When people ask me, ‘how do you make it in show business,’ or whatever, what I always tell them — and nobody ever takes note of it ‘cuz it’s not the answer they wanted to hear…but I always say, ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’
Interpretation
To succeed, one must focus on honing their skills to an exceptional level.
Steve Martin's quote emphasizes the importance of skill and talent in achieving success in any field, particularly show business. It suggests that rather than seeking shortcuts or seeking approval, individuals should concentrate on becoming so proficient in their craft that their talent speaks for itself, making them hard to overlook.
In practice
Using this quote during a motivational speech for aspiring artists.
When I first started doing my comedy act, I just desperately needed material. So I took literally everything I knew how to do on stage with me, which was juggling, magic and banjo and my little comedy routines. I always felt the audience sorta tolerated the serious musical parts while I was doing my comedy.
You want to be a bit compulsive in your art or craft or whatever you do.
I have heard it said that a complicated childhood can lead to a life in the arts. I tell you this story of my father and me to let you know I am qualified to be a comedian.
...it is not the big events that hurt the most but rather the smallest questionable shift in tone at the end of a spoken word that can plow most deeply into the heart.
Reviews for someone like me come in three packages. One is justifiable praise, the second is justifiable criticism, and the third is, "This is only published because he's a celebrity."
If he thinks he would harm Mirabelle, he would back away. But he does not yet understand when and how people are hurt. He doesn't understand the subtleties of slights and pains, that it is not the big events that hurt the most but rather the smallest questionable shift in tone at the end of a spoken word that can plow most deeply into the heart.
Opportunities, many times, are so small that we glimpse them not and yet they are often the seeds of great enterprises. Opportunities are also everywhere and so you must always let your hook be hanging. When you least expect it, a great fish will swim by.
In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated.
I believe that the best measure of whether a nation is going to be successful is whether they are tapping the talents of their women.
What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to learn about losing and having bad races.
The secret of success is to make your mind work for you - not against you. This means constantly being positive, constantly setting up challenges you can meet - either today, next week, or next month etc.
The biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are working for somebody else. Job security is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the individual. Remember: Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career!
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