Do you see all those empty seats in this photo?
I do.
I saw them for an hour or so last week at an outdoor restaurant at the Detroit Marriott.
They were impossible to miss. Look how many there are! I see them. You see them. Waitresses saw them.
Do you know who didn’t see them? The guy playing the guitar in the photo.
He didn’t see a single empty chair. The sea of unfilled seats didn’t even cross his vision.
Do you know what he saw?
Music.
The chance to play a concert.
A love of songs.
A guitar underneath a summer sky and a wildly fun playlist.
He had what you need if you’re going to chase a dream, selective vision. He was able to look right by all the empty chairs and no shows. He was blind to the audience size.
Instead, he saw opportunity and more than that, the joy of music.
How do I know? Because he put on amazing show. He played like the space was full, belting out great acoustic versions of Depeche Mode, Radiohead and Prince.
Did the chairs fill up as the night went later? Maybe, maybe not, but I’m not sure if this musician would have worried about it.
Long before you play to a full house, regardless of what your dream is, you’re going to play to a lot of empty ones.
Don’t quit. Get your eyes checked and make sure you’ve got selective vision. See what matters, look beyond what doesn’t.
Question:
Have you ever felt discouraged by the results of your dream?