The 1997 hit "I'll Be Missing You" was an iconic song that year, and continues to be easily recognizable and used in myriad television and film soundtracks. The Sean "Diddy" Combs tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G. rose to quick success in part because of the iconic backbeat. Diddy sampled the Police's "Every Breath You Take", another easily recognizable song. One of the two songs is now going to be your own personal earworm for the next day, for which I say you're welcome.
Aside from the success of the songs themselves, what is perhaps just is interesting is the agreement Diddy and Sting struck for the use of the backbeat. Diddy agreed to pay Sting $5000 a day, every day, moving forward. If you're doing the math, over the course of the last 26 years, that's well north of $47 million and counting. Neither artist is hurting for money, obviously, and the success of the song more than made up for the ongoing price tag.
I'm particularly interested in the agreement itself, and what it can remind us about the work we put in. It's easy, especially now with the prominence of social media posts and the quest to go viral, to chase the big moment. We are tempted to look for the next big idea, land the next big account, the next big payday, or publish the next big research study. The allure of fame is strong, and the attention that comes with it can be incredibly addictive, whether we taste it for 15 minutes or 15 years. However, those moments rarely materialize out of thin air.
The work we do each and every day, the small steps, the attention to detail, the follow-up with friends and colleagues, and the other mundane steps compound over time. One of the more often cited reasons for leaving a job is "boredom" and that perhaps betrays a desire for the next big moment. No matter how much you love your job and the opportunities you get through it, there are going to be moments, days, and months where monotony sets in.
This every day work, however, adds up over time. It may be hard to see, but we have to be patient. Maybe your boss doesn't see that hard work, but they won't be your boss forever. Maybe your ideas aren't being acknowledged by the group, but it only takes one idea to get the ball rolling. This daily work is us paying ourselves for the future opportunity that may emerge.
We won't all write a hit song, or strike a lucrative deal that makes us wealthy. However, opportunities come when we least expect them. Keep doing the little things. Write every day. Practice every day. Build those relationships every day. Generate those ideas every day. It won't all be great, but it doesn't have to be. You're patiently building towards your future success.
