From our newsletter Outside the Lines

It’s May 17, 1966. Manchester Free Trade Hall, England.

Bob Dylan, known and loved for his acoustic music, walks onto the stage in the 2nd act … and plugs in an electric guitar.

The audience erupts in disbelief, there’s booing and yelling.

“Judas!” someone cries.

Dylan doesn’t respond immediately. He waits, tuning his instrument.

And then he faces the audience: “I don’t believe you,” he says, “You’re a liar!”

Then he turns to his band and tells them…

“Play it ****ing loud!”And Dylan launches into “Like a Rolling Stone” … and into rock music history. (His first public ‘electric’ moment happened 10 months earlier at the Newport Folk Festival )

Great Work means a little aggravation

If Good Work is comfortable competence, then Great Work means going to the edge - of yourself, of what’s permissible, of what’s possible.

And you can’t do that and keep everyone happy.

If you want to play electric, some people will always want to keep you playing acoustic.

In fact, one of the measures of Great Work can be: “To whom/what am I saying No by doing this?” (And if you can’t answer … you may not be doing Great Work.)

As you try something new, as you push back on people, as you say No, you’ll inevitably get some feedback - explicit or implicit, formal or informal, polite or provocative.

Is it the truth?

Of course not.

Feedback, always interesting, tells you as much (if not more) about the person giving as it does the person receiving it.

And with all feedback, you’ve got a choice:

1. Accept it all as gospel, and change yourself to conform so as not to upset anyone

2. Take what’s useful, ignore the rest

3. Ignore it all on principle.

I’m thinking the middle way is good.

And if your reaction to the feedback is something along the lines of “I don’t believe you … play it ****ing loud!” … then so much the better.

Here’s something to do

Who’s giving you feedback right now?

What’s the passive response?

What’s the rebellious response?

What do you want to do?

What’s been the most useful or useless feedback you’ve received?

Read about mine - and add yours - in the Comments section below.

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