Imagine you go to one of those really fancy steakhouses (My favorite - Maestro's in Scottsdale). The sides, the drinks, the ambiance... all help that steak taste even more delicious. Before the bill comes, your waiter - let's call him Jean-Luke, just for fun - Jean brings you and your friends a complimentary dessert. Bonus. At this moment your belt is very, very angry with you. The Tiramisu never tasted so delicious.
Going to a Dance-O-Rama® is an incredibly bold and exciting move. It is, without question, the best thing you can do to improve your confidence in dancing. That is the goal. Period.
This is the steak.
There are incredible side benefits to attending Dance-O-Rama®. You meet great students from around the world. You stay at beautiful hotels in beautiful cities all over the map. Not to mention the fact that any event that you participate in that is smaller than the Dance-O-Rama® immediately feels more comfortable. Pretty cool.
The side benefits are... well, "the sides".
So what is the "Tiramisu"? The free dessert? The belt-stretching cake-like goodness?
The free dessert is "the results".
No one goes to an awesome steakhouse for the sole-purpose of acquiring a free dessert, you go for the steak, the sides, the ambiance. The same can be said for the Dance-O-Rama®. We go for the incredible confidence boost, the side benefits, and the fun. If, and this is HUGE, if we happen to have some nice results, then that is just a "sweet bonus".
You see, the nice thing about a free dessert is that even if you only get a nibble, it was still an unexpected bonus. Whether you're a student or a professional, the moment that we change our focus to our own journey (the confidence/conquering timing/improving footwork) and away from the results - things immediately get better. You see, when we allow ourselves to be governed by things we can't control (the results), things get frustrating. What we can do is keep our focus on the things that are in our control (the hard work/the individual goals/building confidence/"The Climb" - if you like Miley Cyrus).
Here are some more examples:
(Can't Control) Free desserts.......................... (Can Control) Buying dinner
(Can't Control) Grades .......................... (Can Control) Doing your homework
(Can't Control) Opinions ..........................(Can Control) Your own effort
(Can't Control) The Music.......................... (Can Control) Your ability to adapt to the music
(Can't Control) Your dance partner.......................... (Can Control) Your own dance effort and responsibility
(Can't Control) Your boss..........................(Can Control) Your attitude & effort at work
(Can't Control) The stock market..........................(Can Control) Your knowhow & decision making
(Can't Control) The wind..........................(Can Control) The sails
(Can't Control) The results..........................(Can Control) Your effort, expectations, and attitude
So whether you just got back from the New-York Dance-O-Rama®, or you're preparing for San Francisco - focus on the steak. If a free tiramisu comes your way - great! If not, no big deal. Keeping your focus on your journey and the "expected goals" will make any "unexpected bonuses" all the more SWEET!
Know someone that could use some "steak"? Forward this article to a friend or point them to our website to get them started with dance lessons. Hey, you never know, when they become an awesome dancer and want to thank you for it - have them take you to Maestro's!
