Rock the Box

"The jukebox is filled with legendary names who have been taking up a space for a long time ... and will still be there 20 or 30 years from now, too. We hope to keep doing well enough in our careers to simply fill one of those spaces."

It was a quote from an interview with Country stars, Montgomery Gentry, that I heard on the radio a few years back at WIL-FM in St. Louis. As I drove to the office and pondered what they had just said in that couple-of-minute conversation, it was clear to me this band was focused on a deeper purpose than just "getting there."

For an artist or a band (and each of us), just having one success in a very competitive and cluttered world can be very fulfilling -- and many are able to do it once. They enjoy the taste of success for a moment and suddenly seem to peak and never connect again. Just listen to the many stations that feature a one-hit wonder countdown or a weekend.

There are others who have so much talent but never make it because they are unwilling to work harder, or they believe that the system is wrong, and spend all their time complaining or trying to change it, instead of magnifying their true strengths, unique purpose and great talent into a successful formula. Here's a tip: When you only focus on everything happening outside of yourself or your company, you will rarely (if ever) win.

And then you find those very special talents who have not only won the championship, but have built a legacy that others want to follow.

Where would you place yourself out of these three examples?

The super-successful bands, artists and people know the secret of making a social impact.

They are confident in who they are and have a well-defined purpose that gives them freedom to go after what they want and desire (not what others think it should be or the safe route of what most surveys show).

They never stop to look back very long, because they know you are only as good as your last performance ... and forward momentum is key. Not hanging on to yesterday.

They use every opportunity to learn, work hard and continue tuning their craft (to evolve) because "willing" is more powerful than "wishing."

The famous football coach, Vince Lombardi said, "The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur."

The artists and bands that occupy the slots in the jukebox for years and years have that ... and with focus, discipline and execution, it takes a long time to take them away. You see it in great radio stations, great companies and great people, too.

How about you? As the world gets more crowded because it continues to shrink, are you (or your station) focused on getting to some destination where you can finally relax and get the bonus? Do you spend more time focusing on your competition than on yourself?

... Or do you use each moment to be remarkable and not just strive for a championship, but have a goal to build a legacy for others to aspire?

Is so, you'll occupy a place on a jukebox, a bookmark, a link, a button, a feed, or whatever it is that you desire for many years to come, too.

It starts by making a declaration, like Montgomerty Gentry, that you will fill one of those spaces, too.