Does it help to be desperate?
2009-09-10
I'd always felt it was best to never be desperate.
Confidence comes from knowing you have many options.
But reading the autobiography of Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, it was clear his entire career was driven by a self-created desperation.
He would always sweet-talk the bank into giving him a large loan to take on an ambitious new venture. Then he'd stay deep in debt past the final hour, always to the brink of getting repossesed, and use that do-or-die desperation to take an even more ambitious gamble, somehow coming out ahead.
Just enough to pay off the loan, then do it again with something even more ambitious.
Here are some examples:
- When he was only 21, running “Virgin Records and Tapes”, his little record shop in Notting Hill, he thought what rock stars needed was “a big, comfortable house in the country where a band could come and stay for weeks at a time and record whenever they felt like it.” So he drove around the countryside, looking at ads, and eventually found 15-bedroom manor that had been on the market a long time, and was able to make a great deal for £30k. He had no money himself, but borrowed a little from his family, then showed the bank his business receipts and got a loan. He turned it into a successful recording studio.
- Virgin Records had a hit record with Tubular Bells, and though its success was enough to pay off past debts, he didn't have much profit left for himself. When he was 28, he took a vacation and fell in love with this island that was for sale for £5 million. Through negotiation and luck, he was able to buy it for £180k, but the government required that he turn it into a resort within 5 years, (at a cost of about $10 million), or the ownership would revert back to the government. He said, “I was determined to make the money to be able to afford it,” and for the next few years, he was always pushing down to the wire to come up with the money to do so.
- During that time, Virgin Records hadn't had a hit record in years, and was broke. His business partner said they had no option but to cut costs and drop artists. Richard says, “I have always believed that the only way to cope with a cash crisis is not to contract but to try to expand out of it.” So he decided to go deeper into debt, borrowed $1 million, signed Phil Collins, Human League, and bought two night clubs. All were successful and made Virgin profitable again.
- Only two years later, he started an airline, against everyone's warnings, which was so deeply in debt for so many years that it almost destroyed his other companies. He ended up having to sell Virgin Records to keep the airline from going under. But again: this sense of danger, desperation, and deep debt fueled his next 10 years of ambitious expansion.
So here I am reading this, impressed but confused.
I'm frugal. I avoid debt. I save most of my income, and never spend more than I earn. Because of this, I'm comfortable. Is this the wrong approach?
Could it actually help to be desperate? Could that drive us to new heights, out of necessity?
On the other hand... haven't we all seen smart people do dumb things when desperate? (Signing bad deals, stealing, etc.)
So what's the difference?
I don't know the answer. Do you have any ideas? Please read the comments below then leave a reply. I'll gather some ideas from the comments and post the collective answer to this tomorrow.
UPDATE: click here to read the follow-up
Very good post and you make a great point. I can easily see how desperation can actually lead to motivation. I guess it comes down to the level of desperation.
Thanks!
Dayne
It depends on the individual. Some people thrive on that desperation. Apparently Branson is one of them. Other people thrive on cool, calm focus. You're best off finding what's right for you. Other people are good for inspiration, but not as a yard-stick to measure ourselves against. We all have our road to travel.
Simple answer: his style works for him. Your style works for you.
I'm in the Branson camp, but I think this comes down to individual psychology. Some people can't function under pressure, some people can't function without it.
I'm decidedly in the latter group- lazy and complacent when I can be, but turn into a productive machine when I feel under the gun.
So artificial urgency, indeed, is my friend.
And of course, you have to have the risk-tolerance for it.
taking big loans at risk is going outside the envelope and is empowering. Stealing, making dishonest deals only weakens people. That's the difference I see.
Thanks for the stimulating article.
It seems like two very different scenarios - driven to stupidity by desperation and driven to genius by desperation.
For most of us, desperation does not equal comfort. If we want to be comfortable, we try to avoid getting into desperate situations.
How can we get into that desperately genius place without actually being desperate?
Great article. I think it depends what one means by desperation. I think desperation paid off for Branson, but I don't think his techniques would work for everybody. The desperation business model hasn't worked for me so far. Idk.
To become an artist, one must first be a fan.
Not just a fan of other artists but a fan of life.
That meaningful appreciation allows one to realize the action is the juice.
Complacency is nothing more than a dress rehearsal for death.
Do or watch............pick a side
Joseph Baldassare
I was going to answer No as soon as I saw the subject header in my inbox.
It depends on the person who is desperate. If they have a mind like Richard Branson who never ever take no for an answer then that type of desperation is necessary.
If it is your average run of the mill desperation then we know the answer to that.
Richard Branson's books are great, love the way he likes doing "things for fun".
It's definitely a personality-driven situation. Those personalities who thrive on the pressure of desperation do well with it. Of course, as life gets more complicated - marriage, children, mortgage, etc. - even those who might thrive in "desperate" situations are probably wise to avoid them given that the risks affect more than just themselves.
I'm with you on this, I keep within my needs and live well. Maybe I didn't have the drive to be that wealthy, or maybe I knew that I wouldn't find myself in money. But for him it worked, it gave him the drive he needed to succeed. I worked flat out for ten years to be here now, and that was enough for me. And of course being here now is all there is
I would draw a distinction between risk-taking by a very motivated person and being entirely motivated by fear.
If fear (which drives desperation) is your main or only motivator, then you are keeping disaster in your back pocket. It will never be far away - because as one becomes more prosperous and fear becomes more distant, motivation will also decrease until the scary stuff catches up again.
Desperation has its place. But in my experience it's a lousy prime motivator.
Personally, I think desperation does one good thing, it forces you to do SOMETHING. Often times where there's plenty of money in the bank and no real pressure, innovation slows and you see companies/entrepreneurs just muddle along comfortably. When you see a company who's desperate (because they're losing money/marketshare/interest), they tend to do something big, even if it's wrong. At least it's something.
A recent example that I'd consider a success is Palm, who knew it had one last shot at innovation and introduced the Pre.
But besides all that, desperation overall is not a positive thing. It can rearrange priorities and strategy in a way that is not positive in the long term. So it's something to watch out for.
The most important point, however, is that Richard Branson is amazing at what he does, and for every Richard Branson there is a huge number of entrepreneurs who put themselves in a desperate situation but can't get that next loan, had their financial life ruined and ultimately failed.
So I'd be careful.
Contracting and being prudent never works for me. I always end up with everything being smaller. My successes usually come from taking a big risk against the odds. It's white knuckle time and you need to have the temperament. Find out what works for you and stick with it.
it depends on which catalyst works for your inner genius.
I would guess that for every one Richard Branson, there are probably thousands of people who have tried to same tactic with very different results. Not everyone needs, or wants, the adrenaline rush of head-exploding pressure to be successful. If it were me, even if I managed to pull out a win at the eleventh hour, I would still feel like a failure for putting myself in the situation to begin with.
Thanks again for a thought-provoking article.
Being desperate only becomes useful if it's coupled with an absolute faith in our ability to achieve whatever we set our minds to. With that kind of mindset, the desperation transforms itself into a wonderful stimulus.
But if you don't believe in yourself, desperation is the most gut-wrenching, horrible experience.
Ask me, I've been in both situations.
As all those good books say, keep visualising yourself where you'd like to be, feel those emotions, and it'll all start happening!
And if you need to burn your bridges, go for it!
(Worked for me!)
Mike Laatz
Cape Town
I think different strokes for different folks applies here. I don't think it has to be black or white, all or nothing. There are many shades of gray between desperation and security. Some people refer to this as one's level of comfort with risk. Some people are also driven to constantly want or have more. The bigger, better syndrome. I think that it's important to want to improve one's situation, be it externally or internally, but acceptance of what is, in the present moment, is of the utmost importance. After all, the present is the only thing that is real. Real peace comes in the present moment.
love and peace~
Louis
I own and have read Richard Branson's book quite a few times. It truly is a fascinating story. I think it is good to be "hungry", always searching and working. But I think that being too desperate could lead to some very bad judgements.
Good post!
Bobby
I am not sure if this is not just the case of the lucky gambler. A person slightly addicted to risk and adrenaline. I myself would only be suspicious of people who were impressed by this kind of behavior. Also is success always to be measured by how much money you make?
Is it not to be by how much you put back into your community..which in this day and age can be the whole world via the www. How has Richard Branson inspired me? Not at all I am sorry to say.
I can see this--Being a recovering alcoholic (20 years sober) I've learned the hard way-- pain(or desperation) is the greatest motivator. R
Cool post Derek. I don't think there's one correct answer for everyone.
For me, creating desperation would leave me stressed out for 80% of my waking hours. I'm sure I would be motivated to take action, but for me that wouldn't be a healthy motivation.
I suppose it depends on how important "peace of mind" is to each individual and whether manufacturing desperation in your life puts you in a healthy or unhealthy mindset.
I am a total Branson fan, he is a hero of mine. I ran one of the first online radio stations for him years ago in London and met him a couple of times. I asked him what his secret to success was and he told me it was two things.
Having great ideas and then finding great people to act on them!
He told me that he was also not that good at anything so that he had to find people better than him to run his businesses.
If your goal is to win big, a willingness to take excess risk is a necessity. If you need to be desperate to get there, then it helps. However, at the end of the day it depends on what your goals are. If you're trying to win big from a comfortable vantage point, it probably ain't gonna happen. Then again if you're happy, engaged and fulfilled, who cares?
Imagine the stress of constantly being on the brink of losing everything. Stress is a killer. Some people are built for that and some people aren't. I'm probably in the latter category.
Man, I really like this article becuase it makes me feel better about my own acts of desperation. I've certainly witnessed plenty of times when it drove me to greater heights.
In 2004, I decided to rearrange the Nutcracker Suite for my band to play during the holidays. That turned out to be quite a task. In fact, we were still learning one of the most difficult pieces from the suite the night before the first performance!
Since then, my bandmates have said that we should not act desperate. We shouldn't do things in desperation... however, I think that it took that desperation to get where we are today. I'm still desperate. Sometimes I think desperation is the result of just being ambitious and really caring.
Debt is my way of life. I have no idea how I can survive from one pay check to the next. That desperation is a drive for me. I have to find a way to meet bills. It only works if you believe you have to pay back your debt. But if you do, than it's quite the motivating stimulus.
I also think it's a matter of different things working for different people. However, though I usually work best without pressure, desperation has occasionally driven me to do things I might not do otherwise, sometimes for the better- so I think sometimes it can be a good thing as well. I just don't think I could live like that.
Desperation is the only "mode" I've ever operated in.
For me, it gets to the point where you feel the avalanche that is chasing you down the mountain is on you heels.
It forces you to act almost viscerally and instinctively, not giving you time to get too cerebral and muck up the situations with plan B and C.
I work well this way because I tend to take the path of least resistance if given the option.
So I don't give myself that option.
Plan A or bust!
Derek, i think that what you are doing works well for you and so thats right...for you. Everyone works differently. Some people love being comfortable. To some, like me, comfortable is a bad word. It makes you feel complacent and like you arent trying hard. But then again, it's really a personal thing. You are obviously successful at what you do, so who better to say what works for you, then you?
X-Games competitors love the "on the edge" feeling. I'd venture to say most 9-5'ers love the comfortable feeling.
Do what makes you happy.
J.T.
Have to admit that I perform best under pressure, and that goes for everything, not just music. I think the same may be true for many people who perform for a living, whether that performance consists of playing football, playing music, whatever. That need for pressure spills over into other areas as well -- booking gigs, doing my accounts, etc .... But obviously, it's different strokes for different folks!
Desperation is never a smart place to be. Your approach...being frugal is always better. Even if Virgin was so successful, would you really want to live a life like that under so much stress and pressure?
Replace the word "desperation" with "necessity" and you might have a better formula.
And it doesn't have to be financial necessity to motivate one.
For example, a group could agree to play a charity concert that they aren't really prepared for. The sense of responsibility to the charity could work as necessity to power the group's preparation.
Borrowing from the necessity of others (such as the need for the charity to have a great fund raiser) can power you as well.
I wonder if for every Richard Branson you can find 100 other people for which the outcome was not so rosy. But I think we can learn from his story, and maybe we can realize that it is okay to go outside your comfort zone at times to achieve what you want. Maybe not borrowing $1 Mil, but still taking a chance.
Perhaps it isn't as clear as one answer across the board for everyone. It's possible to confuse desperation with a sense of urgency...both things are a feeling but, to me, desperation suggests a "do or die" kind of atmosphere driven by "what you think will happen if you don't" where a sense of urgency might be what you need to help you look for "what you would like to happen but aren't sure in your mind what that thing might be or how to get to it".
Both things could be of help to people but some people will fare better if they don't feel threatened (they will have a tendency to withdraw instead of make a decision) while others need to be driven into taking action by having dire consequences looming.
Aren't humans funny?...they are all different!
It's hard to say whether he over-borrowed, over-stretched and just got lucky. We don't hear about all the others who took the same approach and had to give their island back, right? No doubt a little discomfort can light a flame under your backside, and nothing grand happens without some risk, but maybe I could take slightly smaller risks and be only slightly less rich
The world may never know.
One comment I am qualified from experience to make is that when you`re really in need of help, there are people who will help you. But, one needs to have the guts to ask for help. Too many individuals aren`t willing to expose their helplessness and take a lending hand. Another thought I have is that banks probably didn`t lend Branson the money based on purely business reasons - but on his personal characteristics as much as anything else - that is, people with a high degree of charisma, Branson, Trump, maybe even Bernie M., attract to themselves the things they get by virtue of their own passion, self-confidence, and charisma, blazing their own unique path instead of merely following the obvious well-travelled one. Apparently, there is no limit on what can materialize out of concerted imagination!
A good point Derek. Certainly desperation can lead to success and motivation, however one should be careful using wise judgement in the decisions taken when taking bold decisions.
Have a great and productive day.
Katia Z
i agree ...when you want some thing so bad ..living on the edge..
i was once in times square ny ..vergin mega store no more
do we need to just get with flow
it's a new future we are living now ..dont ever be arrogant ...be lol to the world every need got an ego to feed ...go to the art and the spirit of intelligencer.. we all will be ok
That's a slippery slope but I do believe when there's nothing left, there's nothing to lose. Why not take the risk? That certainly drives me. It depends on one's personality really.
Thanks for a thought provoking article
Desperation sucks... but it can catalyze inspiration... or result in nights of ambien & nyquil cocktails pursued with mornings of xanax and pastries. All in all I prefer the self motivated model but I too know the feeling of the wolves closing in and championing yourself with the "right" choice... whatever that may be.
haven't read the autobio, but i wonder if this is the exception proving the rule. that is, if it's reckless, then that doesn't change because one person made it work. my wife and i sometimes see hikers way up in the mountains with no water, no warm clothing and so on. we've determined that if they get in trouble, they're stupid; if they make it down alive, they're hard-core. no way to know before the outcome is decided! in my experience, self-imposed crisis is not a necessary way to spark ambition. even if it works, it's not sustainable for most people, nor is it terribly healthy . . .
One tends to work harder when one is desperate. When there is a fallback position, the tendency is to bale out before the bottom hits.
As I learned long ago, when engaging in the process of starting a business, QUIT YOUR DAY JOB, as the feeling of desperation will propel you to work harder to be successful!
The feeling of desperation is not for everybody. Then again, neither is success!
For the vast majority of people, it does not help to be desperate. Branson is a unique case because he happened to succeed where most everyone else fails. This is likely due to Providence (also referred as "luck"), and not because Branson has the corner on being more special or more deserving than the rest of us. Branson is the exception to the rule, which is why we look and wonder if what he did can be repeated. Wisdom says that exceptions to the rule are just that... exceptions. It is better not to be desperate for most everyone. For most people, trying to be desperate in order to succeed as Branson did would be a foolish endeavor.
Rather than call it "desperation", I would call it extreme trust. He followed his gut, trusting that no matter what he did, he could keep letting go and trusting that eventually he'd know what to do next, because somehow it's all going to work out.
i think desperate is good to a degree.. desperate enough to take chances, chase dreams and do what others are afraid to. but not desperate in the way that i first think of the word. desperate enough to look desperate and act desperate. as in willing to be shady or kill for it. i am desperate. desperate to change my current situation and make something out of nothing and will stop at almost nothing to do this. but not desperate enough to suck a #%$@ for gain. you gotta play it cool and keep it movin. stay true. big risk equals big reward. i think comfort is safety and i don't wear helmets.
Each time I've stepped outside the comfort zone in making a decision it has led to better things. Not always as a direct result of my taking that chance, but sometimes even the painful experience has led to something beautiful and that simple progression would not have been possible had I stayed at home, safe and sound.
You may live your life feeling safe, not taking chances, but are you really living your life? There are so many things outside the realm of our individual influence that could simply "end us", and life is so very short... I say taking chances and embracing change, comfortable or not, is what it's all about.
As far as desperate, it's important to respect both sides of what comes with desperation. I'm sure that Richard didn't have beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and jittery hands while he negotiated. He probably gets a thrill out of having his back against the wall... and it's likely that as many of us know all too well, when we're under pressure that might be the time we do our best work.
Once again, another incredible post. This is something I have been wondering as well. Working under pressure has made some people crack and others thrive but why? Me personally when I am confortable, I get lazy. All of a sudden I'm in debt, working two jobs totaling 9 am to midnight tues thru friday. So what do I do on my days off? I'm starting my own business and already have 6 people willing to work for me, and am building the website when I can. Some people like myself strive off of a work mind. I'm a workaholic, but when I get off the horse and have nothing to do, I don't do anything. So it all depends on the person, becuase I have never felt this good in my life!
Keep up the great posts!
I believe it just takes a certain individual that seems to work better under pressure. Perhaps that is what the owner of Virgin is like. But even with a lot of intelligence the largest pitfall is financing. Bank money is so tight these days that the situations in his story may very well be unattainable in todays market. I understand the do or die scenario and have been there more than once somehow coming out of it alive but not without some damage. I believe careful thought and bold with a hint of caution type moves offer strong opportunities. Networking is key and if the people you are trying to influence to help you along think you are a loose cannon well that can pose a problem when they begin to question your business saavy.
This is an interesting story...whether it's altogether true or not remains with the subject.
At this particular stage of history, I don't believe such strategies are a good idea. Even though this economy is in dire trouble and we should profit if we invest in this economy...the banks are not letting go of funds in the US.
Branson is from a different country entirely. Perhaps they are more forgiving or that the stories exist in a different era make them more plausible.
Hold on to what you've got!
Janet Hansen
Scout66.com
I've written some of my best music when under pressure of a deadline. I bought a house that I could barely afford. Both of these things pushed me to my limits. I feel a small amount of stress is healthy, but too much can cause health problems and even death. The music deadline was a healthy amount of stress for me, but the house this was awful, luckily my work is flourishing and I don't have to worry about paying the bills
So I feel this is entirely up to the individual, and I totally get your idea here.
Be well!
Desperation is a frame of mind.
There are always two sides to the coin.
