What Can We Learn from Elton John?

I have long been a fan of Elton John. Here is a rock god I can relate to.

He is not beautiful, like a god. He does not look like the typical superstar.

I mean, we have so much in common. Okay, I am not white, male or English. Nor am I a global superstar, as far as I know.

Like me, he plays the piano.

Like me, he had a parent who was dead set against him becoming a musician. But unlike me, he refused to bow to the pressure.

And like me, he even wears glasses.

Whoever heard of a rock star that played the piano and wore glasses?

He broke the mould in many ways. He was one of the first superstar singer-songwriters. His dress sense is best described as unique. Of his past outfits, has been known to ask, "Did I actually wear that?".

He has been heavily influenced by African American forms including soul/R&B, boogie-woogie and even gospel. His music crosses the boundaries between many genres, including rock, pop, R&B and country, and he even experimented with Philly Soul, with mixed results. He can rock out one minute and sing a tender ballad the next.

Achieve success by emulating your hero.

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It seems Sir Elton doesn't need to throw tantrums anymore - he has David Furnish to do it for him.

David is now saying he "freaked out" when the remarks he posted on his Facebook page hit the headlines. David, a word to the wise: If you don't want people to read something, DON'T put it on Facebook!

David had said Madonna "should quit movies" after she won the Golden Globe award for Best Original Song, beating Sir Elton to the prize.

David was quoted in the New York Post as saying "I think it was a fluke... When this happens you have to question the integrity of the awards."

Before the awards ceremony, Sir Elton had said Madonna didn't stand a chance.

But Madonna sought to bring harmony following Elton's and her earlier remarks about each other on the red carpet. She is quoted as saying, "I hope [Elton] speaks to me for the next couple of years. He's known to get mad at me. He's brilliant and I adore him, so he will win another award. And I don't feel bad!"

David now claims his comments were "blown out of proportion", saying on his Facebook page "My passion for our film 'Gnomeo & Juliet' and belief in Elton's song really got my emotional juices going. But I must say for the record that I do believe Madonna is a great artist."

Sir Elton John has forgotten about more awards than most artists will ever win.

Chill, David. Take a deep breath and chill.

On Christmas Day 2010. Zachary Jackson Levon - Sir Elton and his partner David Furnish's son via a surrogate mother - was born. One year on, they love being fathers.

In a joint interview with Attitude magazine, Elton said: "We have had the most incredible year with him. I can't tell you how brilliant this year has been and how much love he's brought us and how much we're getting. We thought the civil partnership brought us together, but having a child has been magnificent and I never thought I would have a kid.

Sir Elton always said he did not want to have children, as he did not think it would be fair to bring up a child when he spends so much of his time travelling.

However, after failing to adopt a Ukrainian boy and his brother in 2009, he and his partner decided to produce one using a surrogate. They utilized the services of the Center for Surrogate Parenting in California.

They insist they will continue to maintain their links with the Ukrainian children.

Unfortunately, as he and his mother have fallen out, Elton did not even phone her when Zach was born. See also: A Flawed Rock God.

The couple have made a pact never to reveal which one of them is the biological father.

What can we learn from this? If at first you don't succeed, try another way.

Elton and David have said that they take Zachary into bed with him this morning, and that they change his nappies. Zach already recognises them.

Elton and David have raised the profile of surrogacy. Nicole Kidman also recently had a child via a surrogate. Elton is said to have received advice from Ricky Martin, whose twins by a surrogate were born last year.

And never be afraid to change your mind.

Elton has spoken about the fact that his father was cold and emotionally unavailable, although he later went on to start another family and reportedly was a great father. Elton has spoken of his disappointment that his father never came to see him perform.

Elton John was working as a clerk in a record store, as well as gigging with his band, travelling around in a battered old van. A year later, he was a global superstar.

How did he do it? He decided to go to L.A. for his first trip to the U.S.A. He only had three gigs booked, but he got a great review for one of them and the rest is history.

Elton trusted his intuition and followed his heart. He knew he loved music, he didn't know what would happen, but he was prepared to take a risk.

Unfortunately, he may not have been entirely ready for his quantum leap, and he became addicted to drugs, developed bulimia and made several suicide attempts. He has gone through a healing process which has led to his becoming more complete as a person.

How can you make a quantum leap in your career or business? You need to trust your intuition. You will receive guidance when you tap into your inner wisdom. For more about this, see The Higher Self.

A new take on the Shakespeare classic, Sir Elton's new animated film, Gnomeo and Juliet, has recently been released, to mixed reviews. Sir Elton has hit out at Disney, saying it took 10 years for them to greenlight the project, and the studio has not sent Elton a message of congratulations, despite the film doing well at the box office.

Sir Elton was highly moved by the film Billy Eliot. He related it to his difficulties with his own father.

He subsequently wrote the score for the stage musical of Billy Elliot, which has walked away triumphantly with 10 Tony awards.

