Featured Image Credit: Christopher Burns on Unsplash
Meryl Streep is a name synonymous with acting and Hollywood. But once upon a time, she was like everyone else. Another wannabe actor is trying to make it in Hollywood.
She auditioned for King Kong in the 1980s. The director, speaking in Italian, said he didn't think she was beautiful enough for his film.
Understanding Italian, Meryl Streep replied that she was sorry he didn't think she was beautiful enough.
Of course, she would go on to build a legendary acting career.
The few, the gatekeepers, do not determine life. There was a time you had to have connections, the right look, or a favorable personality to succeed.
In entertainment, you needed the blessings of a few of Hollywood's elite producers to get a chance.
In business, you need the backing of successful investors or someone with name value to get your foot in the door.
If you wanted to learn graphic design, you had to attend certain schools to access their equipment. This meant paying their high tuition fees.
You can create the same graphics and effects as the modern Marvel movies and more. You can do this from your home computer.
You can spread information faster than before. If you have talent, many more avenues exist to demonstrate it.
You don't need approval from a select group to tell if you have enough talent to succeed. You can send your vision direct to people and let them decide.
Success in life goes to those who create their opportunities.
Thirty-six-year-old Matt Stutzman is further proof. He was born without arms. His birth parents, not wanting to deal with the issue, gave him up for adoption. He competes in a sport that would seem unlikely.
He struggled to get jobs. He struggled to make money. To feed his family, he took up bow hunting.
He competes in professional archery competitions.
We create our advantages and opportunities. Check out some ways you can create opportunities.
Know Where You're Going
You can work hard. You can work obscene hours. If you have no direction, it won't take you far. First, identify where you want to go. What do you want?
If you work hard and stay busy, you may finish many projects. Without direction, how much of your work will result in anything?
Get a clear understanding of where you want to go. A specific job field. A certain industry. This will give you an idea of where to direct your focus.
Determine the skills you need to develop and find ways to get onto people's radar.
If it is movie trailer design, design samples and load them on YouTube. If it is graphic design, create unique graphics and try to drive virality.
Don't Take No
It is okay to hear no. Getting rejected, our ideas, or ourselves is a horrible feeling. Fear of this experience is why so many fail to try.
Meryl Streep was denied a role. Stephen King and JK Rowling's early approaches didn't wow publishers. Yet, they all went on to incredible success.
Walt Disney's first animation studio went bankrupt. His second attempt led to his producer taking his staff and his successful cartoon, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
It was his return ride home to Los Angeles where he developed Mickey Mouse.
Colonel Sanders began the Fried Chicken chain KFC in his 60s.
There will be plenty of people who won't see what you do. Work to find someone who shares your vision. The first iteration may not be good. Keep building, creating, and working. This is where opportunity will find you.
Think Outside the Box
Not all routes to where you want to go are available the traditional way. You work for a newspaper and pitch a food eating column sampling local foods.
You work at a media company and pitch new show ideas.
You no longer have to travel the traditional route to achieve your goals. Find ways to get to where you're going outside traditional channels.
Want to start your food sampling program? Start one on Youtube. As you rise to success, you will have the possibility to get picked up by a major network or streaming service.
Musician? Find unique ways to put out your music. Put your music on scenes from TV shows to evoke emotion. Make animations.
You could create an animated band like the Gorillaz.
Finding these different ways to showcase your ideas will help demonstrate their viability to people who may have said no at first.
What's Next?
We have the hands we have. Our job is to play the hand to the best of our ability. Use our creativity to get the best out of hand and create the best life possible.
So many people live in a world of vagaries and blurriness. We can succeed by knowing where we are going. Having a set end destination can make a world of difference.
Nail down the specifics of where you are going, then let your actions lead you there.
Don't take no as an answer. It is easy to let rejection sour your journey. Everybody has opinions, and they are not always right. Even well-experienced talent scouts miss talent. Instead, keep refining your approach.
Think outside of the box. Don't approach everything like the old ways if you want to get noticed by using social media to your advantage. Find ways to demonstrate your skills and values rather than talking about them.
Whatever you aim to do, you have to create your advantages. Find out how to put yourself into the world and give yourself a chance.
There is more opportunity to create your own life than ever before. Embrace it.