Perhaps its not desperation but a faith that when you follow your dream it will take care of you.
At one point we lost it all and were made homeless, penniless, but on the other side it set us free to follow our dreams. Though not rich financially we travel the world playing our music and live an amazing life!
We never know where the money to do this is coming from, but we do it anyway.
Its worked like this for us for the last 18 years or so.
I always love to read your thoughts!
Lance Harrison
When you know who you are and what you really want in life it is worth all the risks to attain it! It is worth putting everything on the line and yes,it is worth being desperate because when you are desperate you won't/CAN'T take no for answer. What better way is there to live your life. If life has taught me one thing it is lose the ego and pride and just do what you came to do!
I feel that this sense of desperation and drive works for Richard perfectly. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone because it seems that its a way of doing things that fits with his character well and works for him. I agree with his philosophy, you have to take big ambitious risks to do big ambitious things. This story is inspiring and helps give people who don't like to take as many risks some inspiration to get out there and reach for that higher mountain. Obviously you have to believe in yourself completely to adopt this way of thinking. Saying that, anyone who takes on any endeavour like this should at least have the prerequisite of complete belief in oneself... Nuf Said!
Varies person to person, I know I could not take that kind of risk myself. I am very much a "spend less than you earn person" and I feel it has served me well so far. Risk is necessary in life, thr question is how much are you willing to take and how much can you handle (psychologically and physically).
good post. I am more like you but just getting started and not yet as successful. From reading lots of business books/biographies I think you can succeed both ways but you really need to be true to yourself and know what will work for you. If I tried to do what Branson does I would not quite push the limits like he does and very likely fail miserably--you can't cross the chasm in two little calculated steps. You've got to step back really far, sprint mightily to the edge, take a giant leap and give it your all. That way you have a much better chance of landing safely on the other side. I am a risk taker but I prefer risks where the downside is well known and quantifiable but the upside is unlimited. I think Branson is outlying dot that doesn't quite fit the model and a poor example to model for most!
They say necessity is the mother of invention.
Here's the thing - it's not about being desperate. It's not about your external circumstances.
It's about your context. In other words, what does it mean to you to be in desperate situations?
For Branson - his mindset created fuel when he was up against the edge. His belief in his own ability, his trust in the universe working out in his favor, his faith that he could overcome whatever the odds, made being desperate an incredibly creative space to be in. And he benefited from it.
And building on what Paul says, his complete lack of ego around the creating of his success. He didn't have to be right, he was willing to surround himself with people who were smarter, stronger and could create completion in the areas he was lacking. He was willing to truly delegate and create a strong team.
These are internal skills - that motivated external behaviors.
So, instead of focusing on what external circumstances might fuel your success, focus on the internal mindset of a leader. Become an entrepreneurial artist.
Derek, you create success, not because you are frugal and create a life of comfort. You create success because you are incurably curious - always seeking new innovations, new projects, new challenges. That's what drives you.
It's your internal mindset, NOT your external circumstances that create success.
Because illogical choices actually sometimes freakishly pay big, places like Las Vegas exist. However, in the big scheme of things, the house always wins. Always.
For someone living low, you seem to have a deadly fascination for the lures of Babylon.
"I'm frugal. I avoid debt. I save most of my income, and never spend more than I earn. Because of this, I'm comfortable. Is this the wrong approach?"
Whoa. "Wrong" approach? To what?
"Could it actually help to be desperate? Could that drive us to new heights, out of necessity?"
Why are "new heights" a necessity?
When is "enough"?
What's still missing for you?
A pretty neat person once told me that, "Your happiness and success will be in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can live with." I've found that to be true, as I've lived with more uncertainty over the last year than I ever thought I could bear.
But I don't think it's a plug-and-play answer here; risk in itself won't get you rewards, and neither will frugality. I think a lot of advisers lead their followers astray with that kind of thinking. It's more an 'individual comfort level' issue.
For Branson, who I also love, in hindsight he can laugh about how he's always pulled it out of his ass in the end. But he has had losses, too (some may look at the Virgin Records loss not as a savior for the airline--certainly the label's never been the same).
Desperation is overrated, but calculated risks, that don't take us so far over the edge we lose the ability to be rational about what's good for us/what isn't--I'm into that.
It is not unlike the whole economy right now from a business prospective. When a recession hits companies that endure do so by getting inventive and creating more innovative products. So like everyone is saying if you get that scary feeling I had better do something even if it is the last chance is it risk taking or going the whole mile believing in yourself??
As I've beat my head against the wall over the years trying to "make it" in the music industry, I had always found that being desperate was a death knell. Like attracts like, and if you've reached the point of being 'desperate' it's probably already too late.
That said, I have learned again and again the power of not worrying. Deciding that you're going to do something (notice I didn't say "try") seems to make the fates line up in your favor. Being up against like this also squelches the ego, so we're not afraid to ask for help, take gigs that we thought were "beneath" us and make them work (I could write a book on what I've done in that realm in this year alone).
While Sir Richard has spent most of his career in over his head, I doubt that he was ever "desperate." Rather, he just forced himself into a situation where failure was not an option, forcing himself to succeed despite the fact that failure was all but a foregone conclusion. It takes more balls than most of us have (including me) but I know for a fact that it is possible to "grow a pair."
when we are desperate we are out of the comfort zone and acting on pure instinct so we are willing take bigger risks and the rewards are greater. I believe Branson was successful because he had a plan or vision of what he wanted each end result to be. Being desperate with out a goal is akin to drowning in the sea.
Maybe it depends on your motivation. Is Branson motivated by money, or the thrill of making money? I think its the thrill of the deal, the thrill of making the money, the thrill of the ideas behind the deal. His "desperation" seems to be fueled by passion and the knowing that if this one doesn't work, the next one will.
Thanks for the thought provoking piece.
I am not by nature a person with 'business sense' and I have often felt that sense of desperation in financial matters. But when I'm dealing with others, in negotiations, etc. I almost always try to remember that no matter how 'bad' the situation, there are always other options. Those options are usually some form of motivation: A way to work harder for myself and see the situation in another way which always creates more abundance. So, indirectly desperation has been helpful. But only because I used it as a leveraging tool to create more of what I want.
Being comfortable is not a driving wheel that can put you into the new heights. Most invention are born out of limitations combined with imagination and massive faith that things can work out at the end. You have to have the drive and passion to do what he accomplished. It is not for everyone. It takes special personality and approach to life.
I think Branson is a man who pushes the boundaries of the ability to create and achieve to extraordinary limits. I also believe that he understands contentment at a deep level. By this I mean that someone who is content with themselves is prepared to lose everything to try for something. If you can accept the possible loss then desperation does not set in. Because your lack of grasping at the outcome allows you keep your head in circumstances that might terrify others. It can't terrify you if you have truly accepted the possible outcome of loss. With the intense emotions out of the scenario you are much less likely to make bad decisions. I think we have a lot to learn from him despite it not being the type of life we would all like to lead. Sleep well Derek, you have done so much for others too. You deserve it!
As someone who's been on both sides I don't think there's a right or a wrong to this. I do remember a lesson at music school where a teacher said: If you get a day job and get comfortable with the money, kiss the music career goodbye. Which is probably one of the reasons why I never got a day job.
I work my ass off and until recently usually never had an issue. I don't feel like I take huge risks, but others think I do.
You're well aware of the last risk I took and this time it was a problem. Alas, I'm working thru it and the music is better than ever. So are some of the relationships with friends.
As we used to say when skiing: Go big or go home.
This is a psychological question, Derek. There is no resolution and there is no solution. The artistic career is a process that requires perseverance and motivation. "Risk" is measured in 2 ways, loss or gain. To risk loss, and to gamble for the gain. Both are valid, and neither is complete.
Of course, this proves nothing. How many people drove themselves to similar desperation and ended up broke and/or suicidal? We will never know.
Exactly. That's called survivor bias. We hear the stories of the successes, and never of the failures. Is Richard Branson just that one lucky guy that was just as likely to fail horribly? Or is there something to it, though? -- Derek
I have been comfortable all of my life except for the last couple of years. After the economic crash, and having 2 kids and one on the way, no job, cd sales and gigging slowed to practically nothing, business slowed, I found myself in a desperate situation for the first time in my life. Since then, I have created a new direction in my life that has taken me to a place that has made me very uncomfortable, but very happy and am making it happen. I feel more alive now than I have since I was a kid. Desperation has forced me to analyze my life and my set ways of doing things, and change for the better. This desperation is the best thing to ever happen to me.
Motivation is pretty nebulous and fluid, and as others have said, highly individual. Sometimes reading what motivates others helps us discover our own kick in the pants, but I would imagine personal experience is a better teacher in this regard.
If motivation boiled down to only one thing, and we all knew that secret answer, we'd all probably get a lot more done!
The most expensive money is the one that you don't have, so it's quite important to learn how to work with your own resources and make them grow. If you take the other road it's a never ending story and you will never gain anything.
This is what I love about Derek's articles. It is so hard to retain a positive attitude in the music business, as the odds are always fighting against you. Then you read a wonderful story like this and it inspires you to quit belly aching and get off your ass and take some risks, think outside the box, and to just do something, anything to shake up the despair and negativity which we find ourselves allowing to control our mental thoughts. Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the "Rich Dad Poor Dad" books and real estate tycoon also used similar economic methods to realize his dreams. He would invest all he could in real estate, even making purchases when there were bills to pay. He explained that by running out of money it motivated him all the more to obtain it, and he always found a way to do it. There is nothing like having the safety net removed to inspire or force, however you wish to word it, one to become motivated in a way he/she never dreamed was possible. The year I decided I had had enough of being inprisoned by a dead end job all day and walked out, I made twice as much as I was being a warehouse grunt as an entertainer. I stuffed mailboxes, I put up flyers, I picked up the phone, I placed affordable ads in papers. This was all before the miracle of the internet, the greatest marketing tool ever.
Of course, risks are just that. For every story like this there is one about someone who took far less risks and lost it all. Of course, a resourceful person finds a way to get it all back. The problem with folks who go through life simply depending on a 'job' is that life controls them instead of the other way around. You are only as succesful as your talents, and if all you can do is be a robot for someone elses dream then that is what you will remain.
There is nothing sadder than someone who stays at a job they hate year after year simply for security. That's not a life, that is a death. Not everyone should buy an island or build a house where rock artists can record, but one simple little change in routine, such as walking out of that prison which squashes your hopes and dreams on a daily basis, and putting yourself in a position where you HAVE to make it on your own, be it a full time working musician or house painter, more than likely will do the trick.
Thank's for another very inspiring story Derek, as I told you before, I call yor articles my daily dose of "Kick-In-The-Assisms."
Were Branson's *personal* assets at stake during those times?
Derek,
Perhaps your use of the word desperation is not the best choice here. And maybe that's the rub. They say necessity is the mother of invention. I wonder if Richard Branson simply saw all those scenarios as necessities in need of a solution. So he goes to lengths others may not have the gumption to tread to find a solution but he's calm, not desperate. Maybe because he can see the horizon beyond the initial obstacle, however daunting, that would likely stop most others in their tracks. We may never know but his track record speaks to the fact that he has never been one to play it safe. I don't believe anything that ever effected great change in the world was done from a place of complacency or safety.
I think your approach is best for most people, especially with finances. Branson is fearless and gets through by sheer will, and most people have/need courage, which is to feel fear but move ahead anyway(reading Alan Cohen figure out a move I just made). To have courage we need a positive view of the universe as a place full of viable options. It's hard enough for most people to have courage. Branson is like the spy saying "The situation was desperate but not serious." For most people a desperate situation is very serious, although it doesn't have to be all negative according to Dan McKinnon, who says that "People are like tea bags. They don't know their strength until they get into hot water."
Derek: "I'm comfortable. Is this the wrong approach? Could it actually help to be desperate?"
Depends upon your thumbprint.
Funny you should ask. I was just feeling some desperation about my career myself. I like to look at the natural world around me for help with these kinds of questions. Was the natural world created with desperation? Our place as a species in the natural world is desperate but I feel the answers to THAT question lie in a very large part within the musicians of the world. Will we continue our desperate search for appreciation and personal success or will we recognize the nuclear power of the music that naturally flows through us and unites people? Once we grok that innate power there is no telling where it will take us. Maybe places an airline could never go.
If you are driven by the continuous need to be successful, there is something missing in your life. People like that maybe find it hard to relax, they probably think they could be making money instead.
Finding the balance is the answer, but sometimes we have to step out in faith, like when David slew Goliath.
Derek: I'm comfortable. Is this the wrong approach? Could it actually help to be desperate?
Me: Depends upon your thumbprint.
Hmmmm... So peanut butter sandwiches and ramen noodles aren't a sign of desperation ?
Wow, Derek, you have a lot of adoring fans!
I agree that it's personality dependent - some people work best under pressure and I need a bit of it in my life.
But as an artist (maybe just of life) what has grown in me over time is a deep, 'desperate', soulful drive and enthusiasm to do what I do, with all my heart, to the best of my ability. This 'desperation' has slowly made me remove other forms of desperation from my life so that I'm not held back from exploring and expressing this deeper purpose.
I've always said that when you hit the bottom of the barrel there's nowhere to go but up and that the further down you go, the higher up you'll bounce. There is also a logic that keeping a fire under your feet will keep you dancing.
Maybe this method works for reactionary types and success from comfort works from more strategic types who like to plan everything ahead of time.
Desperation makes you move, how you move I guess is determined by the your logic.
More often than not, desperate people lose sight of other options that are there. It depends on the individual. It reminds me of people who thrive under work pressure and those who do not.
This is interesting, I'm curious to see what people are going to say...
You might be confusing being desperate with staying hungry.
Desperation, like hate, destroys.
It only hurts the one who feels it.
Emotional hunger just needs to be fed... and in our case, with music!!!
I'm also one who avoids debt, and I believe that's a good thing. But I agree that desperation drives us to do great things at times. A few years back I had a bottom-of-the-barrel job making pennies and when I came home from work everyday my musical energy and ideas were plentiful. In fact I even used my shitty life circumstances to fuel my song-writing all the time...and came up with some fantastic songs. Then a few years later I got a better job, more money, better situation. I found that it can become easy to get comfortable and just kinda enjoy life. I would say to myself, "oh, I'll work on that song tomorrow or this weekend, right now I'm going to hang out with friends or watch a movie". I realized what was happening, and that I surely was not getting any younger. So now, I create my own sense of urgency (without going into debt) to keep motivated. I don't know which way is right, all I know is that failure is not an option, and neither is mediocrity. We have one shot at living life - that's it. And if you're born to do something particular and you know it, then don't let debt, or fear, or laziness, or comfort stand in your way.
I agree with what a lot of folks are saying...depends on the person.
But I'd take it a step further: How are we defining success? Getting rich is one thing, being happy is another (at least I'm told,I haven't experienced "rich" yet). I think someone like Branson is excited and happy with life when he's manically trying to prevent utter disaster. But for a lot of us, the stress involved would far outweigh any financial gain that would come from 10 years of almost going bankrupt, not to mention take years off our lives.
For me, I think it's somewhere in the middle. I need self-imposed deadlines, as well as the feeling that it's "now or never" to help spark my motivation. At the same time, I don't think I could take as large a risk as Branson is accustomed.
There is always pressure! Desperation does not equal pressure...We think of pressure and desperation as the same thing...deadlines equal pressure equal desperation but they are not. Shouldn't we always be under pressure to produce our best work? our best music? make the most money we can? Why do we wait to be desperate to feel the constant and joyous pressure of leading an amazing and fullfilling life. Isn't the unknown of when death is going to come enough pressure????
I have a tendancy to hoard....thinking that down the road I may need it. Frankly the valuable paintings I did not need nor even hung in the house came to save me out of financial jams many times. I hoard not for the purpose of collecting...but I know that when I present a valuable thing to a collector...i can have my way. I use the hoarding of treasures as GREASE in the botttoming out that comes more frequently now than before....but I am still in the black. I dont have debt, a save most of my income also....but scrounge and buy good investments that I am knowledgeable about like fine art and pottery. The fun of looking for treasure is also wrapped into recreational bliss for me. Ive been desperate when I have to sell the things I love to shore up....anyone do that too? Patti
Great post, Derek. However, I'm not so sure that "desperate" is the right word here. Being truly desperate, in my opinion, is finding yourself in a situation when you have no choice, a sort of "win all or loose all" situation. However, if you put yourself in a seemingly desperate situation at your own will, the situation stops being desperate. Being desperate implies having no choice. However, once you made a choice "to be desperate", it becomes a well-calculated decision. Once the choice is made, there's no room for doubt - you have to start acting. That's how it should be, but people oftentimes forget about it and waste their time / energy on pointless self-searching instead of actually going for the goal. It seems to me that Branson went into all those risky endeavors "burning the bridges" behind his back, at least partially, in order to free himself of the very possibility for a doubt... A couple of points, though. First, it doesn't work for everyone to go to such extremes. Oftentimes, the very thought that you don't have another choice will put so much extra weight on your goal that you'll be thrown down - just to re-establish the equilibrium. So, it seems to me that the real trick here is keeping your internal balance in a seemingly desperate situation and simply working towards achieving your goal instead of constantly thinking how important it is that you achieve it. It sounds simple, but very few people can actually manage to do it. And second - there might've been other things to Branson's story, the hidden factors that his book is not talking about...
Excuse me for the long post, but you raised such an interesting subject that it couldn't possibly be any shorter )
This is one of the classic descriptions of ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder. For folks with ADD - and that is many, many creative artists so it makes you wonder to what extent it is a "disorder" and not simply another way of being - nothing gets done until the pressure is on. A deadline, a cash crunch, an extremely high motivation surge. I have really appreciated Gabor Mate's book on the subject: "Scattered Minds"; identified every member of my family!
when I'm HUNGRY, as opposed to desperate, I do things outside my comfort zone that help by career and business expand. when i'm not so hungry, things get stagnant. but when i'm desperate, i usually make mistakes and do something stupid
I think self imposed desperation is a great way of lighting a fire under one's own arse.Making deadlines and creating excitement in our own personal creative world becomes contagious to the world around us.When we see instantaneous results of our work it keeps the focus on marching on with our big plans for our music careers.Positive action and forward motion keeps things in motion.It seems dissappoint can throw us off track but only if we wallow in the past.Keeping a positive outlook and finishing what we start is most important.Concentrating on many tasks is daunting,seeing them all thru requires patience,discpline, and self motivation.Taking risks is part of success, the bigger the risk may not always end in the ultimate success.Calculated risk takes all the danger out but doesn't feel like a risk at all.Risk is the unknown and I am always feeling a bit risky.Thanks Derek for this blog.
I think it really depends on your personality. Some people are thrill seekers while others are not. Richard Branson is obviously a thrill seeker. He had a great attitude and was willing to walk through the fire when many others would have given up. I think more then anything his belief in himself no matter what his bank account said created his massive success. Most of us aren't willing to walk through the fire, Richard Branson did just that.
Maybe it's not desperation but the commitment and faith it takes to risk and want something so bad that you know there is no other alternative but to obtain it. Sort of like a mental adrenaline....instead of lifting a car from a child's body, you are creating and manifesting that which you feel so strongly about???
I think that broke only leads to suicidal if one's identity is derived from one's success. I don't think broke would rattle Branson at all, which is maybe why he risks(from our point of view)all so easily.
You have to be a risk taker to be successful! The Branson's and Trump's of the world are living examples. However if you have a family in the balance with kids your responsibility lies with them first. Final analysis: Take risks only if the one who stands to get hurt is you and you alone!
Sir Richard Brandson is a rare bread if individual that thrives by living on the edge. His style is unique and in many cases won't work for everyone. He does have a lot of luck on his side but he also has a lot of connections to many people working with and for him from whom he can rely upon for the type of support he requires to live on the edge.
In a good business environment, there is also a certain amount of risk taking that must be done in order to achieve the goal of making a profit for that business. The risks don't have to be an all or nothing approach but never the less they do require going beyond the normal comfort zone to reach the goal.
I understand this completely since I am in the real estate business and there are many different risks that are undertaken for all types of investments and opportunities. It's a matter of defining what your goals are, how you see yourself clear to reaching those goals, and then implementing a plan that will allow you to move on the concept or idea for which the goal is the end result.
Everyone has the potential to be successful but not everyone is willing to take the risk to become successful.
There seems to be something missing in Branson's story. He is either a great con artist or he's got financial backing from somewhere. Banks don't loan money big money to someone with failing enterprises with out some back up collateral. There's also the who you know factor. Unless you have some kind of edge I would advise no one to bite off more than they can chew.
He would borrow money from the bank when one business was doing well, not poorly. -- Derek
It sounds like he got an adrenalin boost from being on the edge. For me it would never work, I would just get all stressed out from that as a constant existence. It sounds like this kind of desperation quality may work well for the more adventurous/risk taker types than the non adventurous/risk taker types.
Derek, it sounds like maybe this something new you could try and might like, but I bet you won't want to live life that way after you try it a few times.
I believe it comes down to motivation direction. People are eighter primarily motivated towards or away from things. We all have a mix of both, but one direction usually is the primary fuel.
It sounds like Richard Branson's fuel was away from and he used it effectively to create results.
I think a bigger question might be - what emotional states do you want to live your life in while you accomplish your goals? The states are usually what we're after from a goal anyway right? So why not live with those emotions now and let the goals enhance your state, not let the means to accomplish your goals dictate your state. Just an idea.
I agree with many of the replies that it depends on the person whether desperation is needed as a motivator. I've found it's been a very helpful motivator. When push comes to shove, I HAVE to do something. Instinct kicks in, intention is thrown out to be caught by the universe and many things begin to move, more than likely (and depending on your intention) in the direction you wish it to.
It's a bit like an ice pack on the sea. It holds together in the winter but in the spring thaw, it can't possibly hold together so it breaks apart allowing the water around it to flow giving life to that particular area.
I know it's a little poetic but there you have it
Cheers,
Pam
Someone here mentioned about the one's who extend themselves, go under and we don't hear about them. How true! Consider the % of start-up businesses that fail annually. Are these people NOT passionate? Many contingencies and circumstances could sink anyone in jeopardy at any time. But those that thrive on this kind of pressure, have a slightly extraordinary skillset, really believe in themselves and maybe are just a bit neurotic
, do have a chance to succeed. For some people, they never get derailed as they just can't imagine any other outcome.
As has been clearly stated in others comments, this boils down to personal choice, demeanor, risk tolerance and resources. In this case, the wise axiom applies: To thine own self be true. There are highly successful individuals who fit either category--Donald Trump and Branson are examples of the risky/pressure driven types. Warren Buffet, Charlie Munger and others clearly operate like you, Derek.
On another note, there are other ways to create risk and pressure without risking capital---you can make a big promise, commit to a big deal that you're not quite ready for or don't have the prescribed experience for, or commit to an outlandish deadline and use the pressure to get ready--and deliver. My reputation is worth way more to me than any amount of money. Plus, sometimes you can't get ready for something big until you just commit to and do it. As Goethe said, "Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."
So, there's no right or wrong way--just the way that's best for the individual as long as they're willing to deal properly with the outcome, good or bad.
I would add, however, that risky, self-created desperation (from one who has employed this tactic super successfully and not so successfully before) gets old and can make you old because no matter how well you come across when under pressure it definitely has a physiological impact. Your sympathetic nervous system is in high gear all the time, which strains your body-- and that absolutely shows up over time. If it's a constant way of life for an individual, you often can see this way of thriving (risky, desperate and on-the-edge) "written all over" a person's face.
I have never seen a picture of Branson where he looked anything but cool, confident and urbane and I am quite sure this is exactly how he came across to those bankers
who loaned him the money he needed to fund his exploits.
I have no doubt that whatever desperation he may have been feeling was well internalized and slickly hidden from view.
It is the way of the gambler and there is no wilder gamble than the music business.
Basically there is no way to tell the wunderkinds from poor slobs until the next card turns.
Of course, it helps to know as much as possible about the game you're in, as I am sure Branson always does.
rarely, if ever, are truly great ideas and products born out of comfortable circumstances.
Famous people are exceptions by definition.
Branson's bliss isn't music, or even being rich, it's gambling, so he's in bliss whether he wins or loses. If my bliss is music, then I'm going to make choices that maximize doing music, win or lose. Do you love gambling, or music?
Re: inertia: yes, procrastinating adolescents might only move when despair pokes them into chaotic leaps. They'll learn or burn. Small, more frequent shifts are tons healthier, more experimentally creative, authentic and real.
Famous examples?
Little ball, like Ichiro; not steroid slugger ball like Bonds. Jamie Moyer, not Roger Clemens.
Great query and post, Derek.
It helps to be driven.
People like Richard thrive on putting themselves 'on the line'(desperate) for things bigger than themselves. They essentially create something external to drive themselves with.
I think neuroscience might have the answer to your question. Turns out that we're not all created the same when it comes to how we respond to our environment. Some people have a high risk tolerance because of the levels of dopamine in their brain. For a primer on this idea - check out Dr. Helen Fisher's book "Why Him, Why Her". She has some interesting theories about what motivates people in choosing a mate - but her findings (she's the science advisor for Chemistry.com) also apply to what you're discussing here.
Bottom line: Our brains are "plastic" - that is they are malleable and can learn how to become more risk tolerant, but we are chemically predisposed to certain types of behavior. It's fascinating stuff!
Bernie Madoff comes to mind especially when I read the comment differentiating between borrowing and stealing. Both were essentially borrowing money to pay off past debts.
I guess I have my own "small town" version of what Branson does, not that I would in any way compare what I've managed to do to what he has.
I seem to work better/more creatively when I'm under the gun...the result of my usually waiting until the very last minute to get it done.Something about that self induced pressure seems to work for me.
Not that this is necessarily a good thing. ;)
there are people of destiny & charmed life, richard branson is the sidhartha of our time.
bright musical ways
ian
I find that I work best when it is a bit more desperate for whatever reason (time, money, a recent look down the imaginary road of "What if I didn't do this... ahh!! Don't want that" type of thing).
I think Love and Fear are the biggest emotional motivators for anything in life. When you combine them with a love for excitement and perhaps success or money and a fear of being out on the street if you don't "make" it, you have some pretty powerful motivation going there. I personally need to live in a little more balance than that but I think its important to take calculated risks and if that's what it takes to make you say "HELL YES!" (http://sivers.org/hellyeah) then that's what you should do. What you are really gambling on is yourself and your work ethic.
Derek: Love the post - so happy you decided to write about this and I'm looking forward to the blog tomorrow!
I don't know much about Branson, but I get the feeling that he's a consummate businessman: It's not the music, aviation, resorts, etc. that he loves; it's the act of building and being in business. I don't think his approach of self-inflicted desperation is necessarily appropriate for someone who's trying to make a business of the thing they love (e.g. music). Creative endeavors tend to come with their own desperation anyway! (See Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk in your recent post.)
I think it's all about intuition. When to play it safe and when to take risks. Both I think are necessary for personal and financial growth. I am someone who has taken a great deal of big risks and has just fallen flat on his face. But is the fiscal success at the end of risk the measure by which you judge whether it was worth taking? I know I will never personally take the same risks I just took in the same way, but I would hate to be "scared straight". by some risks that turned out to be failures. I've certainly learned from them, so maybe that's the success. If money is the measure by which one judges all actions worthy or unworthy than he's probably pretty off track.
Music is a risk - it's putting yourself, your real self out there - sharing your love. And we love the big risk takers! Someone like Jeff Buckely experimented all over the place live, in front of his record execs., he took musical risks and did his own thing in spite of everyone and everything that "mattered".
Dylan went electric, what some would consider a huge risk - and many of his previous fans were alienated. But that was what made him Dylan. He dared to be whatever he wanted to be - no matter how big the risk to his stability (in regards to his fan base). It's that lived sense of risk and aliveness in his music that drew those fans to him in the first place I think. I think that you have to stay close to that sense of aliveness in your self - intuition I think it is.
Intuition,among other things, is a basic survival instinct. I'm sure one that Branson was in touch with in some way when making his decisions.
Individual preference? Is it all right to be late on paying off a loan that you promised to pay off on time? Does that affect someone's life beside your own? Is creating stress for yourself at the expense of family, colleagues, and associates in the name of motivation alright? This sounds like the "ends justify the means" to me.
When I lived in the UK[1993], I heard this joke about Branson.
"When Richard Branson was a child, as he left for school, he took an apple with him. At school he sold the apple for a few pence. He used the money to buy two apples and the next day double his money. On the third day, his grandmother died and left him 30-million pounds. --JH
Good post Derek. You can't grow without taking a bit of risk..but it's like climbing a tree..my cardinal rule is "never EVER let go with your hands until your feet are on something solid"....
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Some people (I for one) work the most creatively under pressure. Everyone gets comfortable. Desperation forces you to evaluate new strategies and brain function you wouldn't have otherwise tapped into. We are living proof of this theory. A lot of people tried to lobby for us to go under the last few years in the wake of the death of our founder. But here we are, regrouped, reorganized, and revitalized despite all of that. Some of the best things, people, ideas and strategies came out of the desperation of the past few years.
While I do seem to accomplish more when my goals are measurable and time-bound, my body lets me know when I've reached my risk-taking limit. I once broke out in painful shingles in response to an risk overload. The entrepreneurial spirit was willing, the body was not.
It is also notable that for every Richard Branson who worked hard, risked all, got a bit of luck and thrived there are probably thousands that worked hard, risked all, got a bit of _bad_ luck and lost everything. But then, very few of those actually go on to write their autobiographies and have them published.
Yes you have an extra motivator if you are desperate, but you probably have a lot more chances of losing, too.
I think there's a difference between finding yourself in desperate circumstances and forcing yourself into desperate circumstances. Branson is the exception, not the rule. He might as easily have gone under and become a homeless alcoholic if things hadn't gone the way they did. Some people win the lottery, and some people have to go to Gamblers Anonymous. I think it's important to push oneself, and to view obstacles as challenges to triumph over. But I think taking it to such an extreme can be dangerous. In other words--it's great that it worked out for Branson, but I don't think I'd advise anyone to follow his path necessarily, or to throw caution to the wind with no back-up plan. It's like reading about the people who were "discovered" in a shopping mall. That's great, but it doesn't mean I should just stop trying and walk around the mall hoping to be discovered while singing to myself. There's inspiration to be had in Branson's story though. The idea of not giving up, of not letting circumstances demand your defeat, etc. But again--I think it's always best to react to desperate circumstances, and not to intentionally create them. Because it can go either way.
If you believe in it, it will be your reality.
Derek: Good info, thanks.
Mr.Branson's logic is not for the meek. I'm more prone to be like you, to plan and be more aware of the outcome. However: A Real Estate friend of mine, (very well to do) said, "When you are down to the last dime in your pocket, that's when you will make things happen" I guess that's the desperation theory. It worked for him. I always thought you never want to look desperate, but maybe you can look and talk confident, but yet be desperate. A good trick if you can pull it off.
Some people have luck on their side, others don't. Most of us are willing to put in the time and the work, but not all of us have the good fortune to go along with our hard work and abilities.
Amen Derek!
There's something magical that "just happens" when it just *has* to work, when you're hanging on by a thread. This is exactly the story behind my debut solo album "2 Days or Die" as the artist Atlas Plug. I named it that to memorialize that EXACT point! This had to work, and had to work fast, or it was over. This was my final attempt in the business before being forced into another career...which I couldn't even fathom.
In fact, I gave myself only "2 days" to record the title track. "2 Days or Die" ended up being the hit on the record and that album launched my career as a composer in Video Games.
Yes. It does help to be desperate, but I don't recommend it.
Addendum:
Some people absolutely hate hearing that "luck" thing, but it's a fact of life.
Contrary to what some would like to believe, a person's fortune - good or bad, is not entirely his or her own doing.
Behaving wisely even in desperation can garner results. Unforntunately most people are desperate because of unwise, irresponsible decisions. A great business man is a great business man whether he is broke or worth millions. A bad business man is always a desperate orphan. Pressure not desperation is the driving force for the wise.
"a mans own drive and ambition to succeed, pushing forward his enthusiasm and determination"
I think I've led my entire life in this manner, taking the 'big risk', rather than approaching the future with a set plan of action.
In many ways it's been to my advantage, and as a result I've had experiences that many people will never allow for themselves, but at the same time there has been a cost to my sometime seemingly haphazard approach to life. It's often been argued that stress is necessary to push people into action, though there are times when I have really felt the physical and mental detriment of this when a situation has become desperate. I've also in the last year lost the woman I love as a result of my unwillingness to take the straight path and plan ahead.
Two points though;
I'm a creative, emotional thinker, and us lot are absolutely hopeless at having a solid foundation for approaching the future (unless we're fortunate enough to have money in the bank, in which case, who cares!).
Secondly, life is a gamble regardless of how you approach it. Richard Branson succeeded as much by his determination as he did good fortune. Tubular Bells was a phenomenally successful album, and without it that may have been the end of him. Who knows.
I think maybe feelings of desperation go hand in hand with having dreams to fulfill, and until you find yourself doing that 'thing' that you so long to do, you'll always feel some degree of disquiet.
Kevin Smith said on his video that he used every credit card he could get his hands on to fund the first Clerks movies, yet some of us have tried that with our projects and just left mostly in debt.
Derek,
What some people call Desperation; others call "bold action". What I see in Branson is a slow complacency. He lets situations get to the fish or cut bait point. In today's market, you need to forsee such short comings before you are forced to make a bold move.
Ace
Good point
Both point of views seem to have their ups and downs. On one hand if you have too many options, you happen not to care too much, which might lead you to situations where you do not work to your maximum potential. Yet, it might save you the pressure, which hurts your performance if you're prone to it...
On the other hand, if you have no choice, you try as much as you can, which makes you work harder, sacrifice more and often leads to better results. There's only one condition: you must be able to work under pressure and not get hurt.
I believe in middle ground. To work as if you have no choice, yet leave yourself some space to move if you choose so.
Derek, please check rear the wheels BEFORE "ATVing"
Glad you're OK...!!! Peace.
I think we all have a little bit of desperation and I think it can work if you are talented and clever with it... but most of all, that you believe in yourself. Richard believed in himself and he came out smiling. Desperation sometimes has to come into it because it is so hard to live and work doing something you love because the world isn't really built to support you in that.That's just the way it is. You can be desperate but clever. Being desperate for desperate's sake would be foolish. I have been desperate when I moved country but I pushed and got myself out of it by expanding and now I'm smiling because of it. Like Laura Roeder said, it worked for him and whatever you choose will work for you
Nice photo as usual!
Well, increasing debt is not the "responsible" way to get things done, but it can get things done. If you're a good enough gambler and businessman, you can get away with it, obviously. Do the ends justify the means?
The world monetary system is based on debt, as more of us are becoming aware of, which is a form of bondage, and a very rigged game.
Bankruptcy law isn't exactly a get out of jail free card, but it's close to it. You pay your money and you take your chances. To the gamblers the spoils, I guess.
"How real is money?"
"What are your other values?"
are questions that come to mind.
Hi Bro Derek,
It's cool to be fired up as without needs we shink and without deeds we do very little as many find after retirement...
You have to admire Mr Branston commitment to a task however driven shame that there isn't many articular ultra persons in the music biz that is inovating new forms of mergers to make the business thrive rather than dive...
Presently it's going towards a not very supportive role of original songsters these days and not too many hands on risk management as they have mainly become complacent meaning they just cream off the crops...
Thou this isn't the same as you sorting your DIY's to make ends meet or make sure you have a good retiring pension that is normal isn't it?...
The somg by Billy Ocean
"When The Going Gets Tough,The Tough Get's Going" is the way I tend to view the pressure drive as I do function in these areas as most creative people I think do some call this the adrenelin rush don't they?, so what makes your blood flow brother apart from a jog in the park...
This is motivition that will always take you to a level to produce or you would otherwise cruise until you fall a sleep in the wonderland of lifes trappings...
Was the Beatles driven or inspired when they decided to write hits songs term as a swimming pool were they desperate or comfortable...
Record companies pressure are usually met at some point thou most best works if people are honest have been after various deadlines, as I am sure that some artist don't function well in desperate demands from the record companies for the artistic drive of songwriters is inspiration and perfection...
So as a creative energy I love it when you are in the green/red room to glow or grow some music enlightenment enrichment as the inspiration desends from the most high in my mind to whom I always stay thankful and faithful for little more music juice for the creative artists and musicians...
The ends sometimes justify the means and getting results in a studio session is key to myself so we are all driven but prolonged perfectionist can they ever be satisfied I don't think so as they question even after they are successful and sold nuff so do they know when they are on or off the sliding bar or roller coaster...
I am sure things always equate to what gives a result tried and tested so I don't worry about the desperate measures...
Take it on weak or strong make the music forever Boom Shaka Lac in live and inspirational creative music we trust...
Jah Rastafari One Love for InI...
Wayne-mwm
Some people work better under pressure because they find motivation in the desperation; but I ask, "Why live a life of stress "On the edge" hanging in there, which effects your health and relationships when you can cruise with smooth sailing. Of course there will be choppy waters along the trip, but you will have good health and those who love you by your side to help you weather the storms.
We struggle for a life time to achive material things and wealth only to realize after the accomplishment that they do not bring happiness, you can't buy health, or love, and "You can't take it with you." So what now?
There is an exception to every rule.
But I am like you Derek and have never lived beyond my means.
IMHO We all have to stay in our comfort zone is what it boils down to.
I think the operative words are created desperation. At this point it is self generated. That makes all the difference. It all depends on your level of stress tolerance verses your level of desire. Richard made it work because he put himself into the position that it had to work or go bust. He had no intention to let it go bust. His intention all along was to succeed and that he did. Good on Richard Branson and all who realize their desires to the betterment of us all.