Sir Elton stated that he thought the American public had taken this musical to its heart because of the current economic decline. Billy Elliot is set during the 1980s, when Britain was suffering under Thatcherism, and depicts scenes from the miners' strike.

Sir Elton went on to add that he felt "despondent" at the thought of returning to Britain. With members of the BNP being elected here, who can blame him? America has its first-ever African American President in Obama.

Sir Elton reportedly wept tears of joy following Obama's election victory. David Furnish was quoted as saying Elton was "crying down the phone".

At the age of 23, Elton John suddenly achieved extraordinary fame. An extremely shy young man, he found himself invited to all the best parties and meeting some of his idols including the Beatles and George Best. He found it difficult to copes with social situations, and he found that cocaine gave him the confidence he needed to join in with the conversation.

I have tremendous admiration and respect for Sir Elton's honesty and courage.

Despite ongoing conflict with his father, he honoured his talent and stuck to doing what he loves. As a young girl growing up, I found this very inspiring.

He had a lot of support from his mother and they were very close for many years, but unfortunately, they have now fallen out and have not spoken for three years. See also: Congratulations, Elton.

He has spoken candidly about the fact that, when he was heavily into cocaine, he did radio spots warning people against drugs.

His abuse of drugs and drink probably contributed to his throat problems. He can now no longer hit the high notes on such classics as Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road or Someone Saved My Life Tonight. It may also have been a factor in his having to have a pacemaker fitted.

Concerned about his weight, he developed bulimia.

He has beaten his addictions to alcohol and drugs, and been dry for over 20 years.

Sir Elton spoke in a recent issue of Saga magazine about driving himself to every meeting in London, in order to overcome his multiple addictions.

He has said that Billy Joel needs to return to rehab as there is more work to be done there. He stated that Billy Joel was angry with him for saying this, but Joel denied that he was angry.

He revealed the fact that one of the most difficult things about being in rehab was that he didn't know how to use the washing machine and was too embarrassed to ask anyone.

Lessons learned: Be willing to admit when you have a problem, and be willing to ask for help.

David Furnish made a film, Tantrums and Tiaras, that showcased Elton's temper in a less than favourable light.

Elton reconciled with his father before the father's death. Unfortunately, he has now fallen out with his mother, with whom he had been close for many years, and who stood by him before and after he became famous.

One gets a sense of a superstar who is flawed, and sometimes vulnerable, and not afraid to admit it. I would argue this is also reflected in his music.

Although he had all the sex and drugs he wanted in his rock and roll lifestyle, he now uses his global fame and considerable fortune to help others.

Elton recently recorded an album, The Union, with Leon Russell, one of his early influences and inspirations. Russell is just one of a string of people Elton has helped both professionally and in their private lives. Elton and Russell performed together live at the Electric Proms. See below for a video of them.

Russell has now made so much money from The Union that the bank turned down two of his checks - they thought it was terrorist money - and cancelled his credit card.

When James Blunt found himself alone in a hotel room in Denver on his birthday, he got a phonecall from Elton, who was performing that night. Elton invited James to join him in his dressing room and James helped him choose the outfit for that night's performance. James had previously supported an Elton John tour of Latin America.

His Rocket label helped Neil Sedaka make a comeback in the '70s, when Elton provided backing vocals for the single "Bad Blood" which, of course, was a Number One hit.

He helped Cliff Richard make a bid for Stateside stardom.

Elton has always been known to help out his friends. He counselled John Lennon and Yoko Ono when they split, helping them to reconcile. Elton is godfather to their son Sean. He also sang on Lennon's single "Whatever Gets You Through the Night".

Since recovering from his addiction, other celebrities including Robert Downey Jr. and, most recently, Elton's guitarist Davey Johnstone, have turned to him for advice and support.

Elton lent his house to Liz Hurley to recover from giving birth to her son with Steve Bing. Elton is godfather to Liz's son, too, and gave her away at her wedding to Arun Nayar in 2007.

Sir Elton recently named former Watford and England manager Graham Taylor as a gay icon for an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. He also named Caribbean pianist Winifred Atwell, whose performances he called "an inspiration".

Like many gay men, Sir Elton was conflicted about his sexual orientation for many years. He has admitted that he married Renate Blauel in 1984 in the hope that she would turn him straight. But he is now happily committed to his partner, David Furnish.

Sir Elton prefers the term "civil partnership" rather than marriage . He does not see the point of gay people being married. In the UK, unlike in the States, civil partnership confers the same legal rights and benefits as marriage.

Sir Elton recently spoke out against the homophobia in the United States, as there have been a spate of gay teen suicides. He said the U.S. had been a "more loving" country when he first performed there.

A photo of Sir Elton with David Furnish and their beautiful baby boy, Zach, was recently published on the cover of US magazine. One shop in Arkansas covered it up with a "family shield", presumably to prevent people from being offended by this photo of two gay men and their baby son.

In this day and age, it's a shame that such attitudes still prevail. By producing his son via a surrogate, Sir Elton is breaking down barriers.

