Have you ever been somewhere but you knew you weren’t necessarily wanted? I’m sure you have at one point, as have the rest of us. Whether it’s a job, a calling, a relationship, or whatever it is, there have been times when we have felt like a fish out of water. The same thing happens in the life of an artist and in many cases this stifles the growth, reach of the performer and his playlist. The problem that many of us are experiencing is due to settling for being tolerated instead of celebrated.
I picked up this phrase “Go where you are celebrated and not where you are tolerated” from world renowned motivational Eric Thomas AKA ET the HipHop Preacher. He spoke of a time when he was merely being tolerated where people would come let him speak but didn’t take him seriously. It may have been because of the fact that he didn’t dress up or the fact that he always wore a snap back but many places he went didn’t celebrate him like the gem he was. This made Eric a little frustrated and he wondered why he wasn’t progressing like some of his fellow speakers were. Eric arrived at the epiphany that he was going to places that didn’t really celebrate him. It wasn’t until he started going places where he was heralded that he became to “blow up” and increase in popularity.
Many artist not only have the gifting, the work ethic, and the right heart and mindset but for whatever reason they aren’t progressing. There could be a myriad of reasons but I implore you to ask, are you going to places that merely tolerate you? Are you getting calls to perform last minute during the middle of the week and the churches or businesses don’t even attempt to offer compensation? Are you only called to perform to perform in front of the children or youth but never invited to the larger stages that a particular organization has? Has your gift been dumbed down to “can you write one of your little raps,” “can you sing a little something,” “can you do it for the Kingdom?” If you have, there is a big chance that you are being tolerated. Your gift has just enough value to get you in the door but nothing to really be a benefit.
Language, the offer to compensate or let the artist know they won’t be compensated up front, and the interaction at performances are some of the biggest keys to this celebration over tolerance talk. I’ve been to places where my existence wasn’t even acknowledged until it was time for me to perform. I’ve also had my poetry described as “lil poetry thing”(highly disrespectful by the way) and been dumbed down to the same thing as rap without a beat. That’s hilariously funny considering poetry pre-dates rap by centuries, thus making every rap a poem and not every poem a rap (that’s a whole other post) and other compliments that stung of a little backhand. On the other hand, I’ve been getting gigs lately from churches where they offer me money before I can bring it up, they say they have heard about me and are excited (often multiple times in one conversation), folks that may not understand my craft but genuinely appreciate me. It makes a world of difference to be genuinely celebrated for something you have spent years doing. If you feel like you are being tolerated switch your focus onto those who genuinely celebrate what you are doing. Things may not change overnight but give it enough time and things will begin to move in ways you never imagined.
