Rocker Steven Tyler announced last week that he is leaving American Idol after two years.
His press release said, “I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress American Idol before she boils my rabbit. I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back — but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I’ve got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”
Clearly, having your rabbit boiled is a bad thing and to be avoided.
While we don’t know the details of the contract negotiations, he is exiting after benefiting greatly from being on American Idol, still one of the top rated shows on television in spite of some recent declines.
His two-year stint as the naughty rock star clearly gave him a big career boost, and, a broader audience. If his goals were to elevate his career, keep his music relevant to younger generations, and build the interest for an upcoming Aerosmith world tour – he can check those boxes. And, his personality added some fun and unpredictability to a familiar format. No rabbit even came close to being boiled.
Tyler is leaving at the top of his game. He wasn’t a perfect fit for American Idol, but he made it better by not losing himself. He took a big risk by trying something new with high risk and reward, and some hard-core Aerosmith fans wondered what he was doing there.
Yet, he left Idol fans a little disappointed that he’s going so soon. There’s probably a lesson in that for all of us.
When we have achieved our goals in our current job or company, it’s time to ask the question if it’s time to go.
Here are a few questions to consider when making these decisions:
I think Steven Tyler’s example is to make changes toward our goals at times of success, not when you are on your back foot and the options are few.
And, that success is no reason to stop pushing for the dream.
Follow Steven’s lead and Dream On before your rabbit is boiled.
This was originally published on PeopleResult’s Current blog.
