From Music to Mindset: Taylor Swift’s Impact Beyond the Stage

It’s Sunday evening, and as I write these lines, I can hardly put into words what happened yesterday. For over 10 years, I’ve been a Swiftie. With her albums Red and especially 1989, Taylor got me and never let go. Her music is therapy for me. But what Munich experienced this weekend was so much bigger than music.

Taylor Swift and her fans embody a way of life that I often miss in both personal and professional settings. It’s worth taking a closer look at the hype! And since this is LinkedIn, here are my top 5 reasons why Taylor Swift and her “Swifties” are exactly what the world needs right now:

1. Embrace kindness

“How long have you been standing here? Do you need water?”

“Wow, you look great. Where are you from?”

114,000 people celebrated peacefully in Munich, both Olympiastadion and Olympiapark, looked out for each other, exchanged friendship bracelets, sang, laughed, and celebrated life. Not because these 114,000 people are "all the same" or agree on everything. But because this fan base is characterized by respect and consideration – a true safe space, a warm feeling, which you can feel even hours and days later. How often can we say the same about our work environment? Or even circle of friends?

2. Don’t Take Others’ Opinions Too Seriously

How often has Taylor faced criticism and ridicule for her love songs? Especially in the age of social media, this can either break you or be met with humor and self-irony. Despite the harsh opinions of others, she remains true to herself and stands by her decisions, communicating them clearly, sometimes with a wink. She shows vulnerability, but at the same time sets clear boundaries. Let me quote Marjorie here: “Never be so kind, you forget to be clever / Never be so clever, you forget to be kind.”

3. Focus on your strengths

Instead of comparing ourselves and wasting energy on others' expectations, there is immense power in embracing our individual strengths. The key is understanding what we excel at (focus) – and what we don't (let go). This leads to greater satisfaction and self-efficacy, with success following almost automatically. Taylor Swift has mastered this. Or as Tony Robbins would put it: "Where focus goes, energy flows."

4. Be Open to Change

Taylor Swift is the music industry, at least according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Few artists have reinvented themselves as successfully and as frequently as she has. Her song lyrics are considered literary cultural assets. In just 3.5 hours, her fans seamlessly transition from electropop to country, folk, and indie. A closer look at her fanbase reveals a high degree of flexibility and adaptability, too. I haven't conducted any research but this might be related to points 2 and 3 (see above)... and let me tell you: it is undeniably refreshing!

5. Use your influence wisely

Taylor is a master at carefully weighing and considering her decisions. We can all learn a lot from her about making conscious choices, especially in our professional lives. For instance, she re-recorded her old albums to regain control of her music. She also chooses not to comment on every rumor. Do we give away our power and let others control us? And how are we using our voice? Do we use it to judge others or to inspire them?

Reflecting on this weekend, it's evident that The Eras Tour offers more than just a musical experience. It reminds us that our shared connections far outweigh our differences - and that friendship bracelets are a thing. They really are.

This post should not be posted as part of my #ActBeyond series. The error seems to be with LinkedIn, as the post was schedules as an individual article.