A Valuable Lesson About Success
Germany’s Lena Meyer-Landrut jubilated when she was announced the winner of the 2010 European Song Contest. For those outside of Europe who are not familiar with the contest – the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest running television shows worldwide. Since 1956, each year performers from various European countries participate in the contest, and the winning song is decided in an exciting final watched by millions on TV across Europe.
Lena Wins the Eurovision Song Contest with Satellite
In 2010, Lena’s song Satellite received the highest number of points from televoters and juries from 39 countries. But even weeks before the ESC final in Oslo, Lena’s single topped the German charts. And the 19-year-old high school student from Hannover conquered the hearts of the German audience and the press alike. Coming out of nowhere, Lena had to cope with her sudden and unexpected success and fame. And she did it so well that she has set an example for many of us when it comes to dealing with success. No matter if we’re seeing a product or a company rapidly taking of, there are two valuable lessons that we can learn from Germany’s young singer:
Success Is Not Life
When Lena was asked at the press conference in Oslo how she felt about winning the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest she answered “Winning is a gut feeling, but it is not everything. It is awesome, but it is not life, and I want to enjoy it as much as I can.” At 19 years old, Lena speaks words of wisdom. If you experience a time of success, enjoy it (if you worked hard for it, like Lena, you deserve it!) but know that any kind of triumph won’t be there to last. Prepare yourself to work towards your next achievement. 
Staying Grounded
Despite all the media hype around her talent and her success, Lena has managed (so far) to stay grounded. She has kept a clear head. Whether on stage or in interviews, she acts completely natural – and her fans love her for that.
Admittedly, it’s not easy to continue with the same ease and genuineness after achieving success. Whether your recently published book has become a bestseller, your product is flying off the shelves or your art unexpectedly finds great response – sudden success transports us to a state of happiness, triumph, and pride.
Lena’s mentor, German music producer Stefan Raab, knows how to handle the situation. In an interview with the German news magazine Der Spiegel Raab said his priority will be to protect Lena from the subsequent media hype. He is currently developing a strategy on how to continue Lena’s success without putting her teenage life at risk.
How do you cope with success? What’s your strategy to stay grounded? In your opinion, what’s the formula for continued success? I’m looking forward to your comments.