@Joe,
Lol, Joe Satriani said he was broke and got home and there was a preapproved credit card waiting for him. He ran it to the limit (with no job) to get studio time. With a little help from Guitar Player, the rest was history.
Sure anyone can go skiing on the world’s highest peaks. One person can zoom through with flying colors, and the other could end up in the hospital.
Personally, I agree with you Derek, I don’t believe in going into debt. It may have worked for Branson, but what additional behind the scenes info do we not know about? How many others have tried the same formula and failed?
I guess I’m more of an ocean person.
Derek i think there are so many multiple ways in which we can provide our life with sginificance...i recommend Viktor Frankl's book "Man's Search For Meaning"
Great article. I think the answer is that success comes in different ways for everyone. Branson thrived in high pressure desperate situations but not everyone does. Ideally we will all find unique motivators that launch us into successful careers!
I recently finished reading "Playing for Keeps" by David Halberstam, which examines Michael Jordan's impact on basketball, business, and culture. One fascinating aspect of Jordan's personality was that he was ultra-competitive to the point that he *had* to win at everything (not just basketball), and would not give up until he did.
Jordan's overwhelming desire to win meant he constantly created very difficult challenges for himself, so he could compete against someone or something.
Maybe it's the same for Branson.
What we perceive as self-created desperation is simply Branson's challenge to himself, because the loftier the goal the bigger the reward. And he lives for that reward.
Of course, not everyone is wired this way which is why self-created desperation isn't a universal formula for success.
My feelings is that desperation is the ultimate drive to pop the comfort bubble, we all tend to get stuck in. I think desperation is such a negative word when one uses it in a positive way. Desperation when harnessed leads to the most amazing innovations. Plus desperation will drive anyone to push past the point of failure, and ultimately to success. "Greatest success has always came just one step beyond the point where defeat has over taken."(Napolean Hill)
There is always a flip side to desperation which drives people to be unethical and immoral. So my drawn out answer is, it depends.
Funny you should ask. I was just feeling some desperation about my career myself. I like to look at the natural world around me for help with these kinds of questions. Was the natural world created with desperation? Our place as a species in the natural world is desperate but I feel the answers to THAT question lie in a very large part within the musicians of the world. Will we continue our desperate search for appreciation and personal success or will we recognize the nuclear power of the music that naturally flows through us and unites people? Once we grok that innate power there is no telling where it will take us. Maybe places an airline could never go.
Caution is advised because history is always written by the winners. If the outcome were different, we would be asking, Richard who? In fact, only about 1 in 7 new products are still in the market 3 years after launch. Richard was very lucky.
There is a psychological disorder call Bipolar - Type II which most successful entrepreneurs suffer from. It is a form of bipolar disorder where the person is "up" more than 98% of the time. It is also the reason many successful people commit suicide. The downs are that bad. That not withstanding, Richard fits this disorder to a tee. He is up all the time. Taking risks is part of the disorder.
My point is that he is a successful entrepreneur who is lucky as hell. Role model? I don't think so.
Great article.
I think that it dependes on the person's mental structure.
In my case, I work better under presure. I´ve just sold everything and moved to another country trying to grow as an artist and person, so this article makes me feel that I´ve done the right thing.
thanks a lot!
Options are great if you have them or if you have the patience to wait for them to develop. For me, despearte is never good. I always hear a little voice (my instincts) whispering to me if I'm making a desperate decision. I prefer your lifestyle...not spending more than you make and saving most of your income. Easier said than done if you're already in over your head in debt. This is where patience, courage and faith in yourself as an artist kicks in.
Gwen Laster
A little desperation is a great generator of creativity. Of course having some semblance of a plan and being committed your goals is also helpful.
If failure is a result of the pursuit, wisdom will CERTAINLY be gained from it . . . if we have the capability to assess what we did well and what we screwed up.
Adrenaline. Hmmmm....it's a natural drug made by your body. It keeps you in a hyper aware state, raises your blood pressure and is usually created by drama if you are not an athlete. Richard Branson is amazing in that he has lived his life that way in many areas. It is entrepreneur's like him that create such exciting and wonderful things. It makes anything seem possible! Not sure I am that kind of person either Derek. For me..the crash from the adrenaline is too horrid! LOL
desperate risk-taking
Take risks and you'll probably be put in situations you have to scramble in. Even then you shouldn't "lose your mind", i.e. go desperate.
...okay they trimmed my characters.
s/b "desperate does not equal risk-taking"
The point that I saw in all of these transitions was that he became focused on something when it was about to flop. FOCUS that was the key.
This is not an easy issue, there are too many variables in every day situations and in the people. The biggest is timing. Many people took risks at the beggining of this great recession that normally would have been ok but not this time and almost all went under. In most conditions persistence will win, you just have to keep pushing until you get a break. History is the biggest teacher. Most species evolved to a higher level under stress full times that taught them to do something different in order to survive. The speicies that didn't make it were the ones who didn't have or accept many challenges and therefore when times, earth changes,got hard they didn't know what to do and died out or didn't evolve to a higher level. If we don't have hard pushers in our species,Homo Sapiens, we will die out like the rest of the Homonids did in our species evolution tree. So for each of us on a personal level we have to find what motivates us and just do it. Just like you did in the beginning of CD Baby, Derek.
if you, an inspired fellow, that was able to pull the great success that was CDBaby doesn't know the answer, how can all the others us, down here, have a better understanding? Desperation is the opposite of Motivation. It is what a zebra feels when chased by a Lion (which is the Motivated one)
Pushing or pulling; both work to move any object.
The answer is "yes" if you win, "no" if you lose.
I do it cyclically; be aggressive with the money I made being conservative, then be conservative again. You take note of what worked and what didn't in your last binge, then you end up building a "stairway" of better-informed moves based on data gathered and lessons learned.
Desperation is just fear. When one understands the source of fear.....well, I hear that is the beggining of all knowledge. They say the desperate do desperate things....Da!!! " They said I shot a man named grey and took his wife to Italy. She inherited million bucks, and when she died it came to me. I can't help it if I'm lucky."" Bob Dylan
What is the answer?
Well it is a loaded one. Is he really that successful in the first place? Or always borrowing [maybe his yellow teeth is a sign?] just keeping ahead. Is he a visionary? [If so, why is he so dated looking...please the late 80's are over].
What is succuss?
LIVING IN OUR OWN SKIN [PEELING BACK THE LAYERS]
By Miles Patrick Yohnke
© 2009 All Rights Reserved.
"Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and
reveals it by hiding" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
The poster boy. This is whom I have been for most of my life with respect to
the issues I'm about to address. Most humans are really just sleep walking through their lives. Society tells us that if we have this car, we are somehow better than another. That if we live in this type of home we are somehow better than another. If we have this type of clothes, again, we are somehow better. But the real story is that the woman or man is doing all this to be liked. I just bought this car. Do you like me now? I just bought this house. Do you like me now? I just bought this Hugo Boss suit, this outfit. Do you like me now? If we really think about it, we just want to be liked. From the executive to the janitor we just want to be liked. We are all struggling! It makes one ask questions of who they like and why they like them. It should be the person inside. That something about them. It's not what their assets are, rather their asset is who they are.
Each of us, every person, has a wonderful story in them. Truly. We are all
children of God. At times we just need to stop, reflect, and perhaps quit
running from ourselves. It's interesting so many people are trying to find
God. Many get involved in a religion only to jump to another. In alot of
cases they are not looking for God at all. Many are joining nothing
dis-similar than a gym or a club per say. They just want to be around people that perhaps have a similiar interest. Or mostly just to feel like they belong. Most of our lives it is just that. We just want to belong! To be liked, needed, or be loved! We just need to be truly honest with ourselves and question our purpose in each thing we do. That God is in each of us, not
something to go searching for, but searching within ourselves. And in that
lies the answer. Each of us holds a beautiful story only to be told. We are
all capable of the most beautiful things.
The mind is a very powerful organ. Albert Einstein stated that we only use
10% of the brain. I was a young child when I read that. I thought it was a
typo or just me and my dealing with my learning disorder. But I never forgot
it and now years later, I understand. Most people don't want to think. Thomas Edison wrote: "Five percent of the people think, 10 percent of the people think they think, and the other 85 percent would rather die than think."
We are conditioned in ways from media/society not to think. We are banged
and banged over the head from ads and media to be this and that and not to
think. Mother Teresa once said: "One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody." We need to stop and take ownership of our lives. To realize and accept that happiness isn't in possessions. In us lies the happiness. When we realize this one has another type of life. A calm, a peace, a joy. A life that we never thought was possible.
Widely recognized and award-nominated engineer, producer, writer, poet and
founder and C.E.O. of 5 Star Productions, Miles Patrick Yohnke brings many
years of experience to the music industry; including many awards in sales
and marketing. If you are looking at developing your career, Yohnke offers
consulting in person, by phone or via email. For more info, please contact
him directly at: 306.227.6379 or email at: miles@5-starproductions.com.
Once upon a time there was an amazing little record label in the UK called Virgin Records. For a few years in the early 1970s, they put out some of the most imaginative and unusual records of the time, by artists who have since become legends of progressive art-rock: Robert Wyatt, Faust, Henry Cow, Gong, Tangerine Dream, Hatfield & the North, Slapp Happy, and others. Every release that they came out on that label was worth buying. At some point, the owner, Richard Branson, realized or decided that it was more important to make money than to make available great music. Phil Collins? Give me a break. Now Virgin is no different than any other major label. Though Branson doesn't own the business any longer, he made it what it is today: a boring, mainstream major label whose driving motivation is to ride the most profitable trends in pop music and keep putting out crap. What a waste.
I really don't care anymore.
Sometimes desperation is thrust upon you...I've seen both sides of this fence. I've lived comfortably in a good career, and, I've lost everything due to an illness. The thing in each case that keeps you going is "Will".
Richard Branson had the will to do the things he wanted to do. He wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in his way. That is the quality that desperate people and safe people can share. Both sets of people won't let things get in their way, but some people need extrinsic motivation. Which is interesting because according to Dan Pink and science - http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html - extrinsic motivators only make accomplishing our goals harder.
Critical difference: Branson was using his financial situation to create deadlines, which I do NOT believe is a healthy thing. Your approach to living - financially speaking - is MUCH better.
So how do you get anything done? Like you said in a previous post: set a deadline.
As a teacher, I know NOTHING would ever get done if I never said when the project is due. I don't think we ever grow out of that completely (I haven't! I have to set deadlines to GRADE all those projects!)
I hope I'm not too "realistic" but this reminds me of the millionaires who explain that they became millionaires because they worked their butt off, held 3 jobs, etc.
The problem - I know hundreds of people who also held 2-3 jobs, etc., but somehow never made it.
The same goes here - I know plenty of desperate people who took loans after loans and, even though they also had some great ideas, lost everything. I'm afraid there is another factor, something I wish I could figure out but can't.
Karma? Right place at the right time? Who knows? Paul McCartney said that if the Beatles came along 10 years before or after (when they did) they probably wouldn't have made it so big.
Also, the greatest musical mind of all time (in my humble opinion) J.S. Bach was practically unknown until Mendelsohn discovered his music. The bottom line is - do you feel alive while you're doing what you're doing?
I'm with Sue on this one:
"Sue (2009-09-10) #
I would guess that for every one Richard Branson, there are probably thousands of people who have tried to same tactic with very different results."
For every one Richard Branson who combined ambition with desperation and made some good luck out of it, how many failed as hugely as he succeeded? The problem is we will never know, but his story is seductive and likely limited to certain sets of circumstances.
I have always had a distaste for the attitude that suggests that only people who work super hard and take big risks win, because the flip side suggests that if you're a victim of circumstance that it's your own fault and you didn't try hard enough or want it bad enough. It's pretty flawed thinking actually to apply one person's story to your own.
Richard has the 'Midas touch’; there is no doubt about that! In other words, he has a talent for recognizing opportunities that he will be able to develop. MOST people do not have this ability and will not be able to develop this either. One thing that particularly impresses me about Sir Richard is his apparent detachment from the trappings of his success. He has his family and his drive. It does not matter that he already has more money than he can spend, I do not think that he has any plan to 'retire'! His money MAY be just a bi-product of his doing 'work' that he loves doing!
I think Desperate on the inside spiritual level is a different subject than in the financial.
I believe that within the finite world of business, desperate can be a positive motivator as long as we realize that it is in now way threatening our spiritual self worth.
There are many things I have yet to understand. Beyond understand how this desperation worked for Richard, I do know this.
We all have a path and Richard listened to his and succeeded in what he needed to do.
In the end, is financial wealth what it's all about, maybe not for all of us.
Ask an alpha arctic wolf what he made financially last year and he'll stare at you and not understand you at all. Then he'll wait until he's desperate enough to eat you and then he will.
Perhaps it's not about being desperate or not, perhaps it's all about listening to your personal path and following it whether you find it easy or hard.
Human beings only have two motivators: pain and pleasure. Either we're either moving away from pain, or toward pleasure.
Both motivations work. Circumstances can determine that one works better than the other. But each of us has a default setting, the option that works best for us, personally. Ignore it at your peril.
When I move away from pain, I end up focused on the pain, and amplify it. I get lost. I get stupid.
When I move toward pleasure, I'm calm, coherent, sharp.
Here's the thing: either way, I'm at my best when I'm desperate.
I am desperate to earn enough money to own a nice home.
I am desperate to move to Ireland and enjoy the weather, the people, the adventure.
I am desperate to record and release the four albums of music I've written.
The dictionary definition of 'desperate' answers 'no' to the title question—'desperate' means 'in despair, without hope.' Nobody can succeed if they're without hope.
Ignoring the dictionary: if 'desperate' has to mean 'running from pain' then it's a case-by-case answer. It can work. It doesn't always.
But if 'desperate' can mean 'having a burning desire' then that gate can swing either way and still be open.
Is it any wonder that the roots of both "desperation" and "despair" are the same? I believe that one generally gets back what one puts out. Put out desperation and one might be prone to generate more despair. True, it works for Branson, but if I get to the desperate stage, I seem to only perpetuate anxiety.
Give me planning and proactivity any day!
Its always interesting to question the question in 'think tank' moments. So, is it his desperation resulting in his success?
Obviously he is invigorated, not defeated, by a challenge. And again and again turns difficulty into opportunity. A zest for problem solving is seen here.
Is it his drive and intense focus? His clear ideas, his passion?
Is it his unflagging persistence and insistence, an unswerving determination that he will reach his goal?
Is it the deadline the situations give him?
All of these are at least as noticeable as desperation in the examples you give.
While his personality may give him elevated tolerance for high risk and/or he may be an extreme sports business type, that doesnt help those of us not suited to that.
So what in his story does add to my life?
Willingness to take risk can be very useful, often necessary. It is important to know that for success it is always supported and balanced by other qualities your examples expose:
clarity (say that twice), inspired ideas, passion, persistence, applied and growing skills, unflagging focus and determination, unwillingness to let discouragement rule one's action, creative problem solving, inspired action, a high sense of fun in the fray and fracas of it all.
High risk personality may be a type beyond our nature. The other qualities are a mix we can shake up in ourselves for a potent success quotient.
My experience is that desperation chases people away. Maybe Branson was able to be desperate and confidante at the same time. Or maybe it's the magic of having a deadline - if I have a deadline I get the work done, so I give myself deadlines - plan the concert when I'm close enough to being done that just do the writing in time.
I've written some of my best lyrics on the way to the studio to record them.
Life is risk. If we wait until we can "afford" to get married, we'll never get married. If we wait until we can "afford" to have a baby, we'll never have babies. Sometimes you simply have to trust your gut instincts. It also helps to lay out a good business plan, too. I have no doubt that Branson's bankers saw some type of business plan along with the "sweet talk" that made them feel that he was an acceptable risk.
I'm not particularly comfortable knowing that I'm in debt, but I refuse to let the concept of being in debt scare me. These last few years have been AWFUL financially, but because we established good credit habits, we've had the credit to be able to survive the worst of the downturn. Business being slow actually gave us the time necessary to create some projects that will continue to bring in money and boost our income even after things return to pre-downturn levels. Yes, we had to go deeper into debt to achieve these, but sometimes you just have to hold your nose and take a plunge. We considered this less of a gamble than doing nothing.
Great story. Think of it the other way around: if nobody had any desperation, passion or drive. No deadlines, no debt and no motivation to change things. Would anything ever get done?
Without pressure and responsibility, where would we (business people) be?
Don't bet the farm on it. Talk to the people who made their movies on multiple credit cards. Not a good idea. Write for your own satisfaction. Promote as well as you can, work hard, and keep writing.
Good essay!
So-called "desperation" does kick in a survival instinct, which tends to bypass certain over-analyzing tendencies of a brain that has leisure, thus making more instinctual, "right" decisions. The survival part of us is watching out, and when the going gets tough it is given the upper hand, utilizing all its intuition, tapping into the universal subconscious into infinity cosmic intelligence.
In other words, sheer hunger and survival make for great motivators, and for a direct line to the great unencumbered intuition.
In yet other words: Yes, Derek, it does help to be desperate. How many trust fund-babies do we know that have risen to greatness just on the accord of vanity, not necessity?
Necessity is the mother of invention. And of sound decisions. Pun intended.
Boris
Richard's biggest risk was probably the first time...after that he knew he may have thought he could make things happen.
I do think that when something "unfavorable" happens, it forces us to go into a new place where we "wouldn't choose to be". And from that undesirable place, we can look around at all the opportunities, that would not be available to us, because we would never "choose" to be there.
I've always wondered this myself. I like you am frugal,live way under my means, save most of my income,but still spend money on things I feel are important, like recording my music, putting it out into the world and seeing what happens.(and travel)... Maybe I should experiment more? We'll see...
This is a nice story but he had money or access to it.Maybe he didn't have money but he knew someone that did or enjoyed the confidence of being close to money. Also, for every story like this which has a good ending there are many that crashed and burned.I'm not sure the desperation part is what made him successful as much as his ability to surf the moment and situation and improvise on all of it. I do agree that sometimes out of sheer desperation some people are at there best but on the other hand when someone has desperation written all over there face its not a good sign.Most good ideas drive themselves and that advice came from you and I agree.I preach that sometimes you have to go out on a limb to make it, but, desperation is the last act of survival and maybe should be left to just that.For me life is like surfing a wave, constantly changing and improvising from moment to moment and sometimes in that last moment when everything seems like it won't work I pull out of it in sheer desperation.
Great article! We see people take chances and fail all the time, as it takes incredible strength of mind to keep pushing when everything looks hopeless. It's not a game of chance with Branson. He is just brilliant at taking CALCULATED RISKS with great vision and doing everything in his power to make it happen. Doesn't hurt either that he has a great personality and gut instincts!
Desperate or not it seems that Branson always had a clear vision of what he wanted and had faith that things would work out. I think it is more about that than the desperation itself
What Branson does is continually fan the fires of his own discontent. You seem to feed your contented state with whatever you do.
