Lilly Singh’s “How to be a Bawse”
· A Guide to Conquering Life ·
Over the last few weeks I have been compiling a list of books to read that would inspire and empower me as I continue my “Quest for Greatness”. (queue dramatic echo and megaphone effects) I had never heard of Lilly Singh, but her book, “How to be a Bawse-A Guide to Surviving Conquering Life” kept popping up in my searches. I was a little skeptical because I thought, “Who uses the word “Bawse” in a book title?” But alas, the reviews were great so I gave it a go. What I like about the book is that it reads as if she’s one of your friends who just drops gems of wisdom.. kind of like me. (ask my friends, and they’ll confirm this is true) She also includes cute anecdotes and stories that give her advice some context. Now I must say that MOST of what she says in this book, I already knew. I connected to it because frankly we have a lot in common. She’s single, has no children, is ambitious, funny and she also suffers from depression, as do I. Sometimes she will infuse the advice she gives with “Out of Blue” moments”. These are moments when she is depressed and so much of what she says during these interludes resonate with me. Then right after a dark recollection, she flips it and takes the same situation and approaches it from a positive perspective. Below are just a few “gems” that struck a chord with me:
“Life is one big negotiation. If I know one thing about bartering, it’s that you need to start high. That’s because you’re never going to get exactly what you want, so you better ask for more than what you need.”
I am a firm believer in this. Don’t sell yourself short.
“If you really want to do something, don’t have a Plan B. Having a Plan B means you’re expecting your Plan A to fail, and that isn’t the right attitude.”
I have to say this pill is a little hard to swallow because I believe in ALWAYS being prepared and sometimes that means having a back up plan. Life can ALWAYS throw you a curve ball and the best laid plans don’t always come to fruition. So I will agree to disagree on this one, although I can appreciate what she is saying here.
“When you’re climbing the ladder, the heaviest clothing you wear is often your pride.”
I know people who think they are the best at EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING they do is perfection and yet they still don’t grow. You can’t excel if you believe you have nothing left to learn. (Can I get a book deal??)
Lilly Singh has a huge You Tube following which is how she got her start. Aside from her success in that arena, she also launched the “#GirlLove Challenge” which encourages more love, positivity, and support among women and girls. (YES!) As a writer, comedian, actress AND philanthropist she is definitely a “BAWSE”. 😉
He begins by talking about his less than humble beginnings in Chicago with his hard working dad, his mentally disabled mother and his brother, Lloyd. At the age of 12 he discovered music and it changed his life. Throughout his career he has played with the greats such as: Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. His life story is told through firsthand accounts mostly, with certain chapters written by other people such as bandmates, his children, and ex-wives. I’ve always enjoyed learning about the madness behind the mad scientist because I think all artists have that in common. EVERYONE said he was a workaholic which is a grand understatement. It is important to note that his work ethic was never fueled by the desire to be rich or famous but because 1) he truly loved the music and 2) it was a coping mechanism. Mr. Jones suffered loss, abandonment, and abuse and work was ALWAYS his way of dealing with it and it nearly cost him his life on more than one occasion. One of the most important lessons he learned was being able to tell the difference between music and the music business. Another lesson which I have heard from many musicians is always OWN YOUR MASTERS and PUBLISHING. A lot of artists back then had to learn these lessons the hard way and Mr. Jones was no exception. From jazz, he went on to TV and film scoring and from there went to producing and magazine publishing. I can’t even begin to really delve into all that he has done because between his discography and filmography the list is just too long. It saddened me when he spoke of all the people that he worked with who are no longer here and even more sad to think of how many more people have departed since 2001 when the book was published. It’s been a hell of a ride and this book was an opportunity to tell his story and thank the many artists who helped and believed him along the way. His contribution to the world of music is unparalleled and continues to inspire.
