In the most memorable scene of the wonderful movie Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise’s character, a hard - driving sports agent, has just signed up one of the hottest draft picks in football. As he drives away form the athlete’s home in a state of utter joy, he impatiently searches from station to station on his car radio for the kind of song he can turn up loud and sing along to at the top of his lings. Finally, to his great delight, he finds it - Tom Petty’s hit Free Falling. And he begins to sing his heart out.
Do you remember those times when you heard just the right song at just the right moment? Like Jerry Maguire, you started singing out loud and dancing with reckless abandon. In those moments, you felt fully alive, full of energy and truly happy. And all because you heard a few chords strung together in the right sequence. Music can do that to you. Music can lift your mood, put the smile back on your face and add immeasurably to your quality of life.
Get serious about listening to music that inspires you. Build a collection of your favorite pieces and play something that fills your heart with joy every single day of the week. For me, some moods call for a soothing piece of classical music or a soft jazz selection. When I’m writing a new book, for example, I will often listen to Johann Pachelbel’s Cannon in D or jazz legend Chet Baker’s Round Mindnight compilation. If you have attended one of my seminars, you might have recognized the more upbeat music played before I step onto the stage. Even when I travel, I bring along my Walkman and listen to inspiring music such as the soundtracks to the movies Braveheart and Everest on the plane. Listening to even a few minutes of music every day is a simple yet exceptionally powerful way to manage your moods and remain at your best.
Excerpt from Who WIll Cry When You Die by Robin Sharma. www.robinsharma.com