Here’s a life-changing story from Jerry Weintraub, who represented the great and good in Hollywood from Frank Sinatra to George Cooney to Matt Damon.
He takes us back to when he was 13 years of age, with his father (a travelling jewellery salesman), and somehow ends up in a film studio canteen opposite legendary actress Betty Grable (famously insured her legs for one million dollars in the late 50’s).
He was in awe of her, and he said she looked goddess like, eating her food and drinking a lemonade, he was literally sitting there with his mouth wide open watching a living legend.
Then all of a sudden Betty released the biggest belch he’s ever heard. He was in shock, pretended not to notice and looