The Drumfish Formula: Our true originals
“I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.”
~ Madonna
I’ve always vacationed with family in Door County, Wisconsin. A unique, somewhat hidden away place off a peninsula that juts Northeast out into the deep waters of lake Michigan. This is not a Hollywood hotspot where movie stars or big shots go to be seen. It’s a place for family, nature, great food, jet skiing, sunset-watching, boating, picnics on the lake, flashlight tag, biking, and oh yeah, fishing.
My family and I fishing:
A Door County Sunset:
Story-time. When I was in my early teens I remember my second cousin Fred coming back to the dock one summer evening in his boat “Thanks Mom” (which he’d titled because the boat was a gift from his mother) with a fish he’d caught that he found peculiar. My brother Scott, cousin Bennett, and friends Ivan and Michael gathered around to see this unique catch. He told us he did some research and it’s apparently called a “Drumfish”. A more rare and unique fish (not to be confused with a carp) that swims amongst the deeper waters of Lake Michigan. I remember thinking wow it did appear quite different. Unlike the other fish but still very authentic in it’s own right. A true original. Many questions popped up in my inherently curious ADHD mind. Why was it so hard to catch? How many are out there? How do we find them? Are they swimming amongst all the salmon, trout, bass, and perch, and we don’t even know it? What makes a Drumfish a Drumfish? I never got these answers. But as time went on I came to realize that these unique fish are quite mysterious. Just as society has terms for people that stand out from the crowd in “black swans” and “unicorns”, I am here to create a new one of sports. The “Drumfish”. So you may be asking who are these drumfish and how do we point them out? With a little insight, research, and intuition I came to realize they are there if you look closer. There’s a definite pattern. In fact, I find it ironic Door County is my family’s vacation spot. It in and of itself is a Drumfish of locales. All that being said, let’s take a look at my 3 unique traits that make someone a “Drumfish” and then 10 examples.
Traits of a “Drumfish”:
- They march to the beat of their to own “drum” and are DO-ERS
Drumfish are not afraid to say what they feel, do what they want, and they seem to march to the beat of their own drum (ironic given the name). They are opinionated, direct, often possess a no-nonsense approach to life and not afraid to take risks to better what they believe is the right answer or best option for the common good. In short, they say and do what they believe in. They are doers. They make things happen, are passionate about change, and constantly work within the realms of their passions and beliefs to see to that progress is made.
2. They are broad thinkers and usually “Expert-Generalists”
Drumfish often have many interests woven across various career paths, hobbies, and beliefs. They mix and match and see things across multiple spectrums which adds to their extraordinary authenticity. What is an Expert-Generalist?
Michael Simmons describes “Expert Generalists” in his recent article “How One Life Hack From A Self-Made Billionaire Leads to Exceptional Success” :
Orit Gadiesh, chairman of Bain & Co, who coined the term, describes the expert-generalist as:
“Someone who has the ability and curiosity to master and collect expertise in many different disciplines, industries, skills, capabilities, countries, and topics., etc. He or she can then, without necessarily even realizing it, but often by design:
Draw on that palette of diverse knowledge to recognize patterns and connect the dots across multiple areas.
Drill deep to focus and perfect the thinking.”
He goes on to say:
“Many of the top scientists, business leaders, inventors and artists throughout time have also achieved their breakthrough successes by being an expert-generalist. Albert Einstein was trained in physics, but to formulate his law of general relativity, he taught himself an area of mathematics far removed from his expertise, Riemannian geometry. James Watson and Francis Crick combined discoveries in X-ray diffraction technology, chemistry, evolutionary theory and computation to solve the puzzle of the double helix. Steve Jobs, of course, drew on insights from his study of calligraphy and a rich understanding of design to create a new breed of computing devices.”
3.) They are often (but not always) under a lot of scrutiny, seen as outsiders or outcasts, and seem to be either loved or loathed.
Drumfish often our under much controversy When you are operating within the realms of #1 and #2 this can generally go with the territory. They do what they believe in and plow forward. Being a maverick of sorts leaves them often open to extreme judgement in many forms.
All that said let’s look at some people that could be defined within the realms of a “drumfish” in our current world. Each of us is unique to our own world so rather than try to compare and contrast one to the other, try to recognize them as uniquely brilliant within the realms of their own world. There is a common thread, but above all we each are our own.
