Show notes
Genius and tragedy often go hand in hand, no more so than in the life of the fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Rob talks through his love of a documentary about his life and ultimately his tragic death. Rob brings you nine observations from this documentary that have made him think, and want to learn more about best to be successful in business and life. Can learning from the life of a tortured genius help you in your life and business?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
He made people feel something. McQueen wanted to provoke emotion. The enemy for McQueen was apathy, it was in the middle. He wanted people to love his work or hate it as long as they felt something. Death is in the middle for business. I took a lot more risks when we started the business than we do now 13 years later.
He had a very dark side to his nature. There are dark sides to everyone. Wrestling with boredom, guilt, envy and all these emotions that every human being does. Every human being has every human trait. We are all wrestling with the darker sides to our nature. We shouldn’t hide from either of them. We have to balance it.
McQueen pushed people away. He was so engrossed in his work that he pushed others away. No-one betrays you, people are only loyal to themselves. People can get very negative when they feel betrayed but you can’t do anything about other people. Remember your selfish when you employ someone you are leveraging them, and commercialising them. Whether this is real or not it’s a better way to think, there is less stress and anger this way.
Mentors, Partners and Collaborators are vital. You cannot do this alone. You need people around you. There is no-one who is successful who hasn’t had mentors and collaborators. Alexander McQueen had fierce, helpful and expert mentors throughout his career.
Financial Backing. Fashion designers often find it hard to monetize, and an over-focus on the creative side. McQueen got serious investment from Gucci, which allowed him to do amazing fashion shows. Whether you embrace backing through gritted teeth or embrace it wholeheartedly, it can help you deliver your goals.
He didn’t have enough time off. McQueen was in an endless cycle of work. He did 14 different shows a year with three different labels. He felt he had no choice but to keep on working. He was advised to take a year out but he didn’t take that advice. It’s ok to take a break from your business.
Massive need for too much control. This made great art, and catwalk. He had to have control over every aspect of his work and life. You are bigger, stronger and wiser if you ask other people to do things for you. Warhol and Damien Hirst had other people to paint their art. You don’t want to feel like you’re on a hamster wheel.
McQueen was never able to talk about his feelings. It’s best to embrace your demons and talk about them. Take that emotion, and put it into your art and business. We are all tortured in some way and if we bottle it up, it will not help. If you share, solutions will come to the fore. When McQueen was mastering his emotions he was courageous?
BEST MOMENTS
‘Death is in the middle for Business.’
‘How can we get close to genius without the tragic end to the story.’
‘Every human being has every human trait.’
‘We are all wrestling with the darker sides to our nature.’
‘We shouldn’t hide from either of them’
‘No-one betrays you, people are only loyal to themselves.’
‘How can I help meet other people’s needs.’
‘Entrepreneurs are not self-made.’
‘The commercial sides of the business are as important as the creative.’
‘You’ve got a hobby if you don’t embrace the commercial side of business.’
‘It’s ok to get away, the world will carry on.’
‘Let go of that over-control.’
‘Most entrepreneurs are creatives.’
‘There is art in Business, and Business in Art.’
‘What you will resist, will persist.’
‘Make people feel something.’
‘Allow your light to shine.’
[Business, mindset, entrepreneur, disruptors]
VALUABLE RESOURCES
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ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “Disruptors”
“If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”
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