The Promise of Self-Preservation

 

~ For Entertainers, Speakers & Trainers,

 

For the past 2 weeks I have been flat on my back in bed, sick as I can remember ever being.  I pray you don’t get this.

My body finally gave in, after what may have been the most grinding 4 months of my career.

I have posted the following on my Promise blog as well, and feel it is of the essence for you to consider in your efforts to make a career from the stage.

Many of you do things in your travels, on stage, that are wearing you down.

Many of you do things in your off stage time that is destroying your body, emotions, and relationships, to keep the business at a certain level of social perception.

What is The Promise to Yourself and your Self-Preservation?

I hope you’ll read this full blog and see how it applies to your current state – I know I wrote it as a reminder to myself as well.

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As the physical therapist strapped weights to my forehead pulling back, and weights to the stem of my neck pulling forward, he looked at me and asked, “How long are you going to keep hurting yourself?” 

It had been 6 months of intense fixing: chiropractors, yogis, personal trainers, physical therapists, and anything I could justify trying to keep getting on stage, save becoming addicted to crippling and numbing drugs.

It wasn’t just the body falling apart, it was my voice as well.

Coming off stage with nothing left, the pain was too much.  But at least the audience was entertained!

It was 2014 and I was at the top of my game.

Weekly visits to the doctors, ENT’s, sticking cameras down my throat, let me know surgery would come soon to remove damage long ago done, and what I had put my voice through over 12 years of pushing the extreme limits of the human voice, was destroying my God given gift.

At 36 years old I was given a grim diagnosis – keep doing what you’re doing on stage and you will be dead by 50.

For one moment I’d like you to consider what is your great gift, and how you’ve utilized it your entire life to not only be successful in work, but also to engage friends, make people like you, and is all you’ve banked on for your future as well.

And now you’re being told you have abused it and will lose your Signature Moves very soon if you don’t pivot.

The Promise of Self-Preservation is simply The Promise to The One.

At some point I had to admit that it was worth it for me to become healthy, to not have to suffer any longer, and to adjust my life.

What in your life needs to shift NOW?

Perhaps you are burning the candle at both ends just to make ends meet.

Maybe you are doing the work of multiple people because your employer has no idea of the missing pieces.

Some may be in a relationship that long ago should have changed, ended, and whether it be someone you live with or just a friend on Facebook that needs to have a conversation that it’s over….

My friend, what are you doing to keep The Promise to yourself of health, dignity, self-care, and sanity?

This is a painful conversation to have, but you may be pushing yourself to such a degree that you will not last at this pace without a major change immediately.

I’ll never forget the discussion with my wife, and then my family, that I was done with a lot of things that had made me successful.

We had to sell precious parts of our life away, make adjustments that were so difficult and sad, and yet it all was necessary to continue moving forward while still allowing me to be a functioning person.

A casualty of this decision was to retire some of my Greatest Hits: Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Guns n’ Roses, and many others.  Once in a while I still try them to see if they’re still there – and wow, the suffering I experience is just not worth it.

Perhaps the most tragic was leaving behind the Jim Carrey working at Subway routine, considered by many my best impression.

Ever since my first show over a decade earlier I had ended with the Jim Carrey routine, throwing myself to my back, a guaranteed standing ovation at every show.

Now it was done, as it proved to be the most painful part of my act on my neck and body.

I have since recovered, have changed my career into a Keynote Speaking performance where only those acts that aren’t hurtful remain.  You can watch what the integration of impressions and content messaging looks like HERE.

But the question is: What do you need to STOP doing to preserve yourself?

Perhaps even letting go of that good thing you do now will help you discover the BETTER career and life that lies ahead?

I know it has for me – even though many people still ask what happened to the Jim Carrey favorite routine?

Well, for those that miss it, or never saw it, here it is from 2012.

 

 

What’s your Promise to YOU?

 

~ Jason 

Jason Hewlett, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, Keynote Speaker for the largest corporate events in the world.  His primary message, The Promise, is the philosophy for “Becoming Legendary Leaders”, meaning every person in your organization is a Leader.  His presentations are intended to provoke you, not just inspire.  You will be entertained by one of the most celebrated performers of the past 20 years in Jason’s uncanny performance of music and comedy, while equally discovering your personal differentiator, uniqueness, leadership qualities, and how to improve workplace enjoyment while driving sales to legendary heights, called your Signature Moves.  jasonhewlett.com

Please click here to learn about how Jason Hewlett, Speaker Hall of Fame, introduces the opportunity for you, or someone you love, to have the gift of learning how to create a Career From the Stage and begin moving toward fulfilling a lifelong dream as a full-time speaker, performer, or entertainer.