A Lesson from Julie Andrews

I devoured another incredible book about a phenomenal actress and entertainer: Julie Andrews. Her book, Homework: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years, is full of outstanding truths and incredible advice to aspiring performers, but nothing touched me as much as what she wrote in her epilogue:

The many paths my life has taken continue to astound me. I’m often asked how I feel about the success I have enjoyed. Am I proud of my work? What informed my choices? Did I know I would be a success? But what is success? Is it the pleasure in doing the work or the way it’s received afterward? The latter is ephemeral. The doing is everything.

The truth is, I never anticipated any of it. I just took the opportunities that were in front of me and waded in. I wobbled and I waffled and there were certainly challenges along the way, but so many people helped, nudged, encouraged, and pushed me out of my comfort zone. Was I scared? You bet. Did I feel inadequate? All the time. Did I want to overcome those feelings and succeed? Absolutely. Thankfully, I was willing to pay my dues and to learn, and I never took anything for granted. When we were touring, my mum would drill into me: “Don’t you dare complain about anything, not the cigarette smoke in the theater, not having a cold or waiting long hours. It won’t do a thing for you and nobody cares. Don’t pull rank or boast. There’s always someone who can do what you do better than you. Get on with it and you’ll be respected so much more. So, I began to build a work ethic which gave me a solid foundation from which to fly. Today, when asked what advice I might give to aspiring performers, my answer is always this: Learn your craft. Do your homework. Opportunity will come along when you least expect it, as it did for me. You may not even recognize it at the time. Your job is to be as ready as possible when that good fortune comes your way.