"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan
When working in a creative industry where you actually make money from your exceptional skills and talents, whether modeling, photography, cinema, etc., at some point, you will face criticism and rejection. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or rub elbows with celebrities in Hollywood; no one is immune to failure and rejection. That's just part of the game when you put yourself and your work out there for public consumption. Learning how to decipher the noise from what is real, imagined, and total b.s. will help you overcome challenges along the way.
It's not about being delusional and not knowing areas where you need to improve to create a better future outcome; it's about believing in yourself not just when it's going good but also during the struggles when you start to second guess yourself. Creative people especially need to develop a thick skin within their industries. Otherwise, the same sensitivity you bring to create your work and art can backfire when swimming with the sharks, dealing with industry politics, business, and vultures lurking in the shadows. If you are just doing things for fun, that is one thing, but if you are actually trying to earn a living with something you love, a winners mentality is a must.
One incredible example of a winner's mindset where they didn't allow the noise to drown out one's inner voice is that of TOM BRADY. Before becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history, he was the low man on the totem pole entering the draft out of college for those unfamiliar with his story. After his NFL combine evaluation, the professional scouts that assess the nation's top college football players eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft viewed him as second rate and nothing like what he went on to become. Here is Tom Brady's official draft report as scouted at the NFL combine before being drafted:
Poor Build
Skinny
Lacks great physical stature and strength
Lacks mobility and ability to avoid the rush
Lacks a really strong arm
Can't drive the ball downfield
Does not throw a really tight spiral
A system-type player who can get exposed if forced to ad-lib
Gets knocked down easily.
One scout noted Brady was "Awful. He's not even on my board. Weak. He'll make somebody a good husband or a good medical salesman." Another QB coach said, "Backup. Could be a No. 2 in this league for a long time. Has the size but not enough arm."
These were seasoned professional people who work for billion-dollar companies making this kind of assessment of Tom Brady. He was drafted in the sixth round, 199th overall, and six quarterbacks were chosen before him in the draft. In 2022 all six quarterbacks have been out of the league for over a decade. Brady is still going strong with his 22nd year as a pro and will be 45 at the start of the upcoming season. He is considered the greatest QB of all time.
Team owners and coaches couldn't see the greatness in Brady, yet he didn't let that deter him from pursuing what he wanted out of life at the highest levels. In fact, he used it as motivation to prove people wrong, which is why he's always played with a chip on his shoulder throughout his career.
Takeaways:
I used Tom Brady as an example because it's easy to visualize with sports since it's more of a linear path, but pretty much any successful person in any field has a similar story. It's hard to imagine a genius talent like Monet being criticized, but that's precisely how it was during his time because the style in which he worked was so different than what was on-trend among so-called experts they mocked him. Another example is when a movie producer told legendary director Werner Herzog that the script he wrote was garbage and the worst thing he's ever read. In all of these cases, the criticism and rejection didn't stop them from moving forward and ultimately finding success at the elite levels. There are gatekeepers in every industry who are stuck in their ways and are afraid of change. There is nothing anyone can do about that. The question then becomes, do you become a servant to the opinion of the "experts," trying to please them, or do you strategically double down on what you know is the right way for yourself and go even harder, creating alternative routes for the same goals.
Just a lil Monday motivation. Love ya'll!