Do You Have a Chance?

Dixie Chicks

Every month while my head is laying back in the shampoo bowl, my hair stylist talks about her band. Memory (it's her real name) is a song-writer and lead guitar player, and she has another guy on guitar who's also a sound man. A girl plays the bass and they've got a fabulous drummer.

They're good enough to have gigs at local clubs and bars every weekend. But she's been anticipating their big chance. Getting out of SLC to play in cities like Reno, Boise and Jackson Hole would put them in a whole new league. They just needed a chance.

Today, I heard the news. They've got their chance! A new agent wants to sign them for a 2-month tour of the northwest. But there's a problem Memory hadn't counted on. None of her band members want to take a chance. They're happy to play around at playing, hang out in familiar places, and not seek out the stress and hard work associated with taking a chance.

"I guess they don't want to become what they've always said they wanted to be," said my frustrated stylist.

What would you take a chance on? What kind of life would you like to have? Do you crave riches, fame, a new job, peace of mind, a better marriage? A happy home? A svelte figure? Look at a person whose life you envy. Are you willing to do what they've done to have that kind of life?

A couple of weeks ago I went to see Yanni . Because my daughter-in-law is a famous blogger in St. Louis she got free tickets if she'd review his concert on her blog. Afterward, eight of us were invited backstage to meet the singers. We casually chatted . . . in fact Stie was casually chatted up by a long-haired smitten musician (who would have happily given her her big chance.)

One of the girls (Chloe) said how she wished they'd been able to spend a few hours touring St. Louis, but they'd arrived on the bus that morning and rehearsed all day before the show. They were leaving for Daton, Ohio as soon as our interview ended. In fact someone came and told them they were already loading the bus, where they'd sleep all night before another one-night stand.

After the first 4 weeks of their tour, they'd each gone home for a weekend, and then joined up again for the 2nd stage (6 weeks) of sleeping on the bus. There would be another break, and then 4 more weeks on the road. Chloe said they'd had two days off in New York City and they'd all loved playing tourists instead of violins.

Don't you picture the rich and famous living a dreamier life? Years of practice, huge talent and probably some good luck got them their dream jobs: performing all over the world, selling CDs, rewarded by thunderous applause every night, cheers, standing ovations, bouquets and perks.

But the day-to-day reality is eating take-out and sleeping on a bus, with 40 other people, then arriving in some unfamiliar city at 5:am, hauling your stuff into a shared hotel room for a nap and a shower, and then leaving, all without discovering the cool restaurants, the local craft shops, or even walking around town.

I'm more like Memory's band. Although it sounds awesome to have a concert hall filled with fans singing songs you wrote and made famous, I wouldn't want to sacrifice my way of life to get it, even if I got the chance.

It's easy to look at a beautiful, athletic, fit woman and wish I could be her. But it's way hard to change my habits and actually get off the couch and do the work she's done to achieve that goal. Usually the life we want is within reach if we put in the hard work and effort necessary.

What kind of life would you like? What changes would you have to make? What would you have to sacrifice? Is it worth it? The valuable things in life usually are. Take a chance!