At the age of 63, he is still going strong.

Elton celebrated his 60th birthday with a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden, where he was introduced by former President Bill Clinton.

Elton was born on the same day as Kiki Dee, with whom he recorded the duet Don't Go Breaking My Heart in the 1970s. He surprised her with a 60th birthday party at her home.

Elton is known for his flamboyance and his extravagance. Even during the glitter era, his outlandish outfits made him stand out.

He famously spent £40 million in one 20-month period which included £293,000 on flowers.

He is very generous to his friends. He is reputed to have a doorstop made from - a Faberge egg.

Well, it's really only bling, innit? Solar prestige a gammon.

His '70s costumes are legendary. His dressing as the Statue of Liberty and Donald Duck demonstrates his ability to laugh at himself.

Sometimes listening to your favourite music can be a powerful way to lift your mood.

Elton's music always does it for me.

For more ways to lift your mood, visit Fabulous Success.

Sir Elton has recently had his story published in a book entitled Dear Me: A Letter to My 16-Year-Old Self.

I am a firm believer in learning from, and being inspired by, the example of successful people. For more about this, see Do You Think Like a Success?

So what can we learn from Elton's success?

It's important to stay true to oneself. No matter how well-meaning our parents and other loved ones may be, we have to make our own decisions and honour our own integrity.

Celebrate your own uniqueness.

If you've got it, flaunt it. If you haven't, flaunt it even more!

Look after your friends. Give them emotional as well as practical support.

Do what you can to help others, especially those less fortunate than you.True happiness is found not in luxury and pleasure, however outrageous, but in helping others.

Be willing to admit to your own mistakes, shortcomings and flaws.

Be willing to ask for help when you need it.

Forgive others when you can, and work towards reconciliation.

Look after your health.

Show your emotions. It's okay for a man to cry.

And above all, have fun, and rock and roll!

In 1992, Elton John met a young boy named Ryan White, who was dying of AIDS. This meeting was to change Elton's life. He met a family who were dignified in their suffering, and a young person who refused to blame others or poison his heart by carrying resentment.

Ryan campaigned for more research into HIV and AIDS, and raised awareness about the condition throughout the U.S.A.

Elton subsequently founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation (see below).

Sir Elton guest-edited the newspapers the Independent and i on 1st December, to raise awareness for World AIDS Day. All profits will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

This was broadcast several times on the BBC TV morning news. But by the evening news, there was no mention of this or, indeed, of World AIDS Day in any terrestrial TV news broadcast. It was like World AIDS Day never happened.

Well done to Sir Elton for trying, and for bringing AIDS issues to a wider audience.

Among other things, the paper reported that an EU trade deal could mean that cheap anti-HIV medicines (ARVs) will no longer be available to people in Africa. The medicines, which are manufactured in India, could soon be priced out of reach of the majority of African people in a deal that would protect the pharmaceuticals' patents by barring Indian companies from reproducing gerneric versions of the drugs.

Sir Elton stated that he was "compelled not by despair but by hope" and that, although many millions of people have benefited from AIDS campaigns and treatment, he is aware that there is still a $10 billion funding shortfall in terms of what is needed for the care, treatment and support of people living with HIV and AIDS.

On another note, we also learned that Sir Elton has not had sex with anyone in the U.S. administration and that he likes a chocolate biscuit in the morning.

Elton's charity ball on 30th October 2010 raised $900,000 for his AIDS Foundation. When Lily Allen had to pull out of a scheduled performance due to illness, Elton wheeled out a piano and performed a 45-minute set.

Through his work with his AIDS Foundation, Elton found true happiness through dedicating time and enrgy to helping others.

In Uganda, which is often held up as an example of leading-edge practice in treating HIV and AIDs, doctors are now finding the infection rate has gone up dramatically. This is because, for many years, the emphasis has been on treatment rather than prevention.

As Ben Franklin said, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". This is still true even though we have converted to metric. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is currently funding projects to help prevent the spread of AIDS and HIV, through sex education and health education.

The Ugandan government has now announced that it is making gay sexual activity illegal. This will be a further blow and is likely to increase the stigma around HIV and AIDS.

In South Africa, mine workers are often still living and working in appalling conditions. For more on this, see Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom.

They are separated from their faimlies for many months of the year, and often use prostitutes, which contributes to the spread of AIDS.

For many years, AIDS workers in Africa have promoted a programme of A, B and C: Abstinence, Be faithful to your partner, use Condoms. But while people have practiced A and B, the C message has often been lost. Women have found that, although they are faithful to their partners, they still contract HIV because their partners are having unprotected sex with others. The fact that the Pope, on his recent visit to Africa, stated that people should not use condoms is unlikely to improve the situation.

The Pope has now said that for gay people's rights to be respected was against "natural law". I wish he would stop speaking about things he knows nothing about [Zhana].

Sir Elton recently opened a branch of his AIDS Foundation in South Africa with Annie Lennox.

Click here to donate to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.