Working Like a Rockstar?
I have always loved live music, the intimacy of small clubs, the energy of the crowd, and the organ rattling volume that I can’t reproduce no matter how loud I sing in the car. I have some friends that were in one of those greatest bands that never was. I remember watching their band Vaux building the crowd into a frenzy during an encore performance of their anthematic song “Set it to Blow” thinking that being a rockstar is the greatest job ever. For two hours you take the stage to do what you love, to share what you have created, to create a relationship with those watching that is unique and intimate. The performance is emotional and physical, and for any self respecting rockstar it demands complete presence, a state of being that few of us get to work in.
Is it possible to sit at a computer 10-15 hours a days and work like a rockstar?
I contend that it is not, and believe me I try. I have a genuine passion and excitement for the work I am doing, but that rockstar intensity is hard to muster for the type of work I do and in the medium in which so many of us work.
The first issue is the type of work. I am starting and building businesses and by nature it is incredibly exciting and intense. The problem is that building a business takes time. Time not measured in hours per day or days week, but in years. I am only at the start of this long journey and I realize that my intensity must be bridled in order to for it to be sustainable.
The second issue is the medium in which I work. Spending all day at the computer I have an entire universe of distraction at my finger tips. From email and IM, to blogs and news feeds, to the unholy black hole of time wasting that is Youtube, being mentally present at work all day is harder than ever.
I have seen some rock shows that made me want to be a better person, that made me want to leave the venue and run to the office to work. I get to my desk and I stare at my screen wishing my work had the sound, motion, and visceral intensity of furious rock and roll, but it has only the sound of steady drumming.
This drumming is my resolve, it is the cadence of me putting one foot in front of the other, pushing things forward however slightly, and you know what, it is music to my ears.
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Comments
welcome to the world of dissent and distraction. Clearly you are not deriving the same level of emotion that music drives in you from your work, but thats okay. Work is unemotional. Ask Ryder or any of the dudes in Vaux if playing the music makes them feel more like you do in front of your computer or in front of their stage.
Welcome to the blog world, my friend.
There ARE times in the life of a new company which are like those two hours on stage, but they are sometimes hard to spot. There is rarely a large audince applauding or reacting to your performance in front of your eyes. Watch for signs that they are applauding (your work) and take time savor them. You will get some of that “high five” sensation at a financing closing, at web traffic milestones, at the closing of the financial books at the end of a reporting period. Make sure you count these as “times on stage”. Tell us more….
I haven’t found anything in life that compares to those times on stage. Racing my motorcycle on the track is close but not quite the same. The feeling is like that of drug use, when its gone you want it so bad and you look for all kinds of shit to give you that same feeling. My new job does not even come close, I guess the money allows me to take my motorcycle to the track to get a feeling thats close. Life is crazy. I miss the hell out of vaux and all the fun we had on and off stage. Matt, ELC is going to make you a Rockstar! This is a killer blog site by the way.
Isn’t it grand to be charged up about your work…or knowing what that feels like? Terrific companies achieve that in a positive work environment/culture. Companies that want to get to that point ought to consider outside intervention to harness the energy of their people! Liked your new blogsite!