- Stephen A. Smith
Sports TV personality, Sports Radio Host, Sports Journalist, Actor
I absolutely love watching Stephen A. Smith. The fact of the matter is many people don’t. He is opinionated and will state clearly, proficiently, and in great depth how he feels about a certain sports topic. Not only that but I can tell he does his research. Many people don’t like him because he might seem like a “know-it-all”. Well, fact of the matter is he does know it all. He’s been a journalist for over 20 years. If I ever wanted to talk sports, this would be the guy I’d like to sit down with. He has managed to make himself stand out from the pack in a very busy market of sports journalists because he is a hard-worker and likes what he does despite having to deal with ongoing amounts of criticism and naysayers. He loves the naysayers! You can just tell his motto is bring it on. He says and does what he believes in and doesn’t look back.
Here he is riding a roller-coaster:
2. Chelsea Handler
Talk Show Host, Comedian, Actress, Writer, Producer
Unquestionably within the realms of Drumfish is Chelsea Handler. She received a lot of criticism for her direct often crass nature of her talk-show “Chelsea Lately”. But she doesn’t hide behind anything. She’s knowledgable about a wide-range of topics and will always say how she feels. Despite her no-nonsense, outspoken nature you can tell watching her that she has a love for life and people. She stands out from the crowd.
Here she is snap-chatting of all things:
3. Michael Moore
Documentary Filmmaker, Author, TV Personality, Political Activist
Certainly one cannot begin to speak about drumfish without bringing up Michael Moore. He stands out from any crowd! As outspoken as it comes Michael always will tell you how he feels on any issue especially in regards to politics. Of course it starts with his films most of which are set around current or past hot topics. He is also an author and political activist always saying how he feels on current domestic and international affairs.
Of course who could forget his speech at the 2003 Oscars:
He does not pull any punches. He stays strong and close to his beliefs, has a wide range of interests, marches to the beat of his own drum, and is often the subject of much controversy.
4. David Ortiz
Professional Baseball Player, Humanitarian, Entrepreneur, Spokesman
As a baseball fan, you either love or hate “Big Papi” aka. David Ortiz. He has certainly done scoreboard damage to my Cardinals over the years. But as a person and humanitarian, he is truly one of the special, more memorable personalities in baseball and will be for a long time. He has not been without controversy, however. In 2011 Jay-Z filed a lawsuit claiming Ortiz used the name of one of his nightclubs. There were also some alleged PED tests in 2003. Anyone who has watched him knows he is not afraid to tell umpires how he feels about a call. He will bark right at them if in disagreement often having to be quieted by teammates. Just this past summer he was under close scrutiny when he told the media that Marlins Pitcher Jose Fernandez (who recently was tragically killed in a boating accident, RIP) should come play for the Red Sox. But we all love Big Papi and just can’t get past his magnetic personality and obvious zest for life. Oh, and one of the all-time great baseball designated hitters who will likely make the hall of fame.
David Ortiz driving LYFT:
5. Lena Dunham
Actress, Screenwriter, Producer, Director, Author
Lena Dunham has never been one to pull punches. She wrote, produced, and acted in her hit TV show GIRLS which has been Emmy nominated and won two golden globes. She became the first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for her Outstanding Directing — Comedy Series in 2013. The nature of her television show GIRLS in and of itself falls within the realms of drumfish as it’s themes are direct in nature and not afraid to go against the grain. It is about the trials and tribulations of a group of young women living together in New York city.
From wikipedia:
Critics lauded the show for its raw nature, humor, and refreshing tone, applauding Dunham’s more realistic portrayal of women and their relationships than mainstream media tends to present.
This alone is inherently admirable. Here is a woman who does not fall victim to the false pretense of how media will often try to portray people. She wants her characters to be real, authentic, and true to life. One can’t help but admire that as it seems her show is a testament to her overall view of the world. She’s a realist and says it like it is. Though the show and Dunham herself have had a fair share of criticism, she stands strong.
A few clips from GIRLS:
6. Simon Cowell
Reality TV Judge, Entrepreneur, TV Producer, Philanthropist
One of the more controversial figures in pop-culture TV of the last 15 years is Simon Cowell. We all remember well his direct, pragmatic criticism of young singers trying to become pop-stars on his hit show AMERICAN IDOL. What was ironic about his tough criticisms, is even though many people scrutinized Cowell, we all couldn’t help but feel he was probably right. He would constantly reference the fact that by “being real” with them he was doing them a favor so that they didn’t have to grow up under a false pretense of thinking they could do something they couldn’t. Perhaps there’s great wisdom in that. While harsh in the moment it seems most people need to hear this type of thing. Cowell also made great TV because of his upfront approach and has become a millionaire many times over because he likely brings this no-nonsense approach into his own work. Drumfish always say it like it is. They often go with their gut instinct and tell you how they feel. That’s Cowell.
