In 1987 the movie The Secret of My Success starring Michael J Fox hit theatres. The plot unfolds around a young mailroom clerk, Brantly, who mistakenly answers a telephone when he shouldn't, which leads him to proving his metal in a major company and eventually taking over the top seat and winning the woman.
This week's article isn't going to focus on the film. My point is to suggest that answering the telephone (or answering the call) to become involved in projects is sometimes the best way to achieve your goals.
In my own experience, I have achieved some success by going after what I want. But what happens when you hit a wall, or all the streets seem to be leading away from your desired destination?
The best thing to do is relax. Time and patience will always win over aggressive search and conquer missions (that often turn out badly) to achieve a goal you've been imagining is possible.
Much like when you are lost in the woods, the best thing to do is focus. Make a list of your expertise, your skills, etc. Take into account the various things you have experienced in your life. Is there anything you've done that could lend a hand in diversifying your skills and helping you to achieve a desired end?
For instance, a good friend of mine is an actor in New York City. He has been going to auditions for years. He's done some plays and tested for pilots and felt generally happy with his roles and also professionally "stuck" at times.
One day, after having auditioned for a part in a big production, he was again stymied by more experienced actors. However, after the audition, he overheard a stagehand telling another stagehand how to mix two cans of paint that shouldn't be mixed together.
My friend stepped around the corner to address the potential issues with mixing the two paints and he ended up with a job as a set designer. Now, it wasn't acting, but he was a part of the production. This led him to other jobs that in turn have led to other jobs.
Now, another example of adapting ones career is Dan Futterman, screenwriter of the movie Capote (2005).
Before Dan hit the big-time with Capote, he was primarily an actor ( Will & Grace, Sex In The City, Judging Amy ) of sometimes-small parts, including (but not limited to) "Second Punk" in The Fisher King .
In a recent interview with Creative Screenwriting Magazine, Futterman addresses his changeover to screenwriting. He says that the chance meeting of his future wife on the set of Homicide: Life on the Street was a catalyst to his eventual success with the screenplay.
As it turns out, he courted her with the idea he'd been kicking around for the screenplay. It was in the gestation stage, but ultimately Futterman was given the nomination for an Oscar for his screenplay about Truman Capote.
"In 1959, Truman Capote, a popular writer for The New Yorker, learns about the horrific and senseless murder of a family of four in Holcomb, Kansas. Inspired by the story material, Capote and his partner, Harper Lee, travel to the town to research for an article. However, as Capote digs deeper into the story, he is inspired to expand the project into what would be his greatest work, In Cold Blood ." (IMDb)
Much like Capote, Futterman, and others, one secret to success is often deviating from your current course. It can be difficult. It can be successful, but ultimately it's your decision as an artist on whether you are going to take a chance on another form.
In some cases, this is easy enough. Projects land in your lap and you dig in. At other times, you have to look for something to work on, a project to get attached to.
The key here is how deeply you dive into the water provided. And then, how well you swim.
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