Perception vs. Talent:

What is Perception Worth?

One of our graduates sent along an e-mail that many of you may have already seen.

Is perception real? Some say perception is everything! What can you learn from this story? Can you apply this to your personal life, and in doing so, make a transformation in your career or business? I think so. And that is at the core of what we teach in our Money & You^® 3 1/2 day Program. That not only are we all ordinary and we all wake up every morning with the same dreams and fears… we are also unknowingly extra-ordinary. So much so that we don’t even recognize it when it’s right in front of us.

Here’s the forwarded e-mail:

Perception

…something to think about…

In a Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing.

He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over… No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? Are we quick to judge? To stereotype?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world,
playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made…
How many other things are we missing?

___

Isn’t that an amazing story?

Maybe you’ve become aware of something in your life by reading this incredible story of how unconscious we can be. My purpose is to “Uplift Humanity’s Consciousness Through Business” and I hope this story made you look inside; made you more aware and conscious.

With loving thoughts,

DC Cordova
CEO, Excellerated Business Schools^®/Money & You^® Program
Get Your Personal Entrepreneurial Strategy here: http://excellerated.com/index1.htm

P.S. – Here’s the video on YouTube if you’d like to check it out…

Joshua Bell – “Stop and Hear the Music” by the Washington Post