One Hit Blunder
Recognize this album cover? (You should because it’s burned into a generation of retinas)
No? Okay well…
Do you know the song Tubthumping by Chumbawamba?
Awesome some of you do, but not everyone, alright…
Uhhh, do you recognize these lyrics?
”I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down. I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.”
Now you recognize it? Great!
That is the beauty of a one-hit wonder, isn’t it?
Everyone recognizes the song when they hear it but they can’t quite remember the name of it, and definitely don’t remember the album that went along with it.
Funny eh, how similar that is to a tough experience or a mistake. It’s a one-hit blunder. We remember the few pieces of bad, put them on repeat in our brains, and forget everything else.
So I want you to consider that for a second.
A song with the simplest of lyrics and the most memorable of band names still has 1) faded in recognition over time 2) in the grand scheme of music history is, well… irrelevant (sorry Chumbawamba).
So if the “I get knocked down, but I get up again.” song is slowly being forgotten, then why are you still stewing over last week’s or even last month’s problems?
Furthermore, listen to those really simple but obviously impactful lyrics…
“I get knocked down, but I get up again.”
There is a reason this resonated with people and became a one-hit wonder.
In life, you are going to get knocked down. Sometimes it is going to feel like it’s happening a lot. But each time you get back up and move forward you get better at it and stronger because of it.
Oh and don’t forget each time you choose to stay down, you make it last longer! Sorry it’s true, and I do it too!
On that note, compare this time to the last time you fell down.
(Seriously pause and think back)
Wow, you are starting to realize that just like Chumbawamba, it was a “thing” that happened years ago.
The last time you fell down you ended up being okay in time right? Now that you have a little bit more perspective and experience you probably handled this fall better right? Or maybe you didn’t?
Either way, it’s part of life’s eternal learning curve. No matter how much you think you have mastered it, well it will remind you that you haven’t, and you never will. But you will be better because of it even if you don’t see how right now.
So overall just remember…
If Chumbawamba isn’t making the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, then your most recent blunder isn’t going to make the history books either.
If Chumbawamba forgave themselves for this awful album cover then you can forgive yourself in this situation too! OR EVEN FORGIVE OTHERS!
We are 4 months into this year already and you are X number of years into your life at this point, don’t spend more of them down on the ground…
Get back up chum,
PS. Get back up chum is referencing you to all get back up friends… that is absolutely not a PSA for Chumbawamba to release any more music… ever.
