I read a book called My Friend Michael by Frank Cascio a while back, about Michael Jackson. His life sounded so glamorous as it was filled with first class travel, the money to buy whatever he wanted, fabulous hotels where he booked out an entire floor, not to mention being an international celebrity.
But sadly we all know how Michael’s story ended. As he grew bigger and bigger he began taking prescription medicines just to cope with the stress of it all. Part of me wonders why he didn’t downsize his life and just enjoy what he had, but as it was all he had known from age 5, that thought probably didn’t occur to him.
Besides, you don’t get to be an international pop superstar by being a relaxed person who takes things in their stride.
As a side note, it was a fabulous book and I was really impressed by Michael’s goal-setting and visualisation that the author described so well. The book is a good motivational tool. I made heaps of notes!
I have a cousin who, having just turned 30 is an extremely successful businessman that lives literally all over the world. He has two homes (Miami and London) and probably spends more time in hotel rooms and airplanes than he does in those.He commented to a family member a while back that he feels sorry for me to be ‘stuck’ in our shop every day and never going anywhere. I was quite astounded when I heard that as I have never felt this way and don’t consider our shop to be any different from other jobs I have had where I was obliged to show up at the office each day. It’s just what I do.
An international life sounds glamorous and fun in theory, and I am definitely guilty of daydreaming when I see the celebrity photos of all the stars striding out from the airport gates (I have to process what they are wearing – cool sunglasses, check, leggings or skinny jeans, check, great jacket and loopy scarf, check).
But I am a home-loving person at heart who relishes routine and early nights, nesting and home-cooked meals. If I even have too many late nights I am all out of sorts.
And to do all these things that I love you have to have a job or lifestyle that means you can live in the one city and be home at a reasonable hour. I love that I spend each day in a familiar place and come to the same home each night.
When I go away on a rare holiday I just cannot wait to get home. Heck, even when I am out for the day I cannot wait to get home!
So I guess it’s lucky I am not an international jetsetter then isn’t it? But in the meantime I will enjoy perfecting the superstar travel uniform, just in case.
Image from zimbio.com