Thankful for the Go-Go's (and more)

It’s been a year like no other.

I’ve heard the terms “awful,” “depressing,” and “frustrating” to describe it. Sometimes, in the same sentence. On my worst days, I may have muttered those words myself.

Sometimes, in the same sentence.

But if we REALLY examine our lives, we’ve got many reasons to give thanks. Even in 2020. My list is too long to share today, but I would like to tell you about something I was grateful to learn this week. Actually TWO things:

Knowing who you AREN’T might be even more valuable than knowing who you are
We can learn from anybody. And I mean ANYBODY

So, who were my teachers?

A prostitute turned radical feminist, a new wave girl band from the 1980s, and an Academy Award-winning actor who might be best known for the first line he ever uttered in a film.

Ready to dig in?

All right, all right, all right.

Let’s feast on some wisdom from these unlikely sources.

The radical feminist

“Does the sun ask itself, ‘Am I good? Am I worthwhile? Is there enough of me?’
No, it burns and it shines.
Does the sun ask itself, ‘What does the moon think of me? How does Mars feel about me today?’
No it burns, it shines.
Does the sun ask itself, ‘Am I as big as other suns in other galaxies?’
No, it burns, it shines.”

I love that illustration from Andrea Dworkin. Don’t worry if the name isn’t familiar. I hadn’t heard of her until a couple of days ago.

Ms. Dworkin started her working career as a prostitute. As time went on, she became known as a radical activist and “Feminism’s Malcolm X.” In the years just prior to her death in 2005, she became a prolific writer and authored 12 books.

I can’t imagine a more disparate career path from mine.

But that’s OK. We don’t need to see the world in the same way. We don’t need to walk arm-in-arm to understand each other. We don’t need to agree on everything.

But we do have consensus on this: The sun completely understands its role for our planet.

It doesn’t look around. Doesn’t compare itself to other celestial bodies. Doesn’t criticize their work.

It burns and shines.

We can, too.

The Punk-Pop Princesses

They had the beat.

Their lips were sealed.

They flipped head over heels.

And they took a vacation you and I could only dream about.

If you were a child of the 80s, or maybe just enjoy 80s music, you probably know who I’m talking about — the Go-Go’s. More than 40 years after forming, this quintet still holds a rare distinction: They remain the only all-female group to record a number one album while writing their own songs and playing their own instruments.

And for a period of about five years, their music soared to the same heights on the Billboard charts as peers like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, and the Police.

They burned. They shined. They stayed true to their mission.

Until they didn’t.

The Go-Go’s broke up in 1985 after months of bickering, back-stabbing and other drug-induced drama. They got back together again in 1994, then broke up again. Got back together for a world tour in 2001, then parted ways. Again.

Nearly two decades later, they’re back together to share their story in a fascinating documentary on Showtime. In many ways, the film is a 90-minute dance party that will keep you bouncing on your couch. You’ll learn a few new things about the group’s members — lead singer Belinda Carlisle was the oldest of seven children, the band’s early days were spent performing at punk clubs in London, and two original Go-Go’s left just before the worldwide fame.

And during a low point in the movie, they confirmed the lesson Andrea Dworkin shared earlier: Good things come when we understand who we aren’t. And the opposite can lead to unhappy endings. The disciple James warned us about it 2,000 years ago.

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? … You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.”

That’s why their meteoric run flamed out in the mid-1980s.

Years later, the Go-Go’s are finally at peace. With age and wisdom, they began to accept their own unique genius. Even more important, they’ve learned who they AREN’T.

We can, too.

Catch the ‘Greenlights’

“Interstellar.”

“A Time to Kill.”

“Dallas Buyers Club.”

Matthew McConaughey has appeared in some iconic films through the years. And he’s worked tirelessly to become one of the biggest stars of our generation, earning an Oscar for best actor in 2014.

But the world would have been deprived of his gift if he had followed his original career path.

He nearly became a lawyer.

McConaughey shares that story in his marvelous new book, “Greenlights.”

He also offers a theory.

“The first step that leads to our identity in life is usually not ‘I know who I am, but rather ‘I know who I’m not.’ Process of elimination,” he writes. “Too many options can make a tyrant out of any of us, so we should get rid of the excess in our lives that keep us from being more of ourselves.”

And the famous phrase he shared with the world during his Academy Award speech? He was simply paying tribute to the first words he spoke in his debut film, “Dazed and Confused.”

“At that time, I didn't know if that was the only time I'd ever be in front of a camera in my life," he shares. “Now, those words follow me everywhere.”

Yet he’s OK with that. By ruthlessly eliminating the junk that doesn’t feed his soul or bring joy to others, Matthew McConaughey has discovered who he’s NOT.

And to that I say: All right, all right, all right.

We can, too.

(Tim Kolodziej is the creator of EnspireU.com and author of this piece. If you would like to receive encouraging/inspiring messages, videos, and motivational stories each morning, text him at (412) 226-4977.)