[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fHWo_Cq8y-wQOwr-sW4bxy9RQ4-z9A6kZzVwULRp4Tc8":3,"$fHz656Z4No14gaXIW9Yyrdm91Y8DePOR8ccPWBQPjfrM":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},9138,"Benjamin Zander","B",33,null,"benjamin-zander",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":78},[14,22,29,35,41,47,54,60,66,72],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},2882386,"Right. So if the eyes are shining, you know you’re doing it. If the eyes are not shining, you get to ask a question. And this is the question: who am I being that my players’ eyes are not shining? We can do that with our children, too. Who am I being, that my children’s eyes are not shining? That’s a totally different world.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":28},2882385,"I settled on a game called I am a contribution. Unlike success and failure, contribution has no other side. It is not arrived at by comparison.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\n\nBenjamin Zander, a renowned conductor and educator, likely penned these words during his tenure as the music director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. This quote reflects his philosophical approach to success, which emphasizes contribution over personal achievement. As he navigated the pressures of leading an orchestra, he grappled with the fleeting nature of success and failure.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nWhat's counter-intuitive about this quote is that Zander suggests contribution doesn't depend on external validation or comparison. He's saying that our value lies not in being better than others but in making a meaningful impact. This tension arises because traditional measures of success (e.g., awards, recognition) often require competition and comparison.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nTo apply this mindset today, consider shifting your focus from individual accomplishments to the positive difference you make. Instead of measuring success by external metrics, ask yourself: \"What contribution can I make that will outlast my own achievements?\" By doing so, you'll cultivate a sense of purpose and fulfillment that's not beholden to the vicissitudes of external validation.",{"id":30,"quote_text":31,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":32,"source":33,"quote_tag":34,"commentary":9},2882384,"He had realized that the labels he had been taking so seriously are human inventions – it’s all a game. The Number 68 is invented and the A is invented, so we might as well choose to invent something that brightens our life and the lives of the people around us.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":9},2882383,"It’s not a question of how much power you can hoard for yourself, but how much you can give away.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":42,"quote_text":43,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":44,"source":45,"quote_tag":46,"commentary":9},2882381,"Would you think of somebody who you adore, who’s no longer there? A beloved grandmother, a lover – somebody in your life who you love with all your heart, but that person is no longer with you. Bring that person into your mind, and at the same time follow the line all the way from B to E, and you’ll hear everything that Chopin had to say.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":48,"quote_text":49,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":50,"source":51,"quote_tag":52,"commentary":53},2882380,"I have a definition of success...",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\n\nThis quote is attributed to Benjamin Zander, a renowned conductor and music educator. It's likely from one of his lectures or interviews where he shares insights on leadership, creativity, and personal growth. As a conductor who led the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra for 16 years, Zander was known for his innovative approach to teaching and his passion for helping musicians develop their skills.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nAt first glance, Zander's definition of success might seem straightforward: \"To be completely engaged in your subject, and to have developed some way in which you can serve.\" However, the counter-intuitive truth lies in the fact that this definition doesn't rely on external validation or achievement. Instead, it focuses on the individual's internal state of engagement and contribution. This means that success is not solely defined by what others think or how one measures up to external standards.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nTo apply Zander's mindset today, focus on cultivating a sense of intrinsic motivation and purpose in your work. Rather than constantly seeking external recognition or validation, develop a deep understanding of your subject matter and identify ways you can contribute meaningfully to it. By doing so, you'll be more likely to experience a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that comes from being fully engaged in your craft.",{"id":55,"quote_text":56,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":57,"source":58,"quote_tag":59,"commentary":9},2882375,"The practice of giving an A transports your relationships from the world of measurement into the universe of possibility... This A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":61,"quote_text":62,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":63,"source":64,"quote_tag":65,"commentary":9},2882372,"As leaders, we’re giving out grades in every encounter we have with people. We can choose to give out grades as an expectation to live up to, and then we can reassess them according to performance. Or we can offer grades as a possibility to live into. The second approach is much more powerful.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":67,"quote_text":68,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":69,"source":70,"quote_tag":71,"commentary":9},2882368,"I’m so sorry for you; your lives have been so easy. You can’t play great music unless your heart’s been broken.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":73,"quote_text":74,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":75,"source":76,"quote_tag":77,"commentary":9},2882365,"Mistakes can be like ice. If we resist them, we may keep on slipping into a posture of defeat. If we include mistakes in our definition of performance, we are likely to glide through them and appreciate the beauty of the longer run.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":79,"totalPages":80,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":81},1,4,10]