Both are successful strategies so long as you both find the goal you are seeking, and that is joy in your pursuits.
Maybe people thrive on different types of desperation. For me, money desperation would make me stressed, not motivated. Other types of desperation - like the fear of ending up doing something I don't want to do - can push me to new heights. You should find out what makes you desperate (in a good way - the way that makes you work harder) and use it... just like Richard did.
For him, it was money.
For you, it's probably not.
intutivness,confidence,Insight,desperateness paid off, for Brandon.
Of course who you know helps. And he knew the right ones to approach.
Some of my greatest and best ideas have come to me when i have been under pressure and my back is against the wall.I have always fought being mentally confined to a box, this allows me to see past the norm and have a optimistic out look on life and the way that things are and what they can be.Having vision allows you to see around corners wich in turn keeps you walking towards new destinations with every idea that you bring into existence. searching is breathing, to me when you stop searching you stop breathing. Never be afraid to search.
Andre' Mcdonald / Dre'Rock
Margurite Mcdonald Music Inc.
I feel that we should never be desperate we should wait to see what happens because if u wait then the right project, person will come along. The project that you were working on to get out there might have not been in the right hands to begin with! It's all in God's timing anyway!!!
Feeling desperate is a horrible feeling but it can be inspiring. When I lived in San Francisco w/o papers, I cleaned houses for two years in order to support myself to become a features journalist. When I felt lazy about sitting down and writing a pitch proposal, I only had to remember scrubbing on my hands and knees the all-white kitchen floor of the Bad German, or removing hair balls from the plug of the Human Hairball's tub or wiping the grease off the kitchen walls (that would be all FOUR walls) of the Fat Sprayers, to spring in one smooth move from bed to desk chair. There's an example of making it work fo you!
Also a good aid to relations fleeting and marital. But sweating is a major turnoff
I think it depends on the person. Some people thrive in extreme stress, their most creative moments come out of conflict.
Desperation, if you don't allow yourself to be absorbed in the issue (which in itself can be a challenge), can be the foundation of inspiration.
When you're cornered in a situation, you are forced to reflect on how you got there and what you need to do to fix things.
When you're drowning in sorrow or despair, the pain forces you to take a deeper look into yourself and perhaps even admit fault.
Desperation is good - as long as it doesn't become a lifestyle.
Being desperate can teach valuable lessons and bring almost immediate change and immediate results, either good or bad.
In otherwards, don't go rob a bank lol. The immediate result could be very negative and have painful results that last a lifetime!
imagine if hed been a little more sensible how crazy rich hed' be
just goes to show ya no pain no gain in anythng and that goes triple for songwriters and bands
think ill call my band virgin..... well maybe not
Now I'm a singer, I sometimes miss journalism, but I NEVER miss cleaning other people's houses!
Some people like living on the edge of their seat and it apparently thrust the Richard Branson to reach higher heights and some people prefer to live comfortably and not take any risks. I say do what's best for you. That has always been my motto. I will leave you with this "Life is a risk."
Define "help". If you mean do desperate people have a competitive edge over comfy people, the answer is definitely YES. Do they lead better lives? The answer would have to be subjective, because the core values are so different. I know pickers back up in the hills who are hundreds of times more talented than some of the "bright new stars" being trotted out constantly. But their values are different - they look at music as a pleasant hobby, something to do between crops. They are comfy, and look on a career in music as speculation. Does this mean their music will never be heard? Pretty much yes. Do they care much? Not really.
An interesting question. I would never advocate putting yourself into a situation where you might be desperate. It's better to learn from the pain of others when you can. However, desperation will take you places and teach you things you never would have learned otherwise.
I would have to say that most people will do stupid things and bury themselves in desperation, but there is always the diamond in the rough that can prove something to go a different way.
My strong believe in life is that there is NO ABSOLUTE, so, if we have a clear notion about anything being a certain way, an absolute way to success, well, there is always someone out there that has failed in that way, or succeeded in a completely different way then you could ever imagine. So, we go on and on and do what is best for us. So, Derek, you do what is best for you and what makes you happy and that inspires many other people all over the world, including myself, so, you are doing is ABSOLUTELY YOU WAY, which is different then 6.5 billion other options in the world!!
With love and gratitude!
Daniel
A certain amount of desperation can lead to creativity - but too much and you will not get anything done...
great book on this: "Just Enough Anxiety" by Robert Rosen
Sometimes you have to face fate at the 11th hour for all decisions to be clear.
I think there's a two-way street here, just like anywhere else. It takes boldness and 'jumping off a cliff' and being willing to risk it all to make anything big. I think that's true. But for every Virgin Records/Virgin Airlines success story, there are dozens of people who did the same thing and failed - but of course you never hear about them because they disappeared. I don't think it's necessarily desparation but more an inner belief in self that rises above nay-sayers and any possibility of failure. That is rare.
If you're afraid of falling on the ice, don't play hockey.
Desperation, like any tool, has its use, but must be used appropriately. What is the task at hand? What is the purpose of the task within a broader perspective? You don't use a hammer to drive a screw (though it can be done, but you would then have to call it a fancy nail).
Desperation, itself, is a call to feel the conditions and needs of those that you strive to serve. You then come to a point where the call to action is determined by whether desperation is either catalyst -- knowing the desperation of others and the willingness to quickly act to remedy -- or a governor of caution.
When a pilot is approaching the sonic barrier, his plane is shaking and rattling. The survival instinct is to back off, but, in order to break through, you absolutely have to step on the accelerator. Therein lies the next paradigm.
I think this comes down to the age-old debate on rationalism versus empiricism. I don't think there's a "fix-all" motive for success, whether it be desperation or comfort, but rather, I think one's experiences and understanding of what works for you should guide each person individually. For Richard Branson, desperation seemed to drive him to take on challenging feats, and he seemed to subconsciously understand that the more challenging the task, the more he would thrive. However, for Derek Sivers, he may realize that playing it smart will bring him success.
As the saying goes, to each his own. Desperation or comfortability may not be the motives you need to be successful; it may be something else as well. Know how you work best, and know yourself well. If you can master yourself, I think you'll be successful at how you do, whatever you do.
It just depends on what you have to lose. If you don't own anything; who cares if you go bankrupt? But if you have a comfortable life with substantial assets, it is stupid to borrow yourself into the poor house on a long shot.
I would use hungry rather than desperate. But that alone is not enough. To have sustained success you need a centered emotionally stabile personally and idea, product or song that is popular. The centered emotionally stabile personally helps prevent the dumb things. Big results require leverage. The loans Branson took out were the economic leverage. Artists use managers, agents, labels, promoters, and others to leverage their careers.
I love this post...so nice that it doesnt portend to know what the answer is , a nice tone of humility....SO...To me the fact that you wrote about someone you consider a business success is ironic.
I believe the biz model you (Derek)created some years ago is eons more signifcant than what some narcissistic high roller dreamed up. In fact i am always telling my friends about the magnitude of what you accomplished. I grew up around FUGAZI, a band that gets way too much cred for their entirely self-serving DIY Punk ethos. What you did was create an effective tool all musicians could profit from.
As far as risk is concerned...I am against going into personal non-collateralized debt. When a person takes a mortgage out , the bank owns their home until the debt is paid so thats fine. Credit card debt is not the same thing as that at all. Even college loans are a bad idea in my opinion. I can and have taken many financial risks that are huge gambles BUT DONT CAUSE ME TO GO INTO DEBT.
Thinking that because a few people got lucky we will too if we take bigger risks; not only assumes we know everything they did when they took THEIR risk, but often drives people to assume they are somehow holding back if they dont insure there is a substantial income for maintaining their most important asset, THEMSELVES.
Die in Debt!
I believe the key is not desperation, but commitment. The decision to whole-heartedly commit to something, leaving yourself no backup plan.
I love this passage by W. H. Murray in The Scottish Himalaya Expedition about commitment.
'But when I said that nothing had been done I erred in one important matter. We had definitely committed ourselves and were halfway out of our ruts. We had put down our passage money--booked a sailing to Bombay. This may sound too simple, but is great in consequence. Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!'
http://www.goethesociety.org/pages/quotescom.html
Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Fortune favors the bold!
It is all about personal outlook. What are (YOU) comfortable with. I have had it both ways. It is my personal preference to be frugal, cautious, and relaxed life is truly short.
EZL
Some people work best under pressure. I think if it hadn't been for dumb luck we'd be using him as an example of what not to do.
Out of desperation, if you have a good attitude about it, can make you more creative. Creating not only songs but opportunities for yourself.
Most artists start out desperate and hungry, thats why those albums/music are as great as they are and after being comfortable your mind doesnt go to those desperate places searching for ways to get out of it. Writing a song about how deeply the desperation is making you go while branching off on other subjects that the general public will identify with.
We live in desperate times and people are coming up with some cool business opportunities because of it. WE WILL SURVIVE Graciously !!!!!!
Branson sounds like a manic to me. A very lucky manic. I don't think the way he does things would work for anybody else. Keep being frugal and not spending more than you earn and if you want to imitate Branson, imitate the things he does that aren't crazy, like always hiring talented people and giving them decent budgets to work with.
Hi Derek:
I'm like you, but I've seen that many of us don't push enough and we don't do the big things if we don't feel the gun in the head.
I live a frugal easy lifestyle, but sometimes I feel too much comfortable, many of the best things have come in those "gun in the head" moments, because if you don't make it then it's over, so you make it and there's no complains, no time to rest and no other option than to do the great things no matter what. You do the things as is failure is not an option, that unleash a lot of passion and power that never arise in other situations.
It's not only the thrill of the hunt, it's that many times the fear to do those great things that always whisper in the ear is so big that we don't dare if there's no "do or die" situation. At least that's how I see it in me.
Just my two cents, recently discovered your web and now I'm a big fan. Forgive my english, not my mother language.
Regards.
Isaac
Perhaps the key is in controlling those feelings of desperation and not allowing them to push you in to a desperate course of action. Desperation CAN be a very motivating thing and it can really cause you to focus and prioritize what is important and what is not. For example, financial desperation can help you to see that the shiny new car in the driveway is not nearly as important as your career, so we sell the car, fund our next recording project and have no regrets. I think it can help us separate the
wheat from the chaff.
On the one hand, shrouds are not lined with pockets. On the other hand, you don't want to be so stressed, you wear one before you really have to!
If I was Richard Branson, I'd be standing at the Pearly Gates right now, with an empty bottle of Whisky in one hand and a prize for coming first in the World Chocolate Eating Championship in the other!
Everything in moderation is my cocktail for life!
Self confidence plus desperation I think worked for him. It didn't say anything about his fear of people, failure, success, etc., and I so wish I had that self confidence! So I think both together made it work for him. I think he's great.
I dunno. I like your approach better. It's good to be open to using credit to make something great happen, but desperation for the sake of desperation is some sort of illness.
I think Richard Branson is one in a million. I personally wouldn't follow that path. For ever risk there is a price to pay and nine times out of ten the cards are stacked against a person.
Just my opinion.
www.youtube.com/guitarBeeny
I would call this ambitious goal setting...a calculated risk is only as risky as the person who is calculating it...maybe this wasn't risky to him at all? Some people set goals work and TO achieve it and others set goals and work TILL they achieve it...
Desperation can be a very powerful tool when it is used with your other tools like common sense, drive, passion, charisma and luck. You need to have a set goal first in order to start applying all these traits. But the results can be quite amazing when you reach that level and allow all these things to work for you.
But desperation leading to stealing or bad deals? It would be hard to say that someone is smart if they resort to stealing, even if they were successful beforehand. They were probably successful because they were stealing prior to getting caught. As for bad deals, anyone can get trapped into a bad deal. Just bad luck (most likey duped by that desperate person conning you). And finally, a desperate person that is missing those other beneficial character qualities can easily find themselves making a ton of bad deals and decisions that will leave them flat on their face.
Anyway, I am looking forward to hearing how you put all our thoughts together on this interesting subject. I have been hearing a lot of tales about "desperate musicians" being conned by "so-called labels" out of money, thinking that they were getting an interview for a signing only to be told to keep adding friends on MySpace. I am afraid that there will be more and more of these types of scams trying to feed off the indie artist, especially in these 'desperate' times.
Solitoode
Consistency and persistency are most important for success. One does not drown by falling in the water, it is he who rolls over and wets on himself and stays put who drowns, usually in a sea of permanent mediocrity and defeat.
Thanks for sharing Branson's story. It "fires" me up.
Good post. It makes me wonder if it's something about the difference between being desperate for the right things vs. being desperate for the wrong things. That really knowing what it is that's driving the desperation can help clarify whether it's a good desperation or a bad desperation that's the impetus.
It's simple: motivation is motivation. Whether you use an outside source to put pressure on yourself, an inner source, or just plain old "I wanna do this" motivation, it is all the same thing: motivation.
The problem I have with Branson's approach is that he could have done it differently. And his outcome would have been more solid. He created pressure by putting himself in situations he had no current solution for. This pressure created an "opening" in his subconscious for ideas to flow thru. The pressure also gave him drive. Then it became his m.o. - "Cope with a crisis by expanding out of it." Hmmmm....still had to get rid of Vigin records didn't he?
While I'm sure Branson is more than this 'motivational model', I feel that as a philosophy, it is flimsy at best. There are many books on how to get ideas flowing and stay motivated. And if expansion occurs mostly under crisis, then you depend on crisis to expand. Problem solving is a skill and a normal part of business. Expanding out of crisis is only one solution. There are others. His concept may lead to, 1 by 1, each business dying out as another "solution" takes its place.
Derek, I'm sure you've put out a few fires in your day. If you had taken that approach as a philosophy, your success might not have been as solid. Your success was built on an idea and the desire to make it real. His is built on an idea and the attendant crises. Remember, Branson isn't just a CEO, he is a corporate celebrity. And he needs to be one, because his businesses are dangerously aggressive risk wise.
Love what you do and thanks for the space to write....
The image of the guy on the bike captures the true essence of this post. But no one would attempt a dangerous jump while fully knowing that the wheels would come off the bike. And if they would still do it, then why even wear a helmet? There is more than meets the eye to the story, like the "snapshot" angle of the picture taken.
It takes a special person to operate that way.
I think that there has to be some sort of desperate aspect to all truly creative endeavors. I don't necessarily mean it in the sense that Branson means it but it is still a desperation. For me, the feeling comes from knowing that my time in this world is finite and everyday I hear the clock ticking. Knowing that there is a limit keeps me working, trying to get as much into the time given as possible. Some days are more productive than others but there is always that small twinge of the desperate that keeps pushing me.
WOW! too many replies to read at once. You hit a nerve.
My guitar shop resided inside a friend's business, 'till last week. He has taken risks & is now nearly 6 figures in debt & nearly homeless. The facility is closing.
I had to move my conservative (& financially sound) business home.
He is desperate to survive, I am desperate for validation. We are both driven by different things.
I have found taking leaps of faith from potentially lethal heights only makes sense if you are wearing a parachute, or know that last experience will be the best thing you will ever have & your mark on the world will be hosed away a few hours after you're done.
Being really desperate is not likely to make you financially successful. Maybe if you have no inner motivation, then being desperate will drive you to get out there to market your product.
But just getting a 'deal' doesn't necessarily lead to financial success. There is a certain capriciousness about being in the right place at the right time with your product.
But with regard to desperation, there are many people who are quite ready to offer you a bad deal. The proper response to this kind of offer is to walk away. But if you're desperate, you may be more likely to take the bad deal when you shouldn't.
As for being comfortable, Derek, that's the best place to be. Business people can sense when someone is desperate. When you are comfortable, you are more likely to be offered the good deal. You're also more likely to be treated well.
The solution is simple: create your own desperation. go poor. go live somewhere without all the necessities. go to work on a labor job. for a month, 2 months. you don't have to give away your money. just try it.
I've always envied my friends when we were on our early twenties. they went to work on crappy jobs, where pure luck landed me a great job in IT with a great salary. They will have a story to tell on how they started poor and ended up with everything.
but I'm sure Mr. Brenson didn't want this to happen. If you'd asked him he would rather has it record company successful than unsuccessful in all of his business. he didn't thrive on desperation, but on his believe in himself. that's all.
There are levels of desperation...Branson had confidence and experience in borrowing money and somehow staying afloat. As you said confidence comes from knowing you have many options. From a certain perspective, he really wasn't desperate at all.
When I was in the business world, I made my name by taking on impossible projects and making them happen. But I achieved it methodically - worked 18 hours a day - never gave up - but was methodical. I reached a certain point in my life when I wondered when I was gonna do what I was born to do? After I was too old to look good on stage? So I quit my day job and put out my shingle as a musician. I had majored in Piano and voice, but had just taken up the harp and I loved it so much it was all I ever wanted to do forever. I remember I agreed to play for a small gathering of hospice nurses 2 days after I got my harp. It ended up they wanted about an hour of music and I only had one song. It also ended up there were 500 there because they all wanted to hear harp music and see the spirit dancers. My teacher told me I was crazy but we put together a program I could sight read, and as I was sitting there waiting for my turn and wondering how I was gonna pull this off, God spoke! He said "improvise"! So in absolute terror, I started out with some beautiful rolled chords and such, then made a pass at the song which was beautiful but not much like the actual song. So I did some more improvised stuff and made another pass at the tune. This one was better, so feeling more inspired I did some more improvision and nailed the whole arrangement on the last pass. The rest of the time I used the tune as the lead sheet and made my own chords and arrangements. When I was done, a woman came up and said, "Oh, do you have a CD?" I told her that once I learned to play it I would indeed do a CD. That was 10 years ago. I have achieved my goal of earning my living in music. I play and teach and write and consider myself lucky to do what I do. But I have always been willing to take on the difficult or impossible. Learn 2 hours of new music in a month for a special performance. Accompany a jazz group that doesn't even use Western music tradition. Push Irish into new genres. (But mostly I play Irish traditional and get lost in heaven with just me and the angels) It seems I work harder and perform better when there's that little edge of terror in there. But I'm methodical in the way I plan it. I guess I need a method within my panic and then I succeed.
Kathleen Hartshorne
Kharts@san.rr.com
Thanks Derek,
Another great, thought provoking article. I guess the best answer is: It's better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all.
Hahaha, I'm still trying.
Cheers.
I think a healthy amount of desperation serves us and is required to go past our comfort zone. I really wanted to sell CD's at the Warped Tour. We played a small stage with not a lot of exposure, maybe 50 people. My friend suggested to take a bunch of CD's and just walk around and talk to people, let them hear the tracks and if they like it, let 'em buy it. I felt really uncomfortable but it worked It ended up being a lot of fun. Obviously Desperation worked worked for Richard. I believe the key is to be Desperate with Confidence; knowing that you'll get what you want. ;)
Damn...sigh..
I think it does help "certain people" to be desperate. Spending the last dime on a chance in hopes of gaining more in return at some point. It gives them a sense of purpose.
As long as you can see a fat juicy carrot hanging from a string in front of you - you just keep trying to move forward.
