For today’s blog, I am not posting anything about You (yes you, the one reading this entry). I am also not posting anything about me. I am however making a statement about someone, someone successful. Today I don’t want to teach you how to gain success, but show you the struggles and life similarities successful people today once had to take. Like you and I, everyone who has ever accomplished their dreams (or even just a dream) has worked their tail off for it!
Have you ever thought about how Nickleback got so famous? You don’t like Nickleback? Apparently someone does, in fact MILLIONS do! Okay so alternative rock is not your style, so how did Wal-Mart become such a large corporation? Do you think Sam Walton just decided one day he was going to build one of the world’s largest business empires? Think of someone famous (or successful) and read their biography, see just how they got to where they are today.
To get you started, I’m going to be talking about Jim Carrey. *First before I begin, If you have never seen the mans website, I highly suggest you do so!*
For staters, did you know that the Canadian born actor (yes that’s right…Canadian) was doing stand up comedy at age 15? It sounds like his calling came early! It was no easy start for the legendary comedic actor, because his fame did not just pop into his life. In the beginning, his spots at local Toronto comedy clubs was nothing more than just that. Carrey actually was once a janitor at a factory where he had to work in order to help support his family. Imagine Ace Ventura keeping your place clean!
It was not until 1979 that he left his janitorial position to be the opening act for two other comedic acts (Buddy Hackett and Rodney Dangerfield). It was at this point in the (now) actors career that he was beginning to pave his path to Hollywood stardom. When Carrey finally decided to pack up and head to California, he wasn’t greeted with open arms and pure hospitality. In fact, when Carrey first arrived to Hollywood, he was no better off than any other person who has dreams of making it big.
Many times he would apply for roles and positions and be turned down. No one really cared about this new Canadian “kid” who had came to seek success. Carrey was facing more failure than success in his early days. Just like all of us, he began to feel down on himself. He begin to wonder the same thoughts that all of us think about when we struggle to get what we want…but then came a light at the end of the tunnel!
Carrey was given a little hope. He was given the suggestion to do the following: Write himself a check for the amount of money he could see himself making after achieving his dreams. He was to write on the description line something that would make him be living in the future rather than the present. Carrey proceeded to write himself a $10,000,000 check for accomplishing his dreams. He post dated that check 10 years in the future and set himself up with a goal. Carrey continued on working towards his dreams and the rest is history.
Perhaps my post is a little brief on the life of this well known actor, but the point is crystal: Sometimes we feel that the next move is impossible, but so does everyone from time to time. Carrey’s success is proof that we can become something more, we can become our dream!
For more information on the life of Jim Carrey, check out the following links.
Jim Carrey – Official Web Site
Biography – IMDb
Biography – Biography.com
Positively Yours,
Chad Thompson
