Superhero Success Attitude

How Archie & Tymon Almost Lost Their Superpowers

Subject: Success, Validation, Initiative, Permission, Motivation

By Victor Antonio

The stories I’m about to share are true. The last names have been omitted to protect the identities of these superheroes.
 

Super Hero #1: Archie the Amender

Archie is a minister who came to me about a week ago for some coaching and advice. No, not “Life Coaching”! (see article, Life Coach, What a Joke) Archie has been working under the rule of the oppressive pastor who only wanted to make himself look good while sacrificing his lambs to his own ends.

Archie was finally tired and ready to break out and start making a difference in other people’s lives using his own superpowers. You see, Archie superpowers lie in his ability to help damaged relationships cause by infidelity. He works with men who have strayed and find themselves lost or broken.

Archie was ready to demonstrate the great healing of his superpowers to the world, but he didn’t know where to start. I told Archie that the first step was to lay out a system, his system for how he could help people. I went on to tell him how he had to document this system by creating a book. As I was talking I could sense Archie getting excited. He was beginning to see how he could break free of the shadow cast by another and bask in his own sunlight.

 
After some more discussion on his book, Archie asked, “Do you think 100 pages is good enough?”
 

To which I quickly responded, “I don’t know, do YOU think 100 pages is enough to convey your message?”
 

“Yes.” he replied.
 

At that moment I scolded Archie, respectfully of course, by saying, “Then why the hell are you asking someone else to validate what you already know? Don’t you know that when you seek validation from someone else you are in a sense relinquishing power?”
 

“I don’t know what you mean.”
 

“Archie, what you were really asking me is whether or not it was OK to have only 100 pages in your book. You were asking for my permission. What if I had said no? What would you have thought then?”
 

Archie was silent for a moment.
 

I continued, “Archie, never ask anyone to validate your work. It’s OK because YOU say it’s OK; not because someone else says it is. When you feel that you’ve gotten your message down and feel good about it, that’s when you know it’s done. Never relinquish your power(s) to succeed by seeking someone else’s permission.”
 

Amending Archie understood and is hopefully now working to finish his book that will go on to help and mend many broken families.
 

Super Hero #2: Tymon the Tickler
 

The best over-the-counter medicine is laughter. Tymon has been a comedian for over 15 years and has been the winner of numerous comedy showcases. To put it simple, the man is funny.

Tymon came to me for some guidance on how to get his career to generate revenue. As you know, unless you make it to the big time, comedians live from hand-to-mouth. I explained to Tymon that he should approach comedy as if: 1) he would never be discovered and have his own TV show or movie deal and 2) it were a business and learn to create wealth on his own.

I told Tymon that he had to learn how to create his own brand and his own line of products for himself.
 

“Tymon, I visited your website and you have no products for sale.”
 

“Yeah, I know.”
 

“How long have you been in comedy?”
 

“A little over 15 years.”
 

“That’s a long time and still have no products to show for it. Can you imagine how much income you could’ve generated if you had a book or video to sell at your shows?”
 

Tymon and I spend the next 30 minutes or so discussing strategies for getting products complete so he could sell at his show and supplement his income. The first no-brainer was putting his one-man-show on video and selling the DVD.
 

“Victor, I have a recording of my one-man-show.” he exclaimed.
 

“Then why aren’t you selling it?”
 

“Just never really pushed it. So let me ask you, it’s only 30 minutes, is that long enough?”
 

Here we go again!   Validation REDUX...
 

“I don’t know Tymon, are the 30 minutes any good?”
 

“Hell yeah!”
 

“Then why the hell are you asking for my permission to publish something that you feel is that good?”

 

Tymon paused.

 

I continued, “Tymon, what you were really asking me is whether or not it was OK to have only 30 minutes of video on your DVD. You were asking for my permission. What if I had said no? What would you have thought then?”
 

Tymon went silent for a moment.
 

“Tymon, never ask anyone to validate your work. It’s OK because YOU say it’s OK; not because someone else says it is. If you feel that its 30 minutes of gut busting comedy, that’s when you know it’s good enough. Never relinquish your power(s) to succeed by seeking someone else’s permission. Because of this hesitation, you’ve lost over 15 years of revenue generating potential.”
 

“Damn, never looked at it that way.” Tymon responded.
 

We chatted for a while longer before hanging up. Tymon the Tickler understood and is hopefully now working to finish his first DVD, along with an audio CD and his first book on comedy. We need comedy more than ever today, so I hope Tymon the Tickler follows through.
 

We’ve all heard the saying, better to ask for forgiveness, than ask for permission. Waiting for someone else to say it’s OK is a dangerous scenario. The danger in asking others to validate what you believe to be your best work is that they may discourage you by telling you that it’s not OK. People may want to discourage you for many reasons:

1) They don’t want to see you get ahead
2) Envious of your superpowers
3) Your success may make them feel like a failure
4) They have no ‘real’ knowledge and are just guessing
5) They want to hold you back so they can use your ideas

It is OK to solicit opinion or feedback from people you respect. But don’t listen to stupid people!
 

In the end, YOU, and no one else, decides when it’s OK. Never relinquish that power to decide.  The power of choice and action are your greatest powers...hold on to your super powers.
 

Please share this article with a friend who is needs a little Superhero Attitude!

Copyright © 2005-2007 by Victor Antonio   All rights reserved.  These photos MAY be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, as long as the author’s name, website and email address are included as part of the article’s body.  All inquiries, including information on electronic licensing, should be directed to Victor Antonio.