Circus Level Tension

Starting with the excited anticipation and ending with the last act of walking out.

Well heck, even before the show started, I found out a very close relative was in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. I know, sad, right? Very. I should have told him to hold off a day as he was making me feel guilty for going to the circus. But, it was our own fault. Going to the circus, that is, not putting him in the hospital. We could have went the day before, had we planned better. Go figure.

It was the first time, for my wife and I, taking our children to the circus. You know how when you first walk into something you haven’t walked into before, it’s always a little bit of “oooo” what’s about to happen along with a whole lot of WTF is going on? People left and right just looking out for themselves. Seems like total chaos.

Luckily, there were a bunch of clowns there clowning around and lightening up the mood. I guess that’s what they do, though.

I have to say, it was interesting noticing the cast being crew, too. When I was young, I didn’t notice this, of course. You could tell they weren’t happy about it. The most pretty of the cast was taking money at the elephant ride. Clearly she thought this was beneath her as she was just so annoyed by the whole idea of her having to not be just a pretty face.

Realize that everyone in an organization sells.

The first stunt of the evening was the trapeze. This had everyone on the edge of their seat. High flying aerialists tumbling through the air in death-defying tricks that make your heart stop until they grab onto each other “safely,” again, and landing on the platform.

Then came the bears. Real life bears. Not wild bears, tamed bears. But, bears, none the less. Of course, you’re just waiting for one of them to snap like you see on YouTube and treat it’s trainer like a honey pot. What ever that means, but it ain’t good, that’s for sure. On the other hand, how cute and adorable is an eight foot teddy bear walking on it’s hind legs and waddling around like a Weeble Wobble until it sits upright on a bike and rides it around as funny as a clown on a unicycle.

Finally, intermission. Time for a break from the emotional roller coaster. Our children ride the elephant, ponies, and do other fun rare picture-perfect stuff memories are made of.

After that, back to stunt elephants and clown levitatants.

What’s the pattern here? Well, believe it or not, there’s a method to this madness they call a circus. Circus science if you will. Admission/intermission. Cast and crew. Tension - release. Tension – release, go figure, the circus (and this post) has a theme behind it and it’s not just rhyme or alliteration. I wasn’t expecting a clown act between every stunt, so that’s how it was so glaringly obvious what they are doing.

What a roller coaster of emotions. What a way to keep attention, too.

Application to sales and business? Remember Prospect-Demo-Close? Underpromise/overdeliver? Challenge, achieve.

If you’re in the dating game; keeping them guessing by being open to being chased, getting caught, being chased, getting caught. Hey, that’s the rhythm of life, right?

No pressure, no diamonds. And, as far as my younger brother in the hospital? Well, I’m still waiting for release…

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Life is like a roller coaster; you have your ups and downs, unless you fall off. -Unknown #ruleof3 #paraprosdokian

I always feel like I’m on a roller coaster, but I never want to get off! There’s a certain high you’re always on. -Leonardo DiCaprio

To me, clowns aren’t funny. In fact, they’re kind of scary. I’ve wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad. -Jack Handey #paraprosdokian

Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away. -Ben Hecht #simile

Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy gets the Catholic Church. America gets Hollywood. -Erica Jong #ruleof3

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirkscircusimages/ / CC BY-ND 2.0