As you may have heard, PSY, one of Korea’s oldest K-Pop singers, has made a comeback worldwide with his new single Gangnam style. This very catchy and latest K-pop song has taken over YouTube and even US radio stations nationwide and is creeping up to be one of the most popular songs worldwide. What you may not have known is that PSY is not a new artist and that his past songs have not even come remotely close to the impact this latest single has made. Despite the comedic nature of the song, there are some valuable lessons for every entrepreneur to learn from him and Gangnam style.
1. Do what you love and it will eventually pay off.
– Any entrepreneur will tell you that great things take time to flourish and just like PSY and his new Gangnam style song, nothing great happens overnight. Sticking to what you love doing and not giving up means you have never failed but rather tweaked your execution.
2. Remain true to who you are.
– Even if you are not accepted by all because they are having a hard time understanding you and what you stand for, do not allow them to change who you really are regardless of how many times your project didn’t work, and how many times you have tried to make it. Being true to who you are is going to help you get there. Don’t change to just make it.
3. Failure in the eyes of others does not have to mean defeat.
– After having so many singles that made it no where, it is only natural for others to critic your career choice or profession, but just because they see your failures as a reason to quit doesn’t mean you should. It is only when you no longer believe in what you are working on that the time comes for you to consider if giving up is the better alternative.
4. An idea is only as great as the execution.
– An idea as ridiculous as Gangnam style must have been associated with the word failure way before it was ever even executed upon but it certainly wasn’t the case. PSY proves that any idea no matter how crazy to some can become a worldwide phenomenon if executed properly.
5. Be original.
– Going the safe route and following others can be easier but certainly less rewarding, without mentioning not as innovative as we would like when helping society and your community. Being original, even if at times considered a bit weird or ahead of your time can lead to a much better outcome. PSY showed us here the power of being original and what that did for him.
6. Think globally.
– In today’s market, thinking nationwide is simply not enough. With all our essential goods being traded worldwide and the power of social media combined with the technologies that enables us to reach worldwide audiences, it simply doesn’t make sense to create goods, or services that can only spread as far as the walls of a country. Think about global expansion even if you first target local communities or a country.
7. Have fun.
– Doing what you love is rewarding but learning how to do it while having fun is on a whole new level. Be serious and focused when you should but don’t forget the first reason why you wanted to work for yourself. In most cases, it was because you could not stand working under others who didn’t get you. If you think about your team, they often probably feel like you used to, unless of course you are making sure you are all having fun while winning.
8. Start a trend.
– In the business of entertainment, the one who can identify a trend and jump on its bandwagon is never going to benefit like the original. Similar to Instagram not being the best picture app but being the first that was mass accepted and used, created a trend that mainly Instagram benefited from, namely being bought out by Facebook. There are over 1000 parodies of Gangnam style and that makes a powerful statement about trend starters.
9. Be bold.
– Be bold and take a chance in life, even if it comes across as crazy to others. Do something that hasn’t been done or try to solve a problem the majority would give up on. Being bold often enables you to win where others don’t have the audacity to venture.
10. It’s never too late.
– Just like PSY, keep in mind that even if you started years ago and never made it big, perseverance and consistency will eventually set you free. Most would have seen this song coming from a singer in their teens but it came from a man who happens to be singing for quite some time.
Here is the video for those of you who have no idea what Gangnam Style is :
