I love connecting with people, learning about their journey in life, their successes, the struggles they overcame, their story. It fascinates and inspires me.
I am lucky that this is part of what I do every day in my conversations with people as an executive coach.
Sometimes this connection is at a completely different level, and a different form.
This week I deepened, my very one sided relationship :), with Leonard Cohen. I love his music. It touches my soul. Though I have enjoyed listening to it for decades, I did not know much about him. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the new Leonard Cohen documentary Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song, on Netflix. The music, as expected, was incredible, his story, inspirational!
Did you know that:
- He arrived in NYC at the age of 32 and was told that he is too old to start a music career.
- He ran off the stage at his first performance.
- Colombia records declined to release the Hallelujah record (Various Positions), in the US. They did not think it was good enough.
- He struggled with depression and drinking.
- In his 70’s, after his assistant embezzled all of his money, he went back on tour, and released multiple gold and platinum albums.
He persevered!
The image is a photo I took of the Leonard Cohen mural in Montreal. Every time I visit Montreal I have to see it. “I go to visit Leonard”. I stop for a moment. I breathe it in. I can’t fully explain the positive impact it has on me, but it does.
With the deeper connection with Leonard, I expect that the next time I visit him, the experience will be even more meaningful.
What has a positive influence on you? What fascinates and inspires you?
Are you making time to take it in?