career

"Nobody knows anything"

- William Goldman

I had the pleasure of attending a Q&A with William Goldman and John Cleese last week, an entertaining couple of hours all around. The audience was full of working and aspiring screenwriters, and the common theme throughout most of the questions being asked was, "What should I be doing to best advance my career?"

Unfortunately, the common theme through most of the answers to these questions was, "I don't know."

"If I can make it there I'll make it anywhere"

- Frank Sinatra

"Breaking in" to the entertainment industry is even harder than you think - and even fewer people than you realize have begun a career by "breaking in". Hollywood is perceived by outsiders as a closed system, but really it's not much of a system at all. It's so hard to break in because there's nothing to break into.

"Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly"

- Oscar Hammerstein

Actors act. Writers write. Producers produce. If you aren't doing what you claim to be, you are merely posing. Learn your craft, build a work ethic and develop your craft - these are the only roads to success in your career.

"It's so hard to find good help these days."

- cliché

Your mommy can't do it, your daddy can't do it and nobody else will. You have to build your career and define who you are as an individual.

"I did it my way"

- Frank Sinatra

As a child, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would tell adults of my dreams of becoming a filmmaker. I would often hear friends and loved ones exalting me as "the next Steven Spielberg!" which bothered me. I never said it out loud, but I usually thought to myself, "no, I'm going to be the first Stephen White." I suggest you follow a similar line of thinking in your career.

"You gotta have FAITH"

- George Michael

When you are seeking investment you are looking for a partnership. Some partnerships just won't work. It doesn't imply any positive or negative judgement on either party, but the square peg won't go through the round hole. It takes time and effort to find the right hole, but as a toddler playing with blocks, experience and homework will yield greater and faster results in the future. You shouldn't look at every pitch that doesn't result in investment as a failure. Rather, see it as another step towards finding the right investor.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

- The Golden Rule

Media is a difficult game - the stakes are high, the risks are great, the potential is unparalleled. The temptation for fraud, deceipt and outright theft are just as big. Avoiding these temptations makes you more than a good businessman, it makes you a good person.

"You can't always get what you want"

- Mick Jagger

Focus your efforts. When you have chosen your goals you have to stick to them. Working hard is always important, but if your efforts don't add up to anything it could be a waste of time.

"O you’ll tak’ the high road and I’ll tak’ the low road"

- Traditional Scottish Song

There are five simple but very important steps to having a successful career. Anyone can apply these elements to any path they hope to travel and achieve their goals. There still aren't guarantees in life, but you know you'll achieve satisfaction if you stick to these simple rules.

"You must do what you feel is right, of course."

- "Ben" Obi-Wan Kenobi

Developing the habit of setting and achieving realistic goals is important to any career for a number of reasons, not the least of which is boosting confidence. Breaking down large goals into manageable steps offers a roadmap to your dreams. Making your goals realistic and attainable make yours dreams more accessible and increases your chances of realizing them. There are no guarantees, which makes every advantage you can get all the more valuable.