I'm tired of those who say you have to decide which talent to pursue. We live in a world now where you can COMBINE and harness the full spectrum of who you are and what you've got.
You just need a bit of courage, imagination and determination.
No doubt, it's far easier (though ultimately more painful) to tone yourself down than it is to dig deep and combine and celebrate what you have.
But the truth is, landmark success doesn't come from running with the pack and shaving off parts of who you are to fit into a mold.
Landmark success results from taking risks; and risk requires exploration, creativity and the courage to trust that the integration of talents -- those with which you are inherently gifted -- will produce extraordinary results. This is the foundation of The Prism Effect. It is the foundation of all great lives, great businesses and great works of art. And you...are a work of art.
Agree? Feel free to comment and/or join our community...
(c) MMXII Victoria Labalme Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This past weekend, three of my closest friends and I had a mini reunion. We all live in different locations now, but we share a 30 year history, and having gone to both high school and college together, the bonds are intense, multi-layered, and packed with stories.
It was a weekend of hilarity and laughter -- the kind that makes your face hurt. And to this we added some long walks, long talks, and a few great adventures.
In the flurry of our daily lives, most of us tend to focus on work and on family, and when we can in a given week, on sprinkling in a little entertainment and time with newer friends.
But boy, to carve out a weekend for that kind of "return to your past" experience? That was something.
So in your world, who is that close friend or cluster of close friends from long ago -- the kind you don't connect with often but with whom when you do, you feel like no time has passed? These are the kind of people who make you guffaw with glee: "Can you believe we....?" or "Do you remember the time when we...?"
For my small clan, these last 48 hours had the equivalent effect of a week's vacation. It put us all in a time warp...a cocoon of time...and we came out the other side (today) more awake, more relaxed and grateful for the care we have for one another and grateful for all we share.
In today's crazy-busy-nutty world that (as MasterCard would say) is PRICELESS.
So who is that friend or group of friends for you? Pick up the phone. And plan a date.
Trading photos on Facebook isn't quite the same as being there live, takingphotos and laughing til your face hurts.
(c) Victoria Labalme Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved
For each person it's different, but for each person, it's a driving force...what I call "The Through Line."
This week my dear pal Jim Freydberg, the Broadway producer, sent me the image below. I loved it. I looked it up and it turns out the image is all over the internet.
What I suspect makes this drawing so popular is that we all feel at times like we're in that tangled mess...and we all think it's wrong.
Sometimes we're the sailing arrow; sometimes we're in the squiggles...(or as the guitarist/songwriter Mark Knopfler says, "Sometimes you're the windshield; sometimes you're the bug.")
It's nice to know that everyone goes through this. Success is filled with screw ups, struggles and sideways steps. Welcome to life.
Years ago in the 1990s, I called Jim in a moment of great despair. I needed some advice and I needed someone who knew the emotional terrain of the performing arts. As a producer, he'd won a Tony
award and not many years later, another one of his productions was panned by the press. He'd gone from the highest of highs
to the lowest of lows. So I knew he'd understand.
"I want to quit," I murmured into the phone. He listened, absorbed what I was saying, and then replied. His voice was calm.
"You can't quit. You can take a break, but you can't quit."
I got back up on my feet, and I kept going. I had something I wanted to share. It wasn't entirely formed, it wasn't entirely clear, but I knew it had something to do with helping people live life on their own terms, risk forward, and express their vision.
I believe The Through Line is at the core of every business, every Broadway show, every presentation...and every life. Your Through Line is why you do what you do, and once you know that, everything changes. It's not about the goal; it's about something much, much larger.
Whether you're in the tangled mess or panned by the press, reconnecting with your Through Line will help you find your way out. Every time.
(c) MMXII Victoria Labalme Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
These last few days I've been in back to back settings with corporate senior executives and with Hollywood writers, directors and producers.
What I love about moving between these two seemingly disparate worlds is uncovering the common threads that they each share.
One thread that always becomes readily apparent is the passion that drives performance. Those who succeed at the top are lit up by their work.
This may seem like an obvious statement, but so often we overlook this truth as we settle into the fabric of our lives.
The change may not be as drastic as you envision. It's often a simple re-alignment with a slightly different pattern and aim.
If you were told that all of your commitments for this week were lifted from your shoulders -- that all those items on your "to do" list were temporarily suspended without penalty -- what would you do with your time?
Whatever that activity is, do more of it -- on weekends, on weeknights, and preferably, eventually, on weekdays.
Make it your business. Weave it into your work now. Find a way.
The world needs your light. Shine on.
(c) MMXII Victoria Labalme Communications. All Rights Reserved.
I'm tired of those who say you have to decide which talent to pursue. We live in a world now where you can COMBINE and harness the full spectrum of who you are and what you've got. 
