Darren Paltrowitz’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

Darren Paltrowitz shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Darren, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Many things. For starters, that they do not know something. Related to that, that they are worried about what is coming next, and fitting in overall to the plans and happenings of others. Universal things we are all struggling with, but a lot of people choose to keep that all secret.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Growing up — and this was before social media, of course — you were “supposed” to have an occupation that was steady and could be easily defined. A teacher, a lawyer, an accountant, a chef, a librarian, a banker, a mailperson, a police officer, etc.

But in recent years, being multi-faceted as part of your career has not only become welcomed, yet also considered a good thing. Arguably, it is normal these days to have a career which combines or utilizes multiple specialties.

In my case, I do a few things that seem unrelated on the surface, yet I am able to apply those skills to all of the work I do. My skills as an investigator apply to my work as a librarian and investigator, and all of that is applicable to the work I do related to entertainment as a writer, author, interviewer and management consultant.

No matter the job title at hand, the work I do is rooted in being able to store, locate and organize information, while meeting deadlines and keeping client expectations met.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Easy answer: My parents. They knew my limitations early on, and still do. But fortunately they taught me a valuable lesson early on that your weaknesses actually can be your strengths, and also that you do not have to be good at everything — or even most things. Have your specialties and have your niche.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Second-guessing, or striving for perfection. In turn, there are so many ideas and projects I abandoned. I don’t want to say that I regret that, but obviously I am not proud of saying or promising that I would do things which I ultimately did not do.

Over time I have learned a lot with relation to “what to do” and “what not to do.” Changing perspectives and applying past experience to all of that, I simply had to make mistakes in order to get better. All of that was on the road to improvement.

Ultimately I am not saying that “good enough” should be the goal. But in recent years I have learned that it is not necessarily a bad thing to put out something that has imperfections, as someone that is part of the charm and appeal.

Some of my favorite recordings ever — by other people, of course — have mistakes in them. A lot of classic film scene and comedy bits were improvised. A lot of friendships stemmed out of unforeseen coincidences. So keep that in mind when it comes to waiting for “perfection” before releasing something to the world.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
That David Lee Roth did not quit Van Halen in 1985. Or in 1996. And he was not the problem or catalyst for either of those times he was let go by Van Halen.

As trivial as you most people reading this may think that is, I spent a lot of time looking into that for my third book, “DLR Book: How David Lee Roth Changed The World.”

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Absolutely what I was born to do. Every time I did what I was “told to do,” it did not work out. Generally the best things that happened to me or for me happened organically. I did not plan on meeting my wife Melissa. Some of the jobs I have gotten did not come out of formal interviews, but rather just talking with someone I hit it off with. And most of my success with my creative projects has come out of trial and error.

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Image Credits
All photos courtesy of Darren Paltrowitz and/or Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz

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