How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life(43)
If I ever feel like I know more about legalities than my lawyer, then I know my lawyer is no longer right for the job. If I ever start managing myself better than my actual manager, then there’s a problem. If I’m always in rooms that are overly comfortable, then I’m in the wrong rooms. The only way you can become smarter is by giving yourself a chance to be dumb sometimes.
So go forth and be dumb, but just don’t hurt yourself. Don’t play with stray Doggs, and if you touch something hot, drop it.
Thanks for the tip, Snoop.
I HAVE A FRIEND named Lindsey Stirling who just happens to be, in my opinion, one of the most talented people on the planet. Lindsey is a musician who freezes time with her violin, or at least that’s what it feels like. She has millions of views on her YouTube videos, and when I say millions, I’m not talking one or two. One of her videos has 156 million views. One video. The first time I ever saw Lindsey perform was at one of her concerts in Los Angeles with thousands of other audience members. Lindsey is an extraordinary performer who dances, leaps across the stage, and nails quick costume changes, all while keeping her toes pointed AND playing the violin flawlessly. Basically what I’m trying to say is that Lindsey is amazing and super-successful. That’s why I was utterly shocked to hear that she still takes violin lessons and—pause for dramatic effect—practices every day. Every. Single. Day.
When Lindsey told me about her lessons, I thought, “Okay, I feel like your teacher is just making FREE money because um, hello, YOU’RE LINDSEY STIRLING.” I’m pretty sure that if I Google the words “violin player,” a picture of Lindsey will show up. In fact, let me try right now. BRB.
Okay, back. I WAS RIGHT. Her picture came up, no joke. Why on earth is she taking lessons? Lindsey explained to me that there’s still so much more she feels she can learn when it comes to her craft. Every day she practices little finger movements that allow her to play a little smoother. She demonstrated one of the movements to me, and I watched in amusement as she held an imaginary violin and moved her pinky exactly one centimeter from left to right.
What I learned from Lindsey that day, and what I continue to learn on my journey to becoming a Bawse, is that you are never too good to stop investing in yourself. We live in a constantly evolving environment, so we need to evolve and grow. Your best today may not be enough next year, so keep developing.
Here are a few ways you can invest in yourself using time, energy, and money:
TIME
When I graduated from university and got my degree, I remember thinking that I would never be a student again. Little did I know that I would continue being a student for the rest of my life, because learning never stops. After all, the best teachers in the world are the ones who are still students.
Learning new things means taking the time to read books, watch YouTube videos (hello, self-plug), and attend events that will expand your current knowledge base. For example, when my social campaign #GirlLove started to get serious momentum, I began taking time out of my day to research women’s issues. Through various articles, Emma Watson’s speeches (bless her soul), and books, I taught myself new things about gender inequality that I’d previously known nothing about. Investing this time helped shape the future of #GirlLove and made me a better advocate for women’s rights.
ENERGY
Due to ATP and carbohydrates, everything I’m talking about will, scientifically speaking, require energy. But honestly, don’t be that person and correct me. Investing energy into yourself refers to taking classes (like Lindsey), practicing your craft (like Lindsey), and ensuring that you’re making decisions that will benefit you (I don’t stalk her but this is probably like Lindsey too). These things require not only time but focus and repetition and therefore energy. For example, if you’re a vocalist, take singing classes, practice in the shower, and choose not to smoke cigarettes. You’re never so good at anything that you can stop putting energy into getting better. Some of the top actors in the industry still have acting coaches, choreographers still take dance classes, and The Rock still has a personal trainer. He could probably personally lift a train, but he still chooses to work with a trainer, which leads me to my next point …
MONEY
When I first started gaining momentum in the entertainment industry I was hesitant about bringing a manager on board. I was confident that I could handle everything that was being thrown my way and I didn’t need to pay someone. It wasn’t until my inbox became flooded with thousands of unread emails and I began missing booking opportunities that I decided it was time to hire a manager. Over the years my career has grown at a rapid pace and I am constantly adding people to my team. With every new hire, whether it’s a lawyer, assistant, or editor, I am hesitant because, well, no one works for free. I didn’t want to keep adding to the list of people I would have to pay. My outgoing payments were starting to add up, and as a business owner (and person of Indian descent), I found myself really concerned. Over time, though, I noticed that the more money I spent, the more money I made. Investing in a team has allowed me to produce more content, make more brand deals, and create more revenue streams. Additionally, investing in a team has given me more time and more opportunities and has generally helped my business to grow. The best example of money well invested is my PR team (probably one of my biggest expenses each month). I was hesitant to spend the money on PR because I thought, “I am my own PR company. I have 10 million subscribers.” But again, you’re never too good to get better. Since hiring my publicists, I’ve gotten on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and have been featured in countless magazines. None of this happened overnight, and I did not make back the money I invested immediately, but the long-term results were worth the money and the wait.