Im Gonna Die MY Way

My wife says I have the strangest taste in movies. You see, there are movies I can watch again and again, which she couldn't sit through once. One of them is Rhinestone, starring Sylvester Stallone and Dolly Parton.

Dolly plays a country-and-western singer from Tennessee (I know, big stretch, right?) and Sly plays a New York City cabbie.

Dolly is under contract to one Freddie Ugo, a low-life with only two things on his mind (speaking of stretch, you guys have to see the dress she's wearing to start the film). After an argument, Dolly bets Freddie that she can turn any ordinary person into the next "Rhinestone cowboy."

The stakes are high. If Dolly wins, she gets the last years on her contract voided. If F.U. wins, Dolly extends the contract by three years and Dolly has to sleep with him. So let's say both are very motivated.

Now, wouldn't you know, Freddie doesn't play fair. He parades a variety of street people past Dolly as potential candidates. Finally, they agree on Stallone's cab driver.

Dolly figures out that the only way a New York cab driver can become a country singer is to start with the basics. He has to learn to walk, talk, eat and breathe country. So she loads him on the bus and they head for the hills. Of Tennessee.

Stallone goes through some serious culture shock in the Smoky Mountains. After some funny misadventures, Dolly finally gets him on stage in her home town to break the ice. The crowd responds, and Sly is hooked. Goodbye cab driver, hello country crooner.

The night before Stallone's big debut in New York, he has the requisite big fight with Dolly. Then comes the big scene, and the whole reason I'm telling you this story...

To win the bet, Stallone has to make it through one song during the nightclub's amateur night...

Remember Freddie? He's the owner of the Rhinestone, and he's packed the audience with the worst hecklers he can find. As Dolly finishes the warm-up for Amateur Night, the crowd starts to chant...

"Meat! Meat! We want fresh meat!"

Dolly introduces Sly. Sly walk on stage in an Elvis-like black glitter suit. He starts doing exactly as Dolly taught him to do-- strumming his guitar, bobbing gently in time to the music...

And gets heckled into silence before the first chorus!

Oh. No. Dolly goes pale. Freddie starts rubbing his hands together and licking his chops. Sly stares at the crowd, and turns away...

He puts down the guitar. Tells the band to pick up their tempo. Pulls the microphone from the stand and looks out at the rowdy crowd...

"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die MY way!"

The band kicks in, up-tempo...

"If you all want to act up a little, let's act up a little..."

Moments later, the crowd is completely on his side. Sly sings the song, his way. By the end, the crowd is stomping and clapping and whistling.

You can probably guess the ending...

Every time I feel like I'm following the right steps, working a formula that has worked for others, and I'm not getting the results I want, I pop that tape into the machine.

At the end, I'm ready to turn around and face the crowd. If I'm going to fail at something, I'm going to fail my way. I urge you to do the same.

Learn the basics, the mechanics of whatever you attempt. Whether that's taking on rabid hecklers at Amateur Night at the Rhinestone, or building a business on the Internet. Then stamp your own unique personality on whatever you do. Take a cue from Stallone's character, face the crowd and say...

"If I'm going to fail, I'm going to fail MY way..."

Here's what you get with John McCabe's Success Letter: Original articles that accelerate your business growth... Proven tools and resources to explode your success... Special offers that make your life and work More and Better... Part of John McCabe's Web Guides.

In The News:

---

Making Changes in Your Personal Life

Making changes in your personal life can be a tough... Read More

Why Therapy Fails Sometimes

I saw a couple for marriage counseling this week, and... Read More

Your Personal Treasure Chest

Sometimes it is helpful to review several of the basic... Read More

Magic Potions We All Need This Time of Year

As winter descends we begin to feel the chill of... Read More

Coaching Can Help Teachers At A Crossroads In Their Careers

Teachers enter the profession with the desire to help others,... Read More

Good Communication is Easy - Isn?t It?

My name is Steve Brummet and my business is to... Read More

Training is Not the Same Thing as Exercising

What it takes to GROW!In almost every workshop we deliver,... Read More

Moment of Magic

Laughter may or may not be a shock, relieved, but... Read More

How to Save Yourself from Negative Influences

Watching the news can be hazardous to your health.It's a... Read More

Still Wondering About Coaching?

A friend called me the other day from Lower Alabama.... Read More

Two Pillows and One Dead Husband

That's what I needed when I delved deeply into my... Read More

The Secret of Self-Esteem

Have you ever thought about what really creates self-esteem? Having... Read More

Addiction to Thinking

Randall sought my help because he was stuck being miserable... Read More

Im Gonna Die MY Way

My wife says I have the strangest taste in movies.... Read More

Coaches, Do You Make These 7 Deadly Cash Flow Mistakes in Your Practice?

Managing cash flow is every small business owner's most important... Read More

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: How Do You Change the World?

Recently, I saw an exhibition of paintings by a very... Read More

How to Make $100,000 Dollars as a Personal Trainer ? Part A for Attitude!

My name is Greg Ryan. For the last twenty years... Read More

Personal Development Profiles

Personal development profiles, also known as personality profiles, are a... Read More

Theres Always Enough Time!

I thought I'd begin this article by stimulating your mind... Read More

How Not Letting Go of Your Past can Hurt Your Future

Experiences, whether good or bad, are sometimes all we have,... Read More

Life Coaching for Success and Fulfilment

We live in a world of rapid change and uncertainty.... Read More

Coaching: Change Made Simple

Here's a story that I think gets at why we... Read More

Could You Be A Workaholic?

If you need to put on boots and grab a... Read More

Coaching: YOU Can Improve Your Organizations Performance

GOOD BUSINESS COACHING: Clearly, the right kind of coaching can... Read More

How to Deal Effectively with Anxiety

Every human feels anxiety on occasion; it is a part... Read More

The Problem with Blame? If You Fix the Blame, You Ignore the Problem

Have you ever found yourself in a hurry to leave... Read More

What Is Executive Presence?

Often our clients refer someone to us for Executive Coaching... Read More

Tips For Singles On Celebrating The New Year

It's four weeks away and you don't have any plans.... Read More

Top Ten Things to Build a Bridge and Get Over

God must love Top Ten lists because she made so... Read More

The Best Things in Life Are Rarely Things

Have you ever noticed this to be true?The best things... Read More

Why Daily Planning is So Important for Adults with ADD

For adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), details are a... Read More

What is the Success Lesson in this Story?

One of my clients gave me permission to tell you... Read More

Five Steps to Vocational Passion: A Disciplined Plan for Major Mid-life Changes

There's a famous song lyric that asks: "Is that all... Read More