Sorry, not even the American Idol voting system is not wonderfully produced. Idol is not relevant because of the performers. It is relevant because of its commentary on American values and culture.
This is the Big Story, not the stage.
You’re right, we should watch American Idol to understand how easily we are manipulated and stroked into watching the struggle for stardom. The stars are not the Show. We, the viewers are the show and what a story it says when we millions watch, glued, mesmerized and making parallels in our mind to our own life struggle.
Marvelous!
Taariq
I never realized how many life lessons were in a season of American Idol. I’ve always liked the show, but now I will watch with more diligence.
Frederick,
Took me a while to notice but they’re there. Thanks for stopping by – I’m enjoying your website 🙂
I have to admit, Dan, that I have never watched American Idol (after reading your post, I worry about impending addiction should I start … ;-))
I am impressed with the thoughts you put forth and the important life lessons you gleaned from this show. Passion, faith, and the courage to take that first step in the journey of a thousand.
It’s always ok to ‘not win’ but it is never ok to ‘never try’ (<–holy triple-negative…)
Thanks, Dan – as always, inspiring!
Tobey,
It did take a while for me to come to grips with my growing appreciation for American Idol (I take it one day at a time now) and its many valuable life lessons. The first step is where it always begins, yes? I agree, “it is never OK to never try” – makes all the sense in the world 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, leaving a comment and sharing the post – much appreciated. {Hug}
I fully expected to not like this article, to tell you you’ve gone soft Dan but wow on so many levels.
1. Brilliant pop culture tie-in; dovetailing personal and professional interests for a compelling posts, just a writing win for me.
2. The relations you build with business. Everything from changing your routines, getting out of the comfort zones, to putting in the work b/c next week’s job isn’t guaranteed, to originality, to silencing the critics with hard work and a killer performance (product/service)… all so very true.
As to the show itself.. In your reply to @Taariq about the show being more about failures than success, more criticism than praise. That’s part of why I don’t watch, haven’t enjoyed the show the times I’ve watched it at friends’ houses. I don’t like that style of competition, I don’t like watching people make poor showings of themselves then get ridiculed for it, manufactured for TV drama/ratings or not.
I have enjoyed some of the music, plenty of the artists now populate my iPod; not a snob just the show isn’t for me. Which brings me to one thing I’ll add to your ‘luck running out’ and maybe it’s a counterpoint: the power of popularity. What’s ‘critically’ best may not be the most popular or vice versa, or the winner. Most of the artists in my playlists didn’t win and yet now, kept at it with their own thing. FWIW.
Davina,
It took me most of season one and the 1st half of season two to begin to see the subtle life lessons the show offers. There’s a lot that entrepreneurs can take from it.
As for the show itself, I’ve also realized (especially being a filmmaker/creative person) that criticism can be tough to take but it can also motivate us to get better; improve what we do. We’ve all been criticized harshly at one point or the other, it’s how you respond to it that’ll go a long way to developing your character.
As for the music…ultimately, what the show produces is just another pop singer (we’ve got enough of those already, yes?). There will be no Dylans, Bowies, or Springsteens coming out of the show and that’s usually where my bond with the show ends.
Always good to see you here – thanks for sharing. Hug 🙂
One thing I have noticed about the change in judges in recent years like with Jennifer Lopez, was a push to be critical. Not cruel or hateful, but offer real opinion and constructive pointers on screen, directly to the contestants and not after the fact. There is value to that.
The only reality show I’ve ever watched and actually enjoyed was Project Runway for a few years (I fast forwarded the drama; just watched the challenge, runway walk, judging until the show IMO got to feeling too contrived, rigged almost. That and/or I don’t know from ‘fashion’ LOL). The judges and Tim Gunn were clever and camera-friendly, but they also really took the time to explain why they did or did not like something. The better contestants listened to that; yes they stuck to their style and aesthetics but they also learned to take risks or be more careful at times, to think differently, how to step on that stage. FWIW.
[…] “Why I Like American Idol (and Why You Should Too),” Dan Perez, Dan Perez Films: I still don’t like the show even after reading this post (although I enjoy seeing it teased on The Soup), but Dan uses the show as a springboard for some important points, including “regardless of where your journey ends, it begins with that first step.” […]
[…] not on MY television or DVR these days, that’s for damn sure. Dan Perez may be able to find marketing wisdom watching American Idol, I just […]
Oh, man, I wish I’d read this post before the last season ended, I wouldn’t have felt so guilty about watching it! I adored Phillip Phillips, I think he stands worlds apart from all the other “white male guitar playing” winners. Refreshingly original, and all about the music. I cried when he won!
But…ahem….that’s beside the point of your article. I have been wanting to do a similar write up on my blog about Dancing with the Stars, to which I am hopelessly addicted, mostly because I am absolutely in love with the judges, and Tom Bergeron, not to mention Max and Derek! I love to watch how people without ballroom dance training have to struggle to recondition their bodies. Like the time the Olympic skater was tripping over his own feet!
Thanks for a worthy and thought-provoking post.