I often tell my students that there is no such thing as failure, that what many call failure is simply a valuable lesson that we can use in propelling ourselves forward. As long as we get up each time we fall, we find that success is not far away. I know that this message is reaching my students when I am no longer telling them about inspirational people, but they come forward and tell me about those who inspire them to live the principles of greatness.
Lindsey Stirling is a dancer and violinist, and one of the most popular artists on YouTube. Her albums have gone platinum around the globe, and her star continues to rise. Her journey, however, has been far from easy.
Stirling has always loved to dance and play the violin. Many told her that she could not make a living doing these things but she continued to embrace her dreams and she has watched them become a reality.
Stirling first came to public attention on America's Got Talent in 2010. She made it to the quarterfinals but was told by judge Sharon Osborne, "What you're doing is not enough to fill a theater in Las Vegas."
Though devastated, Stirling remained true to her vision and to her art. She began recording her work and posting it on YouTube. She used her experience on America's Got Talent to gain a foothold, and slowly her popularity grew. By 2012 she was touring North America, and by 2013 she was touring the world, filling theaters everywhere she went.
There is another success principle that Stirling lives as well. Our greatest challenges in life can lead to our greatest successes, if we have the courage to face them. Though she normally plays instrumentals, Stirling ventured into lyric writing with her song, Shatter Me. She did this in order to tell the story of her own struggle in overcoming anorexia. The song shows a deep comprehension of a disorder that most of us find puzzling. The video and the vocal performance of Lzzy Hale, combined with Stirling's dance and violin playing, send forth a powerful message of understanding and hope.
In 2014 Stirling played Shatter Me when she made a triumphant return to America's Got Talent as a guest artist. She has continued to win an unprecedented number of awards for an independent artist and she has millions of followers on YouTube.
There are no stories of debauchery which accompany Stirling, as with many other pop stars who continually appear on the covers of tabloids. She is a strong woman of faith, yet she is also a delightfully fun-loving character whom others love to work with. Everyone who has anything to do with Stirling is richer for the experience.
Stirling shows us, regardless of our age, that when we do what we love, when we dare to dream dreams, when we set goals and pursue them with persistence, when we embrace the challenges in our lives, when we realize that setbacks do not determine our fate, when we treat others well and live with integrity, amazing things happen.
