“You won’t be nothing unless you do what you’re told. Study medicine or study law.”
I grew up during a time when a career in the entertainment industry wasn’t considered a “real job”.
Due to my strict religious upbringing, I was encouraged NOT to go to college.
I graduated with a fully paid scholarship – but, I didn’t go to college.
I don’t have a degree. I never went to school for film, writing, or music.
None of it.
I took a Gibbs Paralegal Course – years before people got certificates for it.
I took a one week Project Management Course at Boston University for a job I once had.
Just believe and you will receive, anything’s possible.
I wanted to be a missionary. I wanted to changed the world and save it. One person at a time.
My first job offer came to me. I didn’t apply for the job. I graduated from high school and was approached by Bell Labs (before telephone deregulation) to come to work for them as an Executive Assistant.
Yup. My first job after high school was an Executive Assistant position. The summer after graduation, they came after me because they noticed an award I received and my grades.
I politely told them that while I wanted to work, I was living at home and wanted to save the world. I made an THEM an offer: I’ll take your job, if you will allow me to work part-time.
Anything’s possible.
I was told they didn’t hire part-time workers.
No thank you.
Don’t be deceived. Anything’s possible.
Guess what?
I got a call in September of that year. Wouldn’t you know that Bell Labs had decided to implement a part-time work force and they wanted to know if I would come to work for them.
At the age of 18, I learned a valuable life lesson.
It might not be easy, but anything’s possible!
Many years and careers later, I was leaving church one Sunday with a friend. She was speaking about a member of our church who had moved to Chicago.
She had just gotten a job as a producer on the Oprah Winfrey Show, after having received an Emmy for her work on The View.
Hmmmmm.
I went home and researched what a Producer does.
I wanted in. I had a flashback to my senior year in High School and my moment while watching The Wiz in theaters. (If you haven’t read that story, you should click here! )
“Don’t you know –it’s gonna be sweat and some tears, and some hard years!”
It took some years. But, I ended up in television accidentally.
Accidentally on purpose!
“Don’t let em tell you can’t be, anything you wanna be!”
I was out of work and looking for a job. I randomly picked a temp agency.
It just “happened” to be one of only two temp agencies that were contracted to provide workers to Viacom!
I was 17 when I knew I wanted to be in television production. It didn’t happen until more than ANOTHER 17 years later.
If it’s meant to happen, it will. You can’t hide from your purpose.
Your best bet is to prepare yourself so that when your life meets your purpose, your dreams will come true!
Keep dreaming! Anything’s possible….
@thatwritingchic 