This is an article I initially published in February of 2007, and I want to republish it now because it’s so timely.

“Karaoke Lessons”

Life imitates art, so they say.  I think business imitates life as well.  How you show up in your life is how you are also showing up in your business. “How you do anything is how you do everything.”

So what’s karaoke got to do with being a successful small business owner you might ask?  Well….let me share with you the lessons I’ve been learning lately as I’ve just begun doing the singing scene…

I have started hanging out with my friend Andrea Beaulieu, who is an awesome singer.  She’s sung at weddings, churchs, travelled with singing groups, and has taken lessons for at least 15 years.  In my mind she’s a pro at it!  Because Andrea is so ‘overly trained’ she had been having the experience of not enjoying singing.  She used to get up there and was so focused on being technically perfect, that she didn’t have fun.  Now she’s desiring just to express.

Amongst the Elvis impersonators, the drunk lounge lizards, is my fabulous friend, just showing up and singing her heart out.  It’s like she’s finally able to claim her gift by giving herself permission just to do it, and not do it perfectly.

Business lesson – How many times have you thought that you couldn’t roll out your product or service until you were MORE.  More talented, more ready, more coached, more prepared.  The list goes on and on….

Here’s the deal - you are fully cooked!  Just get started. You can always tweak what you have once you roll it out, but don’t let that crazy perfectionistic part hold you back.  One of my marketing coaches used to say, “Done is Good!”  I love that.  Instead of worrying about the perfect offering, just enjoy your business and express fully from that place.  Show up, have fun, and watch the clients come your way.  People resonate with ‘real’ and not your version of ‘it has to be perfect before anyone sees it.’

My story is different than Andrea’s.  While she’s been singing for years, I’m a newbie. Okay I sing my heart out in the car, thinking I’m Melissa Etheridge, but I’m not stage bound just yet.  Singing on stage is BRAND NEW for me!  When Andrea suggested that I meet her at the little karaoke club, I decided, ‘what the heck.’  I don’t even remember the song I sung, but I remember it was after the Elvis impersonator, so I thought I’d be fine.  What I didn’t bank on was that darn sound system.  It seemed that every off key note I hit (or thought I hit) kept bouncing back, reminding me that I was certainly not likely to be the next American Idol.

After my song I came back to the table, feeling dejected, and a bit humiliated, because I focused on what I had perceived that I did wrong .  Being my good gal-pal, Andrea said, “You did great….at least you got up there and had fun!”  Yeah.  I did.  I took a risk and chose to go WWWWAAAAAYYYYYY outside my comfort zone.  So all of us that night…me, the lounge lizards, fake Elvis, Andrea, and the crazy young rockers who sang, “You Gotta Fight For Your Right to Party” had fun and fully expressed who we were.

Business lesson-  How many times do you compare your business with someone else and think you aren’t as talented, prepared, or skilled to get clients?  How does this hold you back?  When I finally shifted my focus to what I did right as opposed to looking at the few notes I missed, I had fun.  And, the next time I did my rendition of “Mama He’s Crazy” I felt like a much better singer.  Why?  Cuz I kept singing!

Where can you just keep showing up, even if you aren’t getting the results you want?  The world needs what you have.  The more you show up and express what you have and who you are, the bigger your game gets.

If you want to play a bigger game in business…play a bigger game in life!  Take risks, push into the places where you are uncomfortable, and watch the amazing results that you will see.

So, how big is your game?