An AMERICAN IDOL clip:
7. Miley Cyrus
Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Entrepreneur
How could I speak of drumfish without mentioning Miley. She is always doing something new. We can’t help but be drawn to her. From her infamous sideways tongue to her swinging from a wrecking ball, Miley puts the watch in “watchable”. There’s been topless photoshoots, suggestive dancing, among many other forms of controversy. But Miley doesn’t care. She presses on. She creates her own unique form of music and art and throws it out into the world. A trailblazer and artist at heart from the word go. A Drumfish through and through!!! She comes in like a wrecking ball!!!
One of my favorite performances:
8. Lady GaGa aka. Stefani Germanotta
Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Humanitarian, Philanthropist
The great Lady Gaga. She never stops. This year’s Superbowl halftime performer is an intense personality, talented artist, and dedicated philanthropist. Her music is both inspiring and jaw-dropping. Her red-carpet outfits and photo shoots while controversial are also eye-popping. Not to mention she is gorgeous. When you look a little closer though at some interviews she gives, you can tell she has great wisdom and intelligence. She’s not just a pretty face in these crazy outfits. There’s a lot more to her. She’s fought a great fight and persevered in the face of adversity. A wide variety of interests, fearless in her direct approach to the world, and always it seems under the framework of controversies Lady Gaga presses on. She’s a mouthpiece for people being proud of who they are and what they believe in. I admire that. That’s something I always tell people. Believe in yourself.
Stephanie sharing her wisdom:
9. Michael Bay
Director, Producer, Entrepreneur
This guy is one of my favorite film directors. To say Michael Bay does (or, ahem DIRECTS) what he wants to and like would be an understatement. Bay likes it LOUD. Not just loud, but with personality. He’ll put it out there for you in a no holds barred fashioned and let you think what you will. This is illustrative in the films he puts in front of us including TRANSFORMERS, PEARL HARBOR, THE ROCK, and BAD BOYS to name a few. Often teaming with pal Jerry Bruckheimer, Bay doesn’t seem to be bothered by critics or what people think of him. All the more ironic that some of his films, in particular the recent one PAIN & GAIN, have received terrific reception. Even though under controversy in his very extreme, demanding, and bombastic personality and referred to as chauvinist (among other things) by those that have worked with him, we cannot deny the FX empire has has built nor that he is still the king of the summer popcorn film. He lets none of the criticism bother him and presses on in his Drumfish-like ways. We as an audience always can’t help but buy a ticket to the next Michael Bay blockbuster.
Here he is being “awesome” (bingo):
10. Arianna Huffington
Author, Columnist, Actress, Businesswoman
I greatly admire Arianna Huffington. She co-founded and is currently (though recently announced she is stepping down) the editor-in-chief of the popular THE HUFFINGTON POST which is one of the most read and popular online news sources today. The website covers a large range of topics from environment, technology, popular media, lifestyle, and culture among many others. While she has a wealth of interests across many different platforms, her life and career haven’t been without controversy.
An article in THE ATLANTIC wrote this regarding the site:
But the site has also run into controversy, most notably with the people who make its product — reporters and writers. The Post pushed the limits of aggregation, and sometimes refused to pay contributors, saying publication and the reach of their audience was compensation enough. This led to a court battle, which the Post won, and to a strike headed by the National Writers Union, which was later called off.
And a 2005 Vanity Fair article wrote:
No question that Arianna Huffington is driven, but by what: Power? Fame? Money? Ideas? Ideals? When a woman has married a gay multi-millionaire, run for California governor, and morphed from conservative Washington pundit to liberal L.A. activist, the answer isn’t simple.
Above all Huffington certainly is not afraid to let thoughts, opinions, and beliefs of not just herself but of everyone out into the world. She’s a do-er and a realist. It’s evident she strives to move the world forward by helping people communicate. This is illustrated within the realms of the platform she co-founded. Despite the wide range of topics there is something for everyone in THE HUFFINGTON POST which is why it has become so popular. Like Lena Dunham is to her television show GIRLS, Huffington’s publication is a reflection of her worldly personality and passion to let people’s voices be heard.
Huffington speaking about mindfulness:
This is the first segment of a two-part article. I have many more “drum-fish” to share but couldn’t fit them in this week. If there’s enough interest I will share more next week…
Geoff Pilkington
A recent podcast I was on discussing my theories on ADHD:http://www.seeinadhd.com/adhd-mind/
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