During my 25 years as a wedding DJ, I played Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” at 9:00 on a Saturday whenever possible.
Hundreds of times.
In case you don’t understand the reason, the first line in the song is:
“It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday…”
Only once — La Renaissance, East Windsor, Connecticut, in September 2011 — did someone notice. As I began to play the song, a man got up from his seat, walked over to me, and said, “I see you, man. Impressive.”
Here’s the thing:
Once was enough.
More certainly would’ve been better, of course, but I believe in grabbing every edge possible, as minuscule and unlikely as it may seem. A great big pile of teeny-tiny advantages, compiled over time, can equate to something meaningful and important if you’re consistent, persistent, and relentless enough.
One guy, who almost certainly doesn’t remember that moment, was more than enough for me.
Effort. Persistence. Consistency. Relentlessness. Hope.
These are the things that make for a successful career, even if your cleverness is only recognized once in a quarter century of trying.
