07.04.09
A Round Peg & a Square Hole
Over the course of time in the entertainment world, we have all heard of entertainers trying to “cross over.” Comedians trying to be actors, TV actors going to the big screen, even musicians just creating music in a different style than they are known for. The general consensus is that the response to these types of things are usually scoffed at, or at the very least resisted.
The list of actors who wanted to be singers is endless. Can anybody forget Eddie Murphy or even Don Johnson’s attempts (for you youngsters, Google “Miami Vice” and NOT the movie)? Murphy has done better singing on the Shrek soundtracks than he ever did with that early singing career. Johnson’s career disappeared almost as quickly as the trends he started on that show.
There are two current “Kings of the Crossover” however. Whatever they touch seems to turn to gold. Those two men are Will Smith and Jamie Foxx. Smith was a rapper who became a sitcom TV star and evolved into possibly the biggest name in entertainment today. Foxx was a comedian who went from TV to movie stardom and then created a music career.
Why do I bring this up? Throughout my time as both a member and employee of Professional Network Connections (www.pnconnections.org), I have watched professionals, sales people and entrepreneurs get pigeon holed in much the same way celebrities do when trying to crossover. It happens most when exploring other career opportunities.
I’ve seen bankers have trouble finding employment because their “experience” does not “translate” in another field. How can that kind of experience in sales, service, relationship management, etc. not be useful elsewhere?
These sames issues may present themsleves in a business like mine. I have been able to use my ecperience and background to get work writing financial articles, market recaps, investing how-tos, etc. Does that mean I can not write in any other style or on any other topic? In the last few days, I have written an article on the use of mutual funds, a short bio for a local business person for their sales brochure and a CD review for an independent band out of Boston and have another financial article on my to-do list.
We can all use our life experiences, knowledge and passions to do different things in our lives. Embrace your roundness (figuratively) and enjoy the fact that you don’t fit in a square hole. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
