What I Learned About Life And Blogging From Prince

If you’re wondering, “eh, what?” I must confess that this post has been brewing in my head for a while. And the moment I read that Prince was the recipient of the Billboard Icon Award 2013 I could contain myself no longer.

Those who know me, know I am a BIG fan of Prince (or the Artist Formerly Known As Prince). Years ago, when I playfully asked some of my friends to mention five things they love about me, I got lists far exceeding that number.  I felt overwhelmed. And when I asked for one thing they hate about me, you could have struck me down without a feather – it was my love for Prince. But that is not what this post is about. This post is about some solid life lessons that could easily segue into blogging tips – as you will see.

Oh yes. I have all of Prince’s music.

Almost every person we love teaches us something. Would you agree? I would. And here is a list of things I learned – about attitude, life from Prince, a true Artist.

A scene from the song “When Doves Cry”

Prince

.. is a legend

.. is an engima

.. is larger than life

.. is a visionary

.. is original

.. is fearless

.. is daring

.. is stylish, flamboyant

.. is creative and creates constantly

.. is controversial

.. is inspiring

.. breaks new ground all the time

.. experiments

.. improvises

.. never rests on his laurels

He says, “Don’t ever compromise on your art, or who you are, ever”

From a musical career that began in 1975 and spans decades – Prince is still going strong and shows no signs of waning. His performances are always energizing and the one at the Billboard Music Awards 2013 was no less – he blazed the show. As soon as the award was announced, he directly launching into his fabulous performance doing what his fans love best, without stopping to make acceptance speeches.

From listening to Prince and following him for decades now, here are some life lessons I’ve learned and try my best to practice. I’ve listed 50, for obvious reasons. And you don’t really have to be a fan of Prince to enjoy this list.

1. Be original
2. Be bold
3. Be true to yourself, your abilities
4. Be Yourself. There’s no one quite like you.
5. Collaborate
6. Showcase / appreciate others
7. Try new things
8. Be gutsy
9. Don’t be afraid to give away your idea. You still own it.
10. There is nothing to fear. Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real
11. Follow your passion
12. Fly out of your comfort zone
13. Practice, practice, practice.
14. Strrrretch  – it feels good!
15. Challenge yourself constantly
16. Don’t be afraid that others won’t like you
17. Go on creating, no matter what
18. Keep on learning
19. Help others, raise them up
20. Don’t worry about reciprocation
21. Don’t hang around waiting for appreciation/gratitude/credit
22. Just do what you love
23. Playing second fiddle to someone is not infra dig
24. Keep your energy levels high
25. Don’t be afraid to flaunt what you have. You never know who you might inspire
26. An award or fame is not the goal for what you do. Inner satisfaction is.
27. It is fine to experiment.
28. Be consistent.
29. Be self-motivated
30. Stick with what you do.
31. Don’t give up
32. Be humble
33. Be committed to what you do
34. Dream big
35. Be faithful to your dream
36. It is okay to not go with the flow
37. Give yourself permission to be different
38. Be generous with praise
39. Don’t hesitate to highlight others
40. Enjoy what you do
41. Love yourself
42. Do your thang with style
43. Modesty IS a virtue
44. Don’t be stingy about acknowledging those who inspire you.
45. Use what you learn
46. Don’t brag. Let others do it for you
47. Innovate. all the time
48. Be proactive about supporting others
49. Talk is cheap. Actions count
50. It is okay to be a perfectionist

Prince has used pseudonyms to separate himself from the music (either his own or that of others) for which he has had input; “I was just getting tired of seeing my name,” he said, “If you give away an idea, you still own that idea. In fact, giving it away strengthens it. Why do people feel they have to take credit for everything they do? Ego, that’s the only reason.

Let go of ego.

In 1984, Prince accomplished something only the Beatles had one before him: He was topping charts simultaneously with an album, a film and a single (Purple Rain and “When Doves Cry,” respectively).

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Check out Billboard’s cover story on Prince

I am deeply grateful to my close friend Ranjit, who first introduced me to Prince in 1987. And it was love at first sight. I have fond memories of sharing wonderful hours walking with Ranjit, talking about the music we enjoyed. Thank you Ranjit. Cheers to 27 years of being friends. Gasp!

My eyes grow moist each time I think of my Mom calling me at work to say a Prince video is airing on TV. I’ve had this poster of Prince on my wall for years. It now resides on the inside door of one of my bookshelves.

My husband, who has no interest in western pop /rock music, went out of his way to source Prince’s movie “Purple Rain” and paid a ridiculous price for it, because he cares for me and respected my taste in music.

Prince is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. He has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. He has written several hundred songs and produces and records his own music for his own music label. In addition, he has promoted the careers of Sheila E., Carmen Electra, the Time and Vanity 6, and his songs have been recorded by these artists and others, including Chaka Khan, the Bangles, Sinéad O’Connor, and Kim Basinger. Source: Wikipedia

Question for you:

Do you like Prince?

Who is your favorite artist?

What is your favorite song?

♥