Desperation can take years off your life though unless you hit the jackpot. It is one of those things where you have to play the game to win. Keep pulling that lever on the giant slot-machine of life.
I'm not sure why desperation motivates me but it does.
I am boarderline homeless right now. I have stacks of talent but I'm nearly broke or I was and I am disabled.
I was recently hired to do a morning show on the radio in Canada'a far north to retrain me. It was a blast, up at 3am, in a 4am compose 35 news stories, record them, do the noon package and sports and also do a live morning host on air from 6am to noon with voice tracks on the week end. I started in Radio back in the 70's at age 14 and need retraining. I got retrained and then after Government funding ended so did my job. The I was stuck up north. Yiks! Time to get creative. I sculpt large granite statues, paint and of course have all of my own music released at cdbaby because of our good buddy Derek Sivers. I was able to air many cdbaby artists on my show.
So what did I do. I sold a whack of my music equipment and camped and sculpted all the way back to Toronto and then found one of my patrons and asked for a few commissions. It worked and I ate and slept in reasonable comfort. Now I have just been accepted by a New York Art Gallery and a few other prospects and I may just survive and not end up being a street person. I am living in a Christmas float at my patrons ad have a few commissions to keep me eating and perhaps getting enough for an apartment. Winter is coming and it's getting colder at night.
This is one of the most exciting times of my life. I fear nothing and know that God or the power binding our universe has sent me on the mission I am on for a good reason. I've never been so creative and I just started a grass roots program in Memory of Senator Kennedy through President Obama's office. So ironic when I may need help myself. I struggle with my walking but I get by and face any challenge with a smile and positive attitude. Most people cannot tell I am disabled. It's all state of mind. Positive,positive,positive but keep it real.
So if you're reading this and you're a musician and would like to submit a song to our project in Memory of Senator Kennedy know that I am sincere and our compassion to help others is real.
This is the most exciting time of my life. being on the edge keeps me where I need to be creatively. I jump out of bed at 5am every day and can't wait to sculpt stone.
I sculpted 11 1000lb granite statues last week alone.
Derek Sivers and Richard Branson are 2 of my heros. I hope to work on air at Virgin some day soon. I am a very energetic radio Broadcaster. We're only as good as our last show, song, work of Art..you know what I mean. Give it all, all the time, every time. Live on the edge and your work will be so alive, or so it seems to be.
johndavidhart@live.ca
Cheers to you all
Just did an interview for Music Business Radio with a guy named Dan Miller. He's a "career coach" and author of several books on the subject of business and career change.
He told me he likes to see people who want a career change able to make money with the new career BEFORE quitting their own old. Mentioned working with somebody who had a FOUR YEAR plan.
That's too long for me...
I always say, "You can't steal second without leaving first" and brought this up. I believe in setting the ships on fire...
He didn't disagree with me and said that is fine for people who are younger, don't have a family, etc.
In the end, I think motivation depends on the person. People are either motivated by moving toward something or moving away from something else. If the "toward" motivation is there in a big way, you don't need to do something like Branson did. If not, it might work for you.
Bottom line from my perspective is that you've got to take some risks. Nobody got rich or successful by playing things safe. Derek, you may not have gone into debt or something similar, but you certainly took risks and played big.
Desperation...oftentimes i've found myself paralyzed by too many options.
When faced with 'do or die' scenarios, literal or figurative, the 'do' becomes the only, simple, option. There is no more vascillating, and the choices are clear.
Why this clarity shows itself only at these moments is a mystery to me, tho I know it is real and i so look forward to clear signs and the choices that follow. Rarely, if ever, am I disappointed in the results of these choices...and remember, success is in the act, not the result... : )
Both risk-averse and risk-friendly approaches can work. It depends what works for you.
Warren Buffett has a very different approach to Branson: only go big with a big margin of safety.
Branson may be more colorful, but Buffett is a lot richer.
I guess it all boils down to what is the main motive in all this? as for myself I've learned the hard way to look before I leap.
Reff:
Matthew 11:28
I wrestle with this all the time. I always come out of despairing times saying to myself, "Well wasn't that crazy."
Despair and stress create a kind of "high" that is fairly unparalleled. Despair drugs us. I know so many people who are high on despair. They wear stress like a badge of honor.
I think this article pairs nicely with your Vonnegut article, since the concept basically stems from the same source: a person's need for drama, to live from emotion to emotion. Despair is an emotion that makes us "feel" something. Good or bad, we are feeling something, and that "high" gives us a sense of false empowerment over our situation. We feel control by feeling out of control, and action takes place.
I don't know that there's any right or wrong about this tendency. It just is. But I guess I can honestly say that I have never made sound decisions that have benefited me or the greater good when I was in a place of despair. Usually, despair just breeds more emotions to get high off, including anger and other destructive feelings.
What the article doesn't say is how much stress was caused to Richard Branson's family and friends as he made desperate decisions. It would be interesting to know the other outcomes of his tactic, besides just the "successful" ones.
I guess if one wants to run his/her business affairs on adrenaline then desperation might be a good source of fuel. I'd prefer to use a less stressful method. It sounds to me like our friend Richard, though obviously very smart, was a high stakes gambler who, in addition to being very shrewd, got very, very lucky. I would be willing to bet that he would be the first one to tell you so. Great article, as usual!
despreation-is not haveing no money
i have a album i want to proudce and i have no money untill i get some money it will have to wate.
or untill some gives me some wich will not happen it will have to wate when i have to scrape up money pay my rent thats unless you derek will give me some money?
no i didnt think so,
thanks for the stuff you been send me thank you.
I wonder if Mr.Branson himself stated being desperate or is this your impression?
It's quite interesting how people tend to stick to a certain aspect of a discussion, depending on the direction of the spin you gave to the ball when you tossed it in.
I don't think desperation itself being the point here, because this is an area where things tend to get fuzzy quite easily. And, without meaning to offend anyone, people seem to prefer to get their minds on fuzzy stuff than rather stay with the facts. Maybe this is because we prefer to believe that the solution is "out there" rather than "right here"--but this is a topic for itself.
What can be clearly stated that by acting like this over and over again, Branson was able to develop a system that worked for him ("system" being used in the sense of M.E.Gerber using it). And, from a business point of view, without even considering any psychological aspects, he acted not as risky as it seems. With a running venture, he was able to start another one, simply because the cash flow seemed to be at least ok, otherwise (in no time in history, I reckon) the bank -any bank!- wouldn't have lent him any money.
So of course he started his new venture in debt, and as unreasonable it may seem to you and me, banks are not interested in whether your old stuff is paid off, but if the machine (being your old stuff) is making money. And as long as it does, they will not refuse to lend you some more, because obviously you know what you're doing. And they also know that the majority of their clients is not out of debt! That's how banks make their money. And bigger loans mean longer enduring relationships, meaning more profit for the bank (presuming, of course, the client doesn't go bust).
So once this thing is running, it's plain to see that (at least theoretically) you can start even bigger ventures each time, when (and only then) the (accumulated) momentum of your previous ventures (again, cash flow) is high enough.
Besides, Mr. Branson also knew when to quit (I haven't read the book, so I don't know if it's in there). When he thought it made no sense having his record store (he saw no future market for selling records anymore), he sold it, and the store went bust just one year after that (at least that's what I've been told be a man who used to buy in this shop).
So he got out lucky, and looking at photographs of him, he never seems to be even close to desperate. Even less in the recent years.
All in all, I think he was and still is a man who has a high entrepreneurial spirit, and in addition no fear to face risks that others would rather avoid.
But since being an entrepreneur does not depend on your attraction to risk alone, this is not the point to be marked up as crucial for success.
Derek, if desperation worked for you I believe you would have found out by now. There'd be some clue in your past experiences to lead you to hooking up with that feeling and driving it further. Stick with what makes you tick.
I think your confusion might stem from a conflict in how you define "success".
If you define success purely in terms of money / status / power, then the answer is even more stark than Richard Branson's example. It becomes not only that going into debt, or being pushed by "desperation" is an appropriate technique of becoming successful, but indeed that ANYTHING is appropriate so long as you make money / gain status / achieve power.
However, if you define success in terms of how happy and at peace with yourself you are, things might begin to look a little different.
In my case, I've been in debt, it makes me feel miserable. I would not be happy or at peace with myself if I had achieved monetary success by going into debt first.
I actually don't define success as a process that could make me feel miserable - even if it made me plenty of money. Perhaps this similar to how you feel?
And in fact, who knows? Perhaps if Richard Branson HADN'T gone into debt all those times, and instead found another, less stressful way to achieve what he wanted, he'd have given himself a greater peace of mind, and clearer vision, and have been even MORE successful now?
Irregardless, I choose to define success as an inward thing, not externalise it. My success comes from how I feel about myself and about life. As it stands, I have noticed that the more I choose my own inner truth as my focus in terms of my "success", the closer I seem to be drawn to what looks like the success of someone who externalises it! Money / status / power etc. This is entirely incidental - but an interesting paradox...
The diference lies in the management.
Desperation is a natural response of the body's demand for a fulfilment of a need when there's little or no resource available. One is desperate because he is in need of something with a limited resource to meet that need. One is desperate because there's a need that demands fulfilment from an unidentified, unknown or unavailable resource.
Desperation is an energy that can destroy or build. As an energy, it needs to be harness, channelled or contained.
This is where management comes. This energy when positively channelled, births ambition, fuels motivation and desire and encourages creativity all of which can help change lives for good.
But when negatively channelled, it invites fear, it impeds clarity of thoughts, hampers creativity and self worth, encourages isolationism with far-reaching consequences, all of which can bring destruction upon the life of an individual.
Desperation as a feeling (?), to be a state of mind, greatly depends upon the way the victim perceives the situation. His perceptions will define the means to meet his needs.
But NOBODY is desperate because his dreams are too big or small, attainable or not. However, he could be one depending upon how he perceives the resource to meet his need. The Bible gives a help here in managing desparation when it says that God can meet and shall meet all of our needs according to his riches in glory via Christ Jesus (Philippians 4v19). What an unlimited source upon which to rely.
On the premise of despeartion management, I am convinced that Richard Branson scored so high and soared so high.
I did this three times going for broke and pushing it to the ledge. It only doesn't work when you really endanger people around you and/or family while you seem reckless to them buy you're just pushing it to make things happen. I put everything on the line, moved to Portland, recorded an album play all over the NW and Saturday Market Main Stage 4 times - all on a go nuts fervor to play my songs for the folk crowd. It worked. Now I'm comfortably back in the country in Virginia where I started 10 years later but even without performing much I still make residual income off my downloads and plays and was recently on http://www.wmra.org Acoustic Cafe as a featured local artist. I went for it! and it's STILL paying off and I got to accomplish my dreams! I say GO FOR IT as long as you don't wreck everyone else around you as you do it!
Desparation is mother of invention and hustle but also makes girls run away and invites bad negotiating when other sides sees your tipped hand and weakness when you could have just bluffed it.
I think that I work better in desperate situations. I feel that my productivity goes down the drain when things are going smoothly.
In fact, all of my entrepreneurial ideas - not that they have generated anything yet but I'm hopping they would at some point ;) - have come as a direct result of some sort of economical or personal distress.
i like the feeling of falling behind to get ahead. for me it creates challange and stretches my limits. knowing what i owe, drives me to surpass that debt. and being the "always wanting" person that i am, i'm always seeking out the next want.
it's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be!
Branson is inspirational. I would advise a balance. Or you could 'create' desperation by starting a project under a separate company, and push it to the limit, taking all out risk. That way you protect your other businesses, while enjoying a rough ride on the other side.
There's a strange but very addictive adrenalin from skating along the edge of the catastrophe curve. The "desperation" itself is euphoric. But...for each of those who rise and soar from it, there are many more who plunge.
I admit I get hooked on the feeling, though seriously--after forty years of catastrophe surfing I'm a little weary. And not rich, though reasonably well off!
As far as I can tell, what separates those who rise, even out of total disaster, and those who fall, to be crushed by hopeless desperation, is a choice to be there, and a vision of why they're there, even if they're not totally certain of where they're trying to get to or where they'll end up.
But I wouldn't wish living in interesting times on anybody. It needs to be their free choice.
I've always been a risk taker. I totally "get" Richard Branson's decisions and his thought process. And I can be desperate about things that I'm passionate about...and I too always thought that was a BAD thing. But when you really think about it, if you're the kind of person who does well under pressure, then being desperate to get yourself out of a hole can work for you. This is a real eye opener for me. Thanks for that Derek!
If you want to hit home runs, you have to swing for the fences, but you also need to get used to striking out a lot. Richard Branson's batting average is much higher than most people's.
People who are driven to accomplish something fulfill their visions in a manner that's consistent with their individual personality. Desperation is not a business model, but all driven people are not immersed in business culture. The drive counts for more than the technique. I guess. Maybe.
I never liked attending big New Year's parties, because most people look so sad and desperate, get too drunk and some even try to kiss you with their teeth..
Then I had a New Years dinner party and only invited close friends (and a few "at loose ends"stragglers) for a pot luck dinner. Didn't it turn out grand! It was the best food, drink and conversation I'd had all year!
So one ever knows really, what's around the corner. Hell you might as well go broke trying, rather than sit at home alone and crying..(excuse me while I run home to finish writing that song).
If I really wanna get something done, I focus on the feeling of "enoughness." That is, I always have exactly what I need at all times - enough material stuff, and enough resources within and around me to accomplish whatever project has caught my attention.
Works like a charm for me. My voice feels super relaxed, and I seem to get lots of "lucky breaks" when I'm tooling along in unrushed "enoughness" mode.
2 1/2 years ago when I was laid off from my job and offered another one in the same industry... I kindly declined and took the opportunity to take on my career in music full time.
Since then... I've lived off the desperation and approach that "I can't afford to not gig." 2 years ago when I quit my job, I took on almost 60 thousand in loans and debt to further my career. Today through gigging and working hard... I'm down to 36k or so.
How do I do it? I don't know really. But reading this blog made me realize it's probably the desperation as Branson lived through...
Granted it doesn't work for everyone... To me it's like a fun game with myself. If I fail... I lose it all. So I work hard each day to not lose it... As long as I have my saxophone, a suit or two... I'll find a way to stay afloat.
Thanks for the article Derek
I don't like the pressure of business and I do know first hand
how hard it can be on you and the
people you love. No matter what kind of business it is.
When my husband came home for World
war two.. he bought a Pool Room and made enough money to buy a grocery store. I couldn't understand because he was making so much money in the pool room. He told me people always had to eat. It was a charge and deliver store. We worked hard and paid for
that store then he opened the first
cash and carry grocery store here with
three check outs. Business was great. We paid for that store ..By
that time I was really tired of
stores ...
He also bought a restaurant and I
had to work there as well as in the
food store. I never got any rest.
During that time he also bought a large farm and raised
cattle and chickens. I wouldn't even keep the books for that business.
I know it sound impossible but at that time I would stay up nights
writing songs. I never lost my desire to write music and somehow
found the time despite my schedule.
Then he decided to build
a big super market. He did and for a year we almost died we had to
work so long and every day. I couldn't understand why we needed so much money... We had no children and we both were worn out.
I talked him into selling the businesses and from that time on we
had a ball going places and having fun. We had never done that before. It was wonderful. We didn't have anything to prove and we were very happy. No business and no worry. It was heaven on earth. I've always been so glad we had that time together.
I am a firm believer that
MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING.
Hi Derek,
Great post. I don't really see the examples as acts of desperation so much as determination.
I think what is important is that he always seems to have followed his intuition rather than standard logic.
Extraordinary action leads to extraordinary outcomes, so I guess the lesson here is that Branson's approach is what may be necessary for to create results of the magnitude that he has.
It's a great reminder of the virtue of following your passion through whatever the outcome could be.
I've been quoting you lately Derek,"stay in over your head." Fight or flight is our most basic instinct...when you fight (risk) you grow, when you run (to safety, being comfortable) you don't.
Derek, there are times when you have to take a chance, and times when you should keep your checkbook in your pocket. You're a smart guy - I mean, look what you did with CDBaby !! IMHO, people who don't take a chance once in while to make theirdreams come true aren't living - they're just existing !!!
At one point I was desperate for my first record to be heard.
Having no money to pay for promotion,
I seriously considered running out naked on the 405 freeway at rush hour, and painting
''BEWARE THE WEAPON! on my body!
I figured I would be arrested . . . and be seen by millions, on the 5 o'clock news for free!
I kinda' wish I would have done it! . . . Maybe I still will?
L A M M Y aka Mr. True
IZ DESPERATION JUST GREEDYNESS IN DISGUIZE? OR HAZ THE MAN ACTUALLY WORKED HIZ FINGERZ TO THE BONE AND CAN NEVER COME OUT AHEAD. DOEZ IT SEEM THAT LOVE NEVER FINDZ US? WHAT ARE WE AZ INDIVIDUALZ DESPERATE FOR/ NOW 180 THAT AND AZ A HUMAN RACE? DOEZ DESPERATION HELP? DEPENDZ ON THE SUBJECT, INDIVIDUAL, TIME AND ERA! IZ IT CLOUDIN YOUR THOUGHTZ OR IZ IT OPENIN YOUR EYEZ! IF IT GETZ IN THE WAY BOX IT UP AND SEAL IT WTH A ROLL OF DUCT TAPE, DONT MAKE IT A HABIT, USE IT WHEN NECESSARY!!!
It's also worth noting that people with ADD (both adults and children) who don't take Ritalin for it will often use desperation, such as the panic of nearly-missed deadlines, to make themselves focus. It has to be real panic, not contrived, to override the ADD.
If it's badly managed, such people usually get a reputation for procrastination and unreliability. When it's well managed, it can be as effective as medication. For people with a normal attention span, it's unlikely to improve their focus at all.
The term desperate has such a negative connotation to it; I think "drive" or "desire" are better words. Being driven to succeed, the desire to continually improve on and top the next creation or endeavor; this can come from a desire to fill a huge void in your heart with successful accomplishments, or a desire to fulfill a purpose of living.
When I was at Berklee, one of my teachers said..who here would be happy just playing music in your closet and leaving it at that. Many raised their hands saying they only made art for themselves...but then why were they there to work on their craft and build careers; for most I don't believe that to be true that they just want to create in a closet and never show the world.
There is a drive to present great things, improve the world with ideas, reach accomplishment and encourage others to do the same = inspiration, development of the species. And so often that comes from a place of needing to prove something, needing to make a contribution. Show me one artist that does not want to prove something, does not want to share their work with the world, who does not want recognition, and to be an inspiration for others to do the same. Is this desperate?
