I am sucker for the Great American Songbook — the great songs written from the ’20s through World War II.
While I enjoy the melodies mostly, sometimes the lyrics of a song will grab me.
Such is the case with “Pick Yourself Up,” with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and music by Jerome Kern.
Perky and upbeat as the melody is, the lyrics challenge us to take charge of ourselves when we are feeling down and out, or up against a big challenge.
Now nothing’s impossible, I’ve found for when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.
The message of this song is resilience. All of us get knocked down from time to time. The question is: what will we do about it? The song has a right response.
Don’t lose your confidence if you slip, be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up, dust off, start over again.
Resilience is a theme that echoes throughout history. Every successful person has overcome his or her share of adversity and become stronger and often wiser because of this.
Resilience is something we need to employ in real time. It’s the spark that challenges us to get back up again and face the challenges of the day.
Focus on what you have accomplished thus far in your life. Think about your strengths. How have you survived previous challenges? What have you learned from them? Take pride in what you have achieved. It will steel your soul.
John Baldoni is an internationally recognized leadership educator and executive coach. In 2018, Trust Across America honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Trust. Also in 2018, Inc.com named Baldoni a Top 100 Leadership Speaker. In 2019, Global Gurus ranked him No. 9 on its list of top 30 global experts, a list he has been on since 2007. In 2014, Inc.com named Baldoni to its list of top 50 leadership experts. Baldoni is the author of 14 books, including“MOXIE: The Secret to Bold and Gutsy Leadership” and his newest, “GRACE: A Leader’s Guide to a Better Us.” Learn more about why he wrote “GRACE” in this short video.
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