1. The 15-Second Principle

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I probably didn't notice it because she got herself back on track very quickly. Fascinated, I asked her just
how she accomplished this feat.
Diana graciously revealed that when she was off, she regained her focus by asking herself a simple
question: What is the real purpose for my being on stage? Her instant response was to give and receive
love. She immediately realized that the reason she was off was that she had become distracted and had
left this giving and receiving mode. Once she realized this, she took specific actions to bring herself back to
a more loving state. She selected one receptive person at a nearby table and started singing and sending
love directly to that person. Once she connected with this person, she expanded her focus by including the
entire table. Within a few seconds, she had the entire room back in her command. (When applying this
midperformance technique yourself, remember to pick a person who is already enjoying your performance,
someone who is showing warmth and acceptance. You need an immediate and receptive safe harbor to sail
to. Don't look to convert someone who is not having fun—he or she might have had a death in the family,
not speak your language, or be the world's worst grouch.)
Diana Ross's statement helped me to look at mastery and performing excellence in a totally new light.
Before our conversation, I always assumed that becoming a consummate performer meant that eventually
you would achieve perfection. That is, the better you got at performing, the fewer mistakes you would
make until you were able to achieve flawless performances. After our conversation, I realized that an
ultimate performance is more about passion and correction than it is about perfection. The ultimate
performer doesn't fear or obsess about being off because she knows how to take specific actions that will
enable her to recover. Morihei Uyeshiba, the founder of aikido, also views excellence in a similar fashion.
When asked whether he ever loses his center and balance, he replied, "Yes, all the time, but I regain it so
fast that you do not see me lose it."
A professional tightrope walker is someone who also understands the importance of corrections. Her
success is always determined by how well she can keep herself balanced as she walks a fine line. By
continually making adjustments with her feet, arms, and head, she is able to work in harmony with the
laws of gravity. She arrives at her destination because she has become a master of correction, not
perfection. It's fascinating to