Finding your X-Factor

A burrito maker, a reject and an addict walk onto a stage to sing…

It sounds like the beginning of a horrible joke, but millions tuned in to the finale of the first season of X-Factor USA and were enthralled with the talent of three souls: Josh Kracjik, the burrito maker; Chris Rene, the addict; and Melanie Amaro, the reject. Their stories are eerily familiar.

A burrito maker toils away for a little more than minimum wage to support his teenage daughter. He attempts for almost half his life to follow his musical dream, only to constantly be pushed back. He auditions for the show and finds his soulful, powerful, Michael McDonald-esque sound. His struggle is validated.

A drug addict from a musically gifted family struggles to find his voice for so long. Muted by drugs and alcohol, his talent is dying on the vine. Miraculously, only 70 days removed from the bottom of a Hennesey bottle, he performs one of most memorable and downloadable auditions (with over ten million downloads) with his self-penned song “Young Homie“, where he details overcoming his addiction. His music finally returns.

A young girl is left behind by her parents for most of her childhood and teased for her dialect being different—she is a reject. With a voice that can only be described as magical, this young girl uses her voice to try to find acceptance. Despite having the best audition of the competition, she meets further rejection, losing to a “pretty” girl who cannot sing and forgot the words to her audition song. Again, life has sent rejection straight her way. Ultimately, she is given a second chance and ultimately wins the competition. Her acceptance has finally come.

Many of our stories begin the same way. Parents lost or never known. Talent muted by abuse or lack of encouragement. Blatant discrimination and unfairness at every turn. But Josh, Chris and Melanie lived those stories, yet they succeeded. What they did was more than just tapping into talent, because their talent existed long before they first graced the prime time stage. What occurred was something deeper, something that we all have that makes each one of us unique. I hate to say it (because reality TV is so cheesy generally), but it really is that X-Factor inside all of us, the harnessing of our essence that turns even the saddest of stories into a happy ending.

The biggest challenge most of us face in life is the lack of authenticity. It is the daily self-deception we engage in to explain away our shortcomings that is so destructive. If we are going to travel the road of success together, we must find our unique X-Factor. It may be the ability to reach people through prose, spoken word or song. It may be the ability to make friends or your sense of reckless abandon. It could be that you are a counselor of others. Maybe your X-Factor is simply that you survived and lived to tell others about your survival. If its authentic and it is your unique gift, then that is all that matters.

Whatever your X-Factor is, you can’t hide it in the background, but if you do, remember Melanie. You shouldn’t mute your X-Factor with drugs and alcohol, but if it happens, remember Chris. And no matter what you can’t give up on your X-Factor, but if you feel weary, remember Josh.

I think Chris states it best in “Young Homie”:

“Yeah, it’s been two months now,
Haven’t had a drink and I’m starting to see clear now,
I’m putting all my fears down,
I can hear the cheers now,
Seeing peace signs when I look around”

Here is to putting your fears down, hearing the cheers and finding peace in 2012. Love life!