I don't see Richard as desperate, but see him as driven to achieve and continually create new opportunity; being willing to risk it all. Now this is inspiring; but you don't have to take these risks with money, you can take them with putting your ideas to the test, you can take them by being the one that speaks your mind and puts plans into action that could potentially lead to criticisim, jealousy, or hatred coming in. So many are equally loved and hated; ie our American Presidents..so just doing is a risk in and of itself =)
From Iowa to Los Angeles...By nature, I'm also frugal and somewhat conservative. We seem to be talking about not being afraid to "ask for the sale" or walking right up to that line with fans, debtors etc. and still pushing for what you want ala Richard Virgin Records. Is that desperation?? I don't really think so and I've spent enough time in music and sales to be considered a pest sometimes I suppose. The real question is how long can you live a quality life pushing that "desperate" life/mindset? And is it your true nature to do so? I imagine we all have our own level of tolerance for this music biz slot machine...
I'm only motivated out of desperation. I am a full time (working) musician. I'm a modestly successful but only got to this point because I up and quit a very safe day job I had for years. The desperate need for income made me violently passionate about my craft, sink or swim!! When I get comfortable, I get lazy. lol
I'm not positive if it was desperation more than making the best out of a bad situation under pressure through focus. Desperation is a negative emotion. Some people tend to focus much more under pressure while others crumble. For those who focus, out of that desperation comes a heightened sense of ambition. This man obviously new what he was doing. Key point, HE HAD A PLAN AND WAS NOT RUNNING BLIND. The pressure he was under gave him the focus he needed to accomplish his goal. So please people don't thrust yourselves in debt but at the same time do not avoid risk. Find a medium and FOCUS!
i.e.(Sun rays keep us warm. Focused with a magnifying glass, they can burn paper and/or set grass on fire. Focused even further sun rays become lasers capable of cutting through steel.)
Some people only switch to overdrive when absolutely forced to. On overdrive everybody performs their best. But intentionally bringing things to a 'do-or-die' situation makes no sense to me.
It's chaos theory. Anything can happen at any given time.It's quantum mechanics in action.
It is extremely important to distinguish desperation.
You can be desperate and work as hard as it is humanly possible. But do not rush into things.
It is healthy to have a motivation, an inspiration, fuel...
It is almost suicide to make decisions on rush, not allowing time for the proper investigation and/or learning curve.
For example:
Desperation should motivate you to stay up all night writing a new song, recording your music, sending submissions, driving the tour van, working over-time to afford x and y...
But you should not pay for anything, sign any deal, hire any service, accept any offer...
You probably got my point.
And I learned it the hard way.
Thanks Derek, you rock!
Desperation:
Ages 0-28; very effective
Ages 29-35;resolving
Ages 36-45; exhausting
Ages 46-up; sucks
I think you have to know your own limitations. If you know you have a history of poor spending habits, not paying off bills, getting ambitious and then giving up when the going gets rough - then I don't think this is the type of approach one should take. But if you have the drive to do it, (and possibly someone keeping you accountable at the same time) then it's obviously possible, as many have proven.
Great post, Derek! A pleasure as always.
Derek,
Both you guys are correct, in a way. It is not about desperation. It is about having a vision then having the guts to take the risks to make it happen. I stuck my neck out there maybe too many times But it won me Four World Kickboxing titles, wrote four books, starred in and directed a movie, and a TV show. And what got me into music two years ago. Now my 3rd album is coming out, I can play the guitar in fact prefer the 12 string and the mandolin. It's all about seeing something you can sink your heart and soul into and then doing whatever it takes to make it happen.
Which is why I received two new guitars today, a Takamine and a HD 28 Martin. BUT DON'T TELL MY WIFE, I MAXED THE CREDIT CARD!
Thank you Derek for having the vison and the guts to make CD Baby. So guys like me have an outlet.
Forever in your debt,
Blackhawk
You have equated financial debt with risk. There's no such thing as debtor's prison in the US or UK, so you could argue that our financial debts are not very risky at all.
What's risky is ignoring your passion. That's a debt of time and when you run out of time, there is no more. There's nothing uglier than the desperation of a mid-life crisis. Do it now. Take your kids along. No excuses.
Richard Branson's financial desperation seems to be very honorable: to make good on his debts, create businesses that successfully serve people, and be a winner. I see his desperation to realize his dreams as very low-risk. He's used his "time capital" wisely.
you have to determine how much risk you are comfortable with. and you have to be honest with your self. if your freaking out when your a week late with the electric bill, then you don't have the stomach for the branson lifestyle.
As an actor and musician I have always been advised against appearing "desperate". Because of this I have probably missed opportunities by trying to seem like I didn't need help. However when I had children everything changed. It was no longer about me but about trying to support my family and I stopped worrying about asking for help. Once when my oldest was 2 and I was about to lose my health insurance from not getting enough acting work, I walked into an Improv class I was teaching to non-pros and said "Hey, anybody got any SAG work for me because I am about to lose my insurance". I never expected anyone to answer and in fact had no idea what any of them did for a living. But then one girl in the class said "Do you ever do voice overs?"....Long story short she hooked me up with a company she was working for as an assistant, they auditioned me over the phone and booked me playing several characters and singing jingles on an animated series which has provided me with a chunk of income every year for 10 years. Had I never let my desperation show and asked for help, she may never have offered. I think of this often now and although I am still fairly uncomfortable asking for help, I think about the fact that I would want to help someone if I could and that other people feel that way too.
...Is it really desperation...or just the thrill of standing on the brink of the cliff, daring the wind to blow you off??
Some people live by their wits and make their luck with hard work on top of the wits...Desperation...or
Determination?...
Hi Derek!
Another thought-provoking article, and I don't mind admitting to being a Branson fan, if for no other reason than he introduced affordable air travel into Australia. This method of self-motivation is the one I use to book gigs for myself......things can get really desperate 'round here if I don't work! cheers, RW.
Hey Derek,
Ran across your site while stumbling and have read some of your blogs and the comments. I am not a musician but am getting alot out of reading the thoughts of your fans. Desperation . . . hmmm . . . it seems like a continuous circle of life . . . doesn't have to be about money or the risks taken financially. We learn these behaviors as a child fighting over who gets the toys in the sandbox. The child with the most ambition ends up with the trucks and the the quiet one is digging with his hands. They both make castles in the sand. "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." —Henry David Thoreau. I am glad to see that you are making a place where musicians and artists alike can post their thoughts and get that desperate song out into the open.
The pic says it all. If you can come back from that.............
Desperate has never got me anywhere, but Impatience? I tend to be go with the flow kinda guy unless I'm wronged. I like to see every one excell.
Branson has the right idea live beyond your means and push to be better then you can be.
Money or debt will motivate you to reach higher for the results to the problem or in Branson case the success.
Take time out of your very busy non rewarding Jobs for YOU and your loved ones.
Money is only a means to an end and will always be there when you really need it.
Look after your health without it you have nothing. Be thankful for your health and family every day when you wake up.
Work should not be your only life ambition. How much material items do you really need? Success stories like Virgin are only a DREAM away.
Write yourself a 10 most important list every day before you start your day. You'll get 10 done and more.
Set real goals and take off bite size pieces to reach the top daily.
Delegate tasks to people around you so it's off your desk or mind for that day.
Use sticky notes always, best invention write it down and it will clear your mind for a restful sleep.
Turn the clock radio away from you so the red numbers do not wake you up when you're dying to know how much more sleep time you have.
Sleep in complete darkness, any light will wake you up.
Ask everyone for referrals, who do you know that would play or like my music.
What do you do to get noticed in a world where there are over 100 or more demo CD's and music kits that come to the doors of record labels daily or in my case to the agents door. Do you send out a professional kit to the right person. Do you follow-up every CD or kit a week later. If not don't send them.
Did you see Coyote Ugly this is the real world for writers and performers. You have to stand out, you have to be better then the last 99 CD's or Demos that came in. Be different, be original, stand out from the crowd. ie Johnny Cash, Elvis, and many others.
Did you ask the person who is the ANR person there that is answering the phone at the record label that you build a relationship with over approx a 6 month term.
Pick the record label you really want and go after a distribution deal first. Pick an affiliate of the record label that is scouting for new talent, don't think Sony is going to sign you as a unknown, you have to drip on them and be patient, Only send finished products that you would hear on the radio and you get good response to, never send anything out if you did not ask for permission, they will always have you send it in personal the package will get to the person and the secretary will not open it and shelve it for someone in the office who wants to take a CD home to have for personal, remember you are one of thousands that come in, ask who do I send my stuff to or do you waste your time and send out hoping you are heard.
You have approx 1 verse of the song and an amazing hook line to even have a chance that the label will listen to a whole song.
First impressions the one your getting.
DO NOT send in promo that is photo copies or scans, do not send pictures to record labels ever.
An Opening 2 paragraph intro letter and the Demo song they requested thats it.
They are not print media and until they like your song do not care what you look like.
Record labels are always scouting for the next sellable act.
Even if you get signed they don't hand you the money ,you use it and they want it all back plus more.
You make pennies at first they make the money.
CD Baby pays you what you're worth by the plain fact someone wants your music.
Next, the best suggestion, I work day job in print media, use your warm market first, did you go to your local papers and tell them you have a new CD would they do a story on you in the next edition.
Newspapers thrive on what we get news worthy without chasing for it, that will benefit the Community you live in.
Do you perform shows and carry a clip board and circulate for email addresses that you can invite potential fans out to shows. We have one of our 150 acts that has over 1500 addys from this concept.
They are one of the most high demand bands in this market.
Do you have that die hard fan at every show watching. Why not ask them if they would like to be your fan club president and sell CD's and T shirts etc. Every dedicated fan wants to be part of you.
You have CD Baby at your finger tips with all the music knowledge you'll ever need. Do you use it. Do you have a link off your site or your agents site to CD Baby. Do you sign up for their amazing digital distribution. One of the best things i've ever seen set up in my 24 years of the Music Business by Derek.
Do you have ads out at local music stores asking for people who want instrument lessons from one of your members in return for help to roadie your shows.
People want to feel wanted.
These are just a few things our entertainers do to make themselves stand out. There are many more. Feel free to go over to my site and snoop around.
I sell an amazing Band Kit of my whole music business in one binder that will save you so much time of what not to do.
You only live once if you can pay your immediate bills to survive then you are capable of having a DREAM.
Dream big and go for it NEVER Lose sight of your dream and never listen to someone who says you can't have or do something.
Envelope yourself with positive people and distance yourself from all negative and you will succeed.Have a very successful, motivatonal life.
Cheers GM Paterson Manager Cathy
The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all.
I think it really depends on the situation. Yes, we read and hear the facts but we never really know what’s going on within anyone to go to (and what some may consider) extreme lengths. Ever see the movie “Mad Money?” If not, Diane Keaton along with Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes basically steal from the federal bank they work at in order to better their lives. It all begins with master mind Keaton getting a job because her husband hasn’t worked for over year since he was laid off and are about to lose their house. Now what would you do if you worked in a federal bank…and the money you see gets destroyed? Yep, that’s right the money is destroyed…not saved to make new money.
I can see the point being made: risking it all to have it all or playing it safe to keep it all?
All I can say is it really depends on the situation and going with your gut…but just be ready if there are consequences or setbacks and don’t think there won’t be any because then you’re simply being foolish.
Thanks for sharing this article Derek and the Message behind it...namely, If you Truly Believe in Yourself, let nothing stop you and you can Reach your goal.
Jimmy
I suspect that a question like this requires an immediate answer so that one does not get caught up in mental masturbation. Simply, this does not motivate me nor am I interested in the idea that one must create desperate situations in order to act courageously.
I remember reading about Charlie Parker being all drugged up the night he recorded for Capitol Records and then hearing the recording the next day, shocked that he could have played so badly and at the same time, pleading with the record company not to release it which, of course Capitol did and thousands of musicians were imitating his mistakes around the country.
Well,
i think desperation is good for desperados. It's OK for them (or people like me) to get the final kick to do ambitious things, even if there's a big chance to fail. But: failure is no catastrophe as long as you're the only one who has to pay for it.
And: patience is good for patients... ;-)
I always. ALWAYS make bad decisions when I'm desperate. That said, my decisions are none too good when I'm not. See you at the CMJ Music Marathon!
Hi Derek,
I have Richards book,and i know a little about him.Richard thrives in the fast lane and makes equally fast decisions but, always takes legal advice before he acts because, if it's the wrong advice and he fails, he'll have somebody to sue.So,i guess it's recklessness
with caution.
Pete
Business had been very bad lately so, with 23 cents in my pocket, a blinking low-fuel light and no bank account or credit card, I quit my job to do something else. Within a few years, I was making six figures annually. Necessity was the mother of invention.
Thank you very much Derek for this post! Feels like you wrote it for me: only yesterday I got 3 tough datelines to meet... Paying a lot of money I don't have the resources for, finding another place to live and get all the legal papers for my son who just moved to another country - I have to solve all this within just a couple of days. Sure I am DESPERATE
So it was great to read your lines and have a look at how things have worked for me in similar situations and how others deal with such challenges.
Very much depends on the individual. Some people like to have it cool, calm, orderly, and that works very well for them, they accumulate great wealth, have a lot of people around them who love and respect them, they radiate safety and stability, etc.
Others need these challenges when more things happen randomly, they do things others consider crazy, too adventurous, etc.
No-one can say which one is right or wrong, it is right for THAT person, if he feels fine with it.
But there ARE situations when even the calm and orderly would step out and accomplish way above his capacities: known phenomenon that in emergency situations one can do the most impossible things for his own and for his loved ones survival.
The difference between using desperate things for good and bad things lies in the person's own judgment, ethics level and such, and how is it regarded by the moral codes of the society he is living in.
For me, both being calm & orderly and being desperate might work, but rather the latter: in certain matters I like to have an orderly progress (hard to keep it though...), in others, and this is the majority, I tend to be desperate: when I see something that is worth to take a risk, but I don't see yet how can I make it, I still say HELL YEAH!!!
Or calmly, quietly say to myself: Well, that's the way I want it, and it will go that way...
Stressy? Sometimes, yes. Sometimes I do feel stressed by the task. Earlier times I could feel awefully overwhelmed. But I got to learn through the years that with the attitude of "I make it go right, no matters what", if the thing I am aiming for is indeed the greatest good for me and for all the persons involved in the situation (can be myself, my family, friends and other groups I belong to, like my nation etc, and in certain cases that includes even the few billion other guys living on this planet, for we are all connected here in some ways), so if my purpose is really good, I WILL pull the solutions to me.
My secret is to keep up my purpose, continuously envision the thing I want, taking it easy, not enforcing it, but keep my spirit up, and this helps to arrange the material world in the way I want it: money flows toward me from places I wouldn't expect, some solution pops up just in the very last minute, etc (talking about legal solutions). And of course, many times it also requires that I DO a lot of things: call or write to people, run around to the authorities, etc.
So today I am less and less stressed about even the toughest money dateline. Take it more as a GAME, instead. You know, like a football or any game: it has purposes, barriers and freedoms. If you have a great purpose, be sure you'll run into great barriers as well - but you'll also have a great freedom to choose between things.
The beauty of the whole thing is that if one has the POWER OF CHOICE to decide and do things he wants to, THEN he can take responsibility for them and push them through in one way or the other. And that gives one FREEDOM which feels awesome
Thanks for reading my long essay
ps: already got another place...
actually i truly believe that desperation will only bring forth that which you are trying to avoid faster into your life and after reading richard's (lol writing it this way makes it sound like we are friends haaa haaa perhaps later down the track) biography i don't believe he was ever that desperate he had a hunger and ultimately believed that the future would take care of itself if he focused on what he wanted to accomplish, take advantage of appropriate (ie exciting, interesting) bopportunities and followed his intuition.
all desperation tends to close you down and all you can think about is the problem/s which leads to the inevitable "what if" senarios, rather than going with the challenge staying open and receptive to new solutions and associated opportunities.
stepping up to the mark and taking on challenges will only be successful if you believe that the outcome will always be in your favor. Sometimes this will fail but you will always learn something that you can take on to your new venture, if you approach something with desperation you will fail and chances are you wont learn anything positive to take forward.
trying to find a solution with a desperate mind is a bit like trying to fill a bucket with water using a closed fist.
The trouble with this sort of thing is that survivor-ship bias sets in. If 100,000 people are reckless and get deep in debt, barely making each crisis the 99,996 people that fail and crack up we don't see. They just disappear. But the 4 that make it we see over and over in media glorification. (I like Richard)
Your model of live within your means is a much better one, though I think you fail badly at realizing the strengths of exponential opportunity potential much of which is exclusive to you. From your position you should be richer than Branson with no risk and quite easily. But maybe you don't want that so then it wouldn't matter.
I think that sometimes you reach a point of no return. Things are that bad and you're goin' down anyway - so you might as well go down in style. That's the time when people take big risks.
For example Branson happened to sign Phil Collins and Human League. If he'd signed 2 failures that might just have been the end of him?
On the other hand, Branson might just have turned 2 'failures' (in other peoples hands) into 2 successes in his! Interesting article Derek
Are you able to be fully present with your back to the wall? No point living just for results, so the answer hinges on your response to pressure. If it's all anxiety and panic, no point to that at all. If the direst impending doom doesn't mess with your equilibrium then sure, live out loud.
We are all here to do different things - find what your thing is and do that.
Goethe
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
The answer is:
There is no unique answer, look at Steve Pavlina
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2009/09/a-fixed-income-is-a-sucker-bet/
He tells you should spend as you want, don't care.
Nobody except you should tell you what to do.
Great article. Thanks for the link. I hadn't looked at his blog in a while. I love the way he thinks. -- Derek
Derek,
Greetings from Rome, Italy!
Thanks for the idea behind this post. Love the picture (hoping it's not you!)
Bold & daring action has the greatest (or worst) results.
Each one of us is wired in a different manner, however. For some, desperation is what puts the rear in gear. For others it's careful planning WITH attitude. (I personally prefer the latter).
What I mean is that you can't plan everything - on a CD recording and much more in a billion-dollar business venture. Things are bound to go... differently than planned.
If they go wrong, you must have a discerning attitude in order to realize what's actually happening and ensure that you don't go wrong with them.
It's never too late to revise a good action plan - all the more so when you see there's a need for it.
Ciao!
Christian
Desperation is often a call to action for the benefit of us and those we care about. Who tries harder to find a job, a man who just won the lottery or a man about to lose everything he has ever worked for?
I once spotted a cute little kitten, who I was able to sneak up on and capture. But soon I discovered that when desperate, he had the ability to transform into something wildly ferocious. In a split-second this timid-looking fur-ball became "King of the Jungle." My desperation to quit feeling the pain of having my arms slashed to pieces caused me to let go of him.
I think it depends who you are trying to motivate and how -- if it is just you, then I think it is OK to gamble to turn up the pressure.
If you're a gambler.
But then again, who reads the story about the guy who gambled and lost.
I think there are far more failures than successes with desperation. It comes down to what works for you. However, it will likely be out of your comfort zone. And that's where we have to live.
Desperation is the result of Risk. I think the founder of Virgin records was willing to take risks that resulted in him taking desperate measures in the future when those risk's and their responsibilities came to fruition. He is a classic gambler. I suppose he was one of just a few gamblers that had enough success in his past to validate his gambling and continue his risk taking.
