By Scott Belsky
The 99 Percent (http://www.the99percent.com)

We’ve talked before about self-presentation and the importance of overcoming the stigma of self-marketing in the creative world. Unfortunately, nobody will represent you better than you. Forget PR and word-of-mouth, your career (and the success of your “product”) is 100% your responsibility. Creative talent is not enough. Success in the creative world comes down to communicating your strengths. 

But, you may ask, “what about my true creative talent?” Shouldn’t one’s sheer skill be enough to get recognized in the workplace and your industry?

There was a fascinating experiment conducted by a team of journalists at the Washington Post. The team set off to find out “Can one of the nation's great musicians cut through the fog of a D.C. rush hour?” They took Joshua Bell - arguably the most famous living violinist in the world - and placed him in street clothes and a baseball cap within a DC Metro station during the morning commute [see the YouTube video] . Bell was also given one of the most expensive violins in the world - one worth millions and normally kept in a museum. He was asked to play some of the finest classical pieces ever written.

And so, as thousands of DC residents passed through the hallowed halls of the L’enfant Plaza Station on their way to work, Joshua Bell played his heart out.

Of course, this story ends with a startling (but not surprising) realization: Over the 43 minutes that he played, only a few people stopped to listen - and most of those who were asked about the music after passing through the hall failed to even notice. Alas, creative talent of the most extraordinary kind will go unnoticed if not communicated properly. Had Joshua Bell been placed next to a sign proclaiming “World Famous Joshua Bell, After Playing for The President Last Night, Plays For You This Morning on a Multi-Million Dollar Violin,” maybe people would have stopped? 

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