TAG | piece of work
What do you do when your Jewish parents are in town? Simple. Take them to the Joan Rivers’ movie! We saw A Piece of Work the other day, which tells the story of one woman’s (albeit a loud and often obnoxious one!) tough journey to stardom.
Not everyone is as sure as Joan was about their destiny. Heck, there are days I would love to make a career out of watching Real Housewives’ marathons while downing scoops of chocolate frozen yogurt. Joan knew her whole life that she loved to tell foul-mouthed jokes on stage and get paid well for it. Turns out, there’s nothing wrong with that.
One of my favorite lines from the movie was when she said “Lightening only hits when you’re standing in the rain.” Think about it; how many of us are willing to endure the not-so-fab times to get where we want to be?
Joan went through some crushing moments, from getting blacklisted to her husband’s highly-publicized suicide, and even traveling to small towns sans limo…she is the world’s oldest diva. But she persevered, and her life gives us an awesome blueprint for achieving success. Here are the best lessons to learn from Ms. Rivers:
Get Clear
If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get anywhere. Joan knew she was meant to be a performer because she felt a high every time she was on stage. What gives you that same euphoria? Beside controlled substances, that is! What did you love doing when you were ten years old? Get your heart racing like that again, and you’ve found your calling. Just don’t let your mind talk you out of your true talents.
Take the Next Step
Listen to your body’s cues and then jump right in. Joan had no idea she where she would end up, but she kept planning her next show, and then the show after that. No need to map out the entire process. Just take baby steps. Understand your desires and list your goals. After that, something much higher and cooler than us will figure out the rest.
Stay the Course
At one point, Joan showcased a play in London and it totally flopped. Way too vulgar for the Brits. Sure, she got depressed. But she knew that if she didn’t experience the lows, the highs would mean nothing. The road to success is bumpy. Roll with the ride and appreciate those failures because they are your best lessons.
Get Support
When you’re alone on your journey, it’s easy to get discouraged. Joan has an agent, manager, assistant, and probably a plastic surgery consultant! That might not exactly be your entourage, but who is supporting you every day with your goals? Find a support system for every goal you have. These are the people who you can call on when you need them most to keep you focused and motivated.
Joan Rivers may be obnoxious at times, but she knows her shtick and it works. What’s your shtick? What are your grandest goals right now? Write them down and use Joan’s life lessons to create your own piece of work. Although…you might want to skip the kvetching and plastic surgery along the way!