I came across a quote years ago that I committed to memory because I thought it was very poignant to the life of the artist.
Wish I could remember the source.
" The persuit of comfort murders the passion of the soul, then walks, grinning to the funeral."
Doing anything outside of the box requires taking risk. Fear is nothing more than part of the game you learn to live with. The trick is to manage to stay in the game. Sooner or later, if you believe in your ideas and practice good business skills, something is bound to pay off.
Interesting. I think this all depends of what your goal in life is...
In the end, I believe that when you do something you should do it for yourself. Also, the process of doing is far more important than the actual results.
That's Kahlil Gibran, Kathryn! What an amazing quote. Powerful image.
Just googled him. Did I mean, Khalil Gibran? . Misplaced the h.
I think you are wise to pay your bills and save your money.
I don't embrace desperation, even if it seems to be working for someone else.
what it does seem Branson has going for him, though, is filtering down and deciding what it is he wants, and making it a big goal, that requires all of his effort and brilliance to succeed in accomplishing.
clarity--knowing what it is you want--is a good thing. it can be very exciting, once you know what it is you want, to try to figure out how to get there.
once you figure out what it might take, the real adrenaline rush comes with trying to put your ideas in action, and make your bedroom wonderings a reality, lol!
and if you should actually succeed, it's pretty mind-blowing.
it is no little thing, finding something *worth* giving all your intelligence, all your energy, all your effort for.
so rather than seeking desperation, I would instead seek to identify what I truly *care about*, what I truly *want* out of life.
maybe you should run for the Senate. we need some honest, smart, successful, lucre-despising wealthy people in office! (just sayin')
maybe you should invest in people, and help some of them, to a certain extent, so their dreams succeed. kind of like an off-site incubator. it'd be tricky, though...
it'll take some drilling down, some "centering down," some tuning out the noise and crying bustle of the world, but the answer is there, deep inside. good luck!
I picture a frog jumping from lily pad to lily pad narrowly avoiding its demise. This guy is a talented creator/escape artists. When he jumps he seems to know the general idea of where he wants to land, it just takes some additional leaps and zigzags to get there. Seems to me this guy knows how to finish a race even after the wheels come off, he is determined to keep going.
I think it just comes down to personality. What motivates different kinds of people. Some poeple need one kind of motivation, others a different kind. Different strokes for different folks! (whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis?)
I'd rather be poor and at peace within myself, then rich an deperate.
if u r good under pressure, under fire its a go, if u r that big guy in the band who cannot handle even a few folks looking at him onstage so that he begins to snarl and bite those around him in the band, then you r fired..... rc pirate
Desperation equals fear.
Fear triggers the flight or fight reaction.
The flight or fight reaction increases adrenalin: the ability to move faster than the body's norm.
Putting it mildly: desperation creates a sense of urgency. Any person feeling a sense of urgency is going to accomplish a lot more in the same amount of time as they would have without the sense of urgency.
I'm not going to read all these posts because I'm working on a deadline: I'll be dead someday.
Your approach is better Derek.
Being desperate can be very motivating, but you don't need to go out looking for it. Business will throw plenty of those your way.
Taking such big risks makes Branson's success look more like luck.
I'd say it's different for everyone. Some people procrastinate without their backs against the wall. For them, this approach may work. If you have a natural drive and create a sense of urgency without actually having the gun pointed at your head, I think you are better off.
A dude like Branson seems like he's all over the place, so he needs to have the risk of losing everything to give him focus. That's just my guess.
Richard Branson has a high tolerance for pain and risk.If that serves you then welcome.For every 1 Richard there are hundreds of other people who have stories with not a happy ending.If you are a visionary and innovator you are used to taking risks.it just depends on the size of the risk you are willing to take.
He was alot younger then.A wonder if he would take the same risk now
I think that the magic here is that high rewards will require high risks. Risk may look differently to each individual set of eyes. But a plan is also required, in addition to action. lastly, perseverance is necessary for when the dark hours approach. I believe that Richard Branson used all of these to achieve his success. This was great reading, and truly inspiring. Thanks Derek!
Hi Derek,
Years ago I was working with Andy Factor "an A&R for Virgin Records," and desperation got the best of me and as a result I was taken off the round table, and was placed at the bottom of the pile and worked my way back up, but by time I did, A signed artist was picked over me. Although the desperation/stress did help me get my band "FUGITIVE" signed on to open for major artists on small the west coast leg of their tours.Plus I created better lyrics and music, But being desperate did hurt me in the long run.
Sometimes a person has to have money to make money. If someone dosen't take changes, they may never know what he/she can achive.
Listen to my songs posted on my Myspace site, I'm feeling desperate again....ha ha ha
Peace
~Mark~
I have found that desperation works for me up to a point. I first discovered that while in high school. I scored highest on test that I took while ill. It's as though there is no room for debate or mistakes, so concentration is pointed under harsh curcumstances.
I also noticed friends of mine that produced their greatest hits while under pressure. Even Casablanca Records was in trouble when along came "Love To Love You Baby".
The question I guess is how concentrated can one be under pressure? If pressure helps one to remain focused then it is a good thing.
I'm not sure being in debt is the only motivator for what I would call "positive desperation"... There are many negative motivators that keep people moving like the devil is on their tail.... debt, fear of failure, reputation, etc... there are also people who are so positively motivated to attain end results that they move forward, not out of desperation, but out of sheer excitement of attaining the goal! This said, I believe that in order to attain any worthwhile goal, risk is necessary. You may have to borrow in order to free yourself from the daily grind of gainful employment in search of a bigger objective... you may have to downsize in order to have fewer distractions... you may have to cut back on time with friends or leisurely activities... (however, I don't recommend compromising time with family - especially if you have kids - go to their events and support their success and well being - it's your responsibility to do so).... anyway, I guess I agree with the concept of living on the edge.... debt is one but not the only example.
a desperate person believes in some thing, he sleeps with it, until it becomes pregnant, he feeds it well for the sake of the baby(his dream)he eats with it,he drinks with it, plays with it until the baby is safely delivered, fully mature.
mediocrity is a premature baby as far as am concern.and it is my most dreaded word. am stuck with a 9-5 job!
i need to break free from it (my present job) with a little desperation. i say little because extremes like Richard Branson style is dangerous. i must let you in economics that higher the risk the higher the returns.
Before you take any step ask yourself (like somebody mentioned above)if you are ready physically and psychologically to take any extreme action. its your battle alone and your a cross which you must carry alone. you cannot lie to yourself.
Proverbs 10 - 4 :''He becometh poor
that dealeth with a slack hand :but
the hand of the diligent maketh rich''
Desperation + genius next idea/persistence = possible success
Desperation + more desperation/bad ideas/lack of persistence = probable failure
Nice bit of bio. I'm with the 'wear the hat that fits crowd'
Be well.
I actually think there is a kind of person that thrives on desperation and without it they haven't got the motivation to get ahead.
Hunger, passion and desire can be seen by some as desperation, but what I do know is that passionate or "desperate' people drive themselves further to experience things most never do - not necessarily all good. Being signed to a record label, for example, is most people's ambition, but getting to that point we've found its not necessarily the ultimate place to want to be. Its all an interesting journey.
I'm 57 years old. Desperation was something I was familar with in my twenties when every act seems like a make or break moment. I don't need that type of stress to motivate any more. Slow and steady, stay focused, roll with the punches and always keep the goal in sight. I'll quote. " Its life, and life only"
Recently I took a cardiac stress test, where you run on a treadmill with sensors attached. I'm an avid backpacker and it really wasn't much effort. The tech then said, "Too easy, huh? I'll make you a deal. I'm going to raise the angle and speed until your heart rate is 140. If you can sustain that for 15 minutes, this appointment is free. But I have to tell you, at your age that's very unlikely."
I ran like I hadn't run in a long time, trying to not let the nurse see me breathing through my mouth, watching the 15 min timer, completely determined. No way I'd give up.
At exactly 14 min in, the tech turned the treadmill off and said, "Actually, I can't really make that deal. But what I needed from you was 15 minutes of your maximum effort and telling a middle-aged man he's too old to do something is the surest way to get that effort. The doctor will be in to see you in a moment."
The point of this story is that whatever it takes to inspire you to make failure not an option, whether it's pride (as it was in my case) or desperation as this topic suggests, you need to make that commitment. That's true of a business, your music career, or your marriage. Whatever it takes!
Why not make that commitment voluntarily at the start rather than wait for life to put you in that position?
I'm usually the most curious one in the room. The day I met Branson, he asked short incisive questions that made me do most of the talking. That's usually my role... listening... he out listened me. Upon leaving, I was informed my $800+ tab had already been paid.
DAMN. Upon reading your take on Branson, "impressed but confused" is a great way to put it!
I think I embody this argument. It kinda reminds me of "to be, or not to be?"
Desperation is the wrong word to describe Branson because most people tie it
to fear. He was never afraid. He knew EXACTLY what he wanted and was
willing to suffer the "consequences" of any action required to get him
closer to his goal. What were the real consequences? That he owed the banks
money? That he went bankrupt? That he had to stay with friends for a while?
To a man like that, those are small prices to pay to follow his dreams.
Think about this, Was his life ever on the line, did he ever do anything
that put anyone else's life in danger or harm the world around him in any
way? Only when you are willing to live with nothing, can you have
everything. I know this because I think the same way he does and so do a lot
of you.
"We don't hear about all the others who took the same approach and had to give their island back, right?"
It's all fun and games until somebody loses an island.
It seems to be all about doing what works. If there were a formula, everyone would be rich. He did what worked for him and that's probably the key to succeeding at most things.
Desperation wakes up the imagination. when your in a dangerous situation you dig deep. Do are die. This is true excitement for a business man. There is confidence in desperation. Every man should follow his own path and one mans food is anothers poison. Do what works for you. Our karma is not all the same.
There is "live" desperation and there is the sense of desperation.
I'm just desperately short of time.
But desperation in a sense of starving artists craving fame is what music agencies thrive on. Basically they sell a product that does not yet exist and may not exist for the majority of seekers.
Scotch Mist
I don't embrace need desperation! but I have found success in crunch time. Decide now because the time is up! There is no failure only results. Action is required to produce an outcome, adjustment might be required to reach your goal
It sounds like an addiction to gambling that's fueling his desperation.
In this post, Derek raises an interesting point about setting-up the context
that you operate from on your way to finding success for yourself. I'm not sure (after reading the post) if desperation is the word for Branson's style of forging ahead. I'm more inclined to use the word commitment. His level of commitment to his projects is extraordinary. Playing as if his life depends on it.
http://neilstalnaker007-brainchow.blogspot.com/
In my case, desperation was a gift. I think a lot of this depends on where the desperation takes you... what brought it on. In my case, it was the way I was living-a self-destructive life style. Not until the pain of living outweighed the fear of trying something different was I desperate enough to try something new. That's when I found the answer to everything I had been looking for.
As far as desperation in monetary issues, I think in Branson's case, a lot of luck came into play also. But you have to spend money to make money, as the saying goes. But it's true, the greater risk-most often-the greater the payout. Living frugally and maintaining some since of security is just as important to others as taking risks and building millions. For some, there is no $ on a peace of mind.
Quite simply, desperation is not courage, bravery, or having the temprament to go after your dreams. Is Richard 1st born?
This is a guy who gets in a balloon and tries to circle the earth. Is that an act of "desperation" or going balls out after a dream?
And, if you happen to encounter a thunderstorm or hurricane along the way, you go balls out for daylight... the next dream...
Well.. At the risk of sounding too philosophical,
Desperation is a matter of PERSPECTIVE..
About the time I think I may be desperate, something happens to change that..
For me, the key is i WANT to do it or i don't ... Whether I'm desperate or not doesn't really matter
Derek,
Ever read the history of Walt Disney? If not, highly suggested:
http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?productID=BK_RAND_000966&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Disney was always on the verge of bankruptcy, having cars repossessed, etc. He was always “all-in.” Those that gamble big, win big, or go bankrupt trying. I love risk, and large ambitious projects. I really admire people who can put it all on the line for a chance to change the world.
I'm just going to go ahead and be "that guy". This to me looks like a God thing. From my understanding of God he loves the ambitious and rewards those who step out on faith. Boy did Sir Branson do just that, haha!
I would suggest .... it's all down to the particular karmic (as in "karma") accounts (as in, history, or credit / debit) of the individual in question. And "luck". And "timing". And "patience". So, there are a few ingredients. Richard Branson's story is a good one, and pretty unique. A bunch of spectacular failures before an eventual big success. And yet, he cold probably lose it all too, still. Go figure.......
God only makes you money when you are lying to others (& perhaps to yourself). Examples: Falwell, Robertson, Limbaugh
God or karma or Darwin or something will punish you and your party if you listen to these ignorant blowhards. Risk taking is riduculous if you don't have the talent to back it up.
Talent increases your risk/success ratio.
Good strategy increases your risk/success ratio. Simply trying to be lucky is ignorant.
You may feel desperate at times and still be successful, but courage, brains and heart is what gets you down the road to OZ.
Intentionally putting yourself in a desperate situation is stupid. Have a heart to help point yourself in the right direction, use your brains to maximize your risk/success ratio, and have the courage to go balls out for it. If you unfortunately find yourself in an UNPLANNED DESPERATE situation, then emulate Branson and Disney and use your heart, brains and courage to dream your way out...
Fortune favours the brave, though it is probably for the best if you don't have to be put in a desperate situation first. Though I always take for granted everything will be o.k no matter how big a leap I take. So maybe desperation is a mind set? When I start to panic I just take a look around me and remember that as a muso it isn't hard to get free red wine. (just kidding) I look around and feel lucky. And yes I may watch the Wizard of OZ but thats my perogative.
You way of life is better. What use is it so always put yourself into great debt just to accumulate things?
Don't get me wrong, I strive for my efforts to win me a million downloads, or 500,000 CD sales, but in the end I am content to have good friends, family and a good book by my side. A simple life is best enjoyed while being rich, which all rich people seem to fail at.
OK, then there are the Vikings. It is said that they burned their ships when arriving on new lands to conquer. Their reasoning was that if they wanted to live, they would have to win.
Failure is never an option.
It's one thing to be a beserk Viking and another to be Richard Branson or Walt Disney. There are better strategists than Vikings.
Failure is not only always possible, it is inevitable. Unless you redefine death as victory? Keep on playing those ming games... forever
I think there is a lot to be said for not having a saftey net do or die approach... Certainly it can make you more creative but the most important thing to remember is to remain calm throughout because only when you are peaceful from within can any worthwhile ventures be successful. Bad decisions are born out of anxieties that cloud good judgement
(I hope I take my own advice here as I'm on the brink now).
Remaining open and positive in your outlook will always win in the long run (short term apparent failures are actually important tools that can guide you to the decisions that you need to be making)
Sometimes we keep on trying to keep that safety net as the priority above our main goal. Why on earth would we expect our goal to emerge?? The safety net is set for use as this is where the attention is focussed.
Try focussing prior attention on the goal by being brave and remaining calm while doing so. Your creativity always gets you out of tight spaces and will eventually bring you exactly what you focus on. YOU MAY EVEN EXEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS!
it depends how you want to live your life...if you really want to live or be comfortable...
what kind of life do you want?
how do you want to express yourself?
do you want to leave another legacy? or, live quietly?
as part of what i do i have worked with death the dying...
no one every remembers how much money they had, or how much security or their investments.
what they do remember is their experiences, the chances they took, the relationships they had...
Nice article, i think many people freak out in a pressure situation, but other people enjoy pressure, and even like the feeling of living at the edge of responsabilities, i think is something mental, self confidence and determination.
so pressure is there for everyone, but just a few understand that if you want to be succesful, you will need to handle pressure better
I always have killed myself with moderation. I was almost homeless - not quite. I was almost addicted to lots of things, but not quite. And I have been almost successful, but not quite.
Things that make you go - Hmmmm.
Ha, that's an interesting one. I think being a desperate person is a real turn off for people especially if trying to make friends or expand networks. However, I can see that it does make you achieve things that you wouldn't necessarily try if you're sitting comfortably. I'm amazed at what I've achieved by myself in the past few years through "desperation". I say it's a definite yes...but try not to look too desperate while you're doing it. Ha!
Comfort is a state of mind, and means many things to different people, as does desperation, some are desperate for the next meal, others are desperate for that pair of red shoes. desperation can also be a guise for hope. so when we write the next song, are we comforted by the fact that some will like it, are we desperate that some will like it, or do we hope that some will like it?
I think Branson is a star, albeit a lucky one!
Desperation ought to be a last resort, in my opinion. Branson came out ahead, but he took a lot of risks and could have ruined a lot of people besides himself if he hadn't gotten lucky. It's kind of like the ancient king that sailed to a country he was at war with and burned his soldier's ships when they arrived. He forced them to fight to win. So if desperation works, great...just don't let it affect anyone else if you can help it.
I totally disagree with the idea of advocating desperation as a form of motivation. Desperation is associated with adrenalin, fight flight response and I guess, as primal as it gets it has its function. My work is about Nature based spirituality. Too much desperation in a persons life leads them to behave without compassion, without consideration for the long term. Desperate acts lack the options of wise acts. Sorry, but the example of Branson is not really desperation. I'd say its creative genius bought about by intensity. I work guiding entrepreneurs and too many have tried to take their own life because of desperate circumstances. It's far healthier to induce intensity - not make or break desperation. But thanks for having the courage to put it out here for debate.
Chris
My response to that would be, no. Especially for a musical artist. Frankly, in the music business, club owners, managers, and agents are always willing to take a chance on a strong front, rather than on an act that appears to be weak in foundation. In music business dealings, it seems that a desperate participant is always easy to recognize. That person has very little, or, no negotiating power at all. However, I believe that other factors may play a part in negotiating success, such as, appearance, gift of gab, connections, and so on.
My point here is that, generally, it doesn't help to be desperate in the music business.
Some people perform better when their back is against the wall... We really never know what we are capable of doing... or exactly how we will react in certain situations until we are in CRUNCH TIME... I learned that I will either Go Extra Hard or I will just Totally Give Up... Those are the extremes... I like to play smart, and I tend to go against the odds... Maybe some of us are built like that.. LOL... But hey... I look forward to the benefits..
"Everyday above ground is a very successful day". That's my belief.
It's not good for anyones heart to be that desperate. Unless one wants to be "the richest person in the graveyard".Finally that's what it is.
The whole desperation thing for me, only works when I write my goals down and absolutely dedicate the vast majority of my time to accomplishing it. For example I was in charge of the final production stages of 2 album that had to be released within 1 month. The albums had to be finished in 2 weeks to allow time for pressing of each. I zoned out for those 2 weeks and made it my life. I ended up completing this mixing, mastering, artwork, scheduling organizing a local show, and merchandise that included 4 different designs. All for these 2 artists. My goal was completed, I received both orders of albums pressed approximately 4 hours before the Album Release Show.