Do you live or already lived in New Jersey, Hawaii or Arizona? If so, this scene could had you as one of the main characters:
– Knock, knock!
– Who’s there?
– Here is George.
– Which George?!
– George Benson, I bring you good news! Do you have a few minutes?
Before explaining what drew so much attention in this real everyday scene, I will write about how to respond to a criticism, can totally change, someone’s way of life.
I’m sure you’ve heard, at least, one George Benson song. In fact, it’s possible that by the end of the day, you’ll hear a song from him playing on the radio.
Do you remember any of these Top Hits?
Nothing’s Gonna Change my Love for You
Breezin’, In Your Eyes
Give me the Night
On Broadway
Love X Love
Never Give Up on a Good Thing
Just click the above links to have a taste of some of his successes.
He’s already in the list of the best guitar players of all time. He won 10 Grammy Awards. George played to 300,000 people in the first Rock in Rio 1985 and returned 35 years later to snatch the hearts of those who understand the language of love.
Two guitar models, lead to his signature Ibanez GB10 and GB200. His triple-platinum album Breezin has been the Billboard number 1. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
All this happened after he was heavily criticized!
During an interview to a New York magazine GEORGE BENSON UPCOMING TALKS NEW YORK gigs, YACHT ROCK, AND HOW MUSIC CRITIC CHANGED HIS LIFE, he explained there was a time in your career where he was too concerned listening to what the critics had to say.
He used to believe in critics. He thought: the critics knew what they were talking about, he said “If I listen to them, I’ll be successful like Miles Davis or somebody,” He thought: that’s how they got success, those critics formed them.
That’s the furthest thing from the true, he started playing what he thought the people would like and his whole life changed.
He advises young people who wants to be a musician:
The best reason to play music is because you like to play music. Period. Don’t imagine that you’ll be successful just because you started playing music, because there are millions of people out there who will never reach fame, or fortune in many cases…Music in itself is just beautiful just to be able to play and relate to all the other musicians in the world. So play for the right reasons, and the right reason to play is because you love the music.
This George Benson life experience just confirmed something I believe in. Not always a criticism is constructive. Not always for our good. There are critics who just want to make name on you. In the case of George Benson even unfounded criticism about his work resulted in doing so see what neither could see the critics themselves. He listened, but did not agree. Today he is among the most famous and respected musicians in the world. And his critics? Where they are?
Earlier in this article I wrote something else caught my attention too. Let us return to the first dialogue on this article.
Have you ever imagined yourself on the comfort of your home, one cozy morning or lazy afternoon? Then someone knocks on your door? You open the door and just realize you’re talking to none other than the very famous: George Benson! Moreover, neither had to pay the value of a ticket to go to his show! However, he’s there for another reason. He’s talking about good news! About a better future! Good news based on the most printed book of mankind (estimated in more than 6 billion and still growing).
In addition, according to the interview, he is doing this voluntarily for more than 35 years! It means that even during those periods of the highest fame and success, he didn’t stop doing a good thing.
He had everything to become someone arrogant. Walk surrounded by security guards. Lead a curtailed life but rather he exercises humility and kindness. After all, between us, it requires a lot of humility and kindness to do what he does off the stage: knocking the doors of perfect strangers and not always well received. I think he really believes in what one of his most famous songs says:
Never give up on a good thing
Remember what makes you happy
Never give up on a good thing
If love is what you got, you’ve got a lot
Next time, if George Benson or one of the almost 9 million of Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on your door, ask to them: “Why do you still knocking if I’m not interested?”
What about you? Would you allow any criticism stop you to continue doing what makes yourself truly happy and contributes to the happiness of others?
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Author: Alexandre Marins Augusto
Blog: August Alexander
August Alexander 