I want to tell you a story with the intent of introducing you to an idea that has always been near and dear to my heart. The idea is pretty simple, “Act as if”, but the premise and execution behind it isn’t quite as clear cut. The irony here is that on multiple occasions I have actually sat to write specifically about this topic unable to fully complete and develop what I want to convey with the words that I think would have the most impact. Let’s see how I do this time.
I have a friend who is extremely talented musically. I don’t want to under emphasize this point, this guy is talented. His ability to sit and create music, mix music, play music, envision and capture the essences of music is beyond reproach.
I always marvel when I get a chance to sit in his office and watch him work his skill and talent, he’ll pull a track or two out of a multi-track (I’m not sure how many tracks he deals in, it seems like a lot though) recording he is working on and comment on a subtle nuance and change he made. His mind is amazing in its ability to hear things that to the average listener they’ll never hear let alone miss, and yet to my friend he constantly amazes at the skill and talents he has and the finished product is amazing.
From time to time he will reflect back commenting on his time at a major university (whose name I won’t mention to protect identities). When he mentions his time at that school, the impression I’ve always gotten is that he’s a graduate having completed specific studies that made him the musical genius he is. I asked him once what his specific degree was in, and he laughed stating that he never actually graduated only going a semester or two.
The first time I heard that, my immediate response was, “well who taught you” referring to his skills both musically as well as with his ability to mix and create music. His response is humble stating that he taught himself.
Wow! I’m blown away by this fact. I had 15 years of piano lessons in my youth, my parents had an overwhelming desire for me to be a concert pianist - an interest that I never had. I went through the motions, and although to this day I can sight read a sheet of music placed in front of me, my ability to actually create music is not a skill I possess. I love music, but creating it is not a gift I have.
Perhaps that is why I am so enthralled with the talents my friend has. Maybe my own appreciation of music lends itself to a fuller appreciation of the job my friend does. Or, perhaps in knowing that even with 15+ years of piano lessons I am still not a musician while his love and passion of music created not only a musician, but dare I suggest an audio engineer and producer as well.
Now here’s the thing. When it comes to music, my friend and his ability to “act as if” he was trained in his craft by an elite university has boded well for him and his career. He has parlayed this ability to great success, and although he has never misrepresented his lack of a formal degree, he doesn’t make it an issue either instead offering the suggestion of an advanced degree without ever stating he has one. He “acts as if”.
In fairness, given his field of work there is nothing wrong with this approach and I applaud it very strongly. If I was going in for surgery, I certainly don’t want the doctor to be using the same approach, I want the degree from the prestigious university, so maybe the “act as if” approach isn’t applicable to all walks of life.
But here is the challenge this week for me and you. Can you look for and execute upon a couple “act as if” moments to advance yourself personally as well as professionally. Are there some items at work that maybe you can in effect become the de facto expert on acting as if and maybe learning a little along the way?
The answer is a resounding yes if, and here is the key thing, IF you allow yourself and be open to the opportunity to “act as if”. So as you start this week, be alert and attentive to those opportunities and when one is presented jump on it, tackle it, make it your own. I promise you, that just like my friend, you will become the expert in the room on a particular topic or two. And you too, will have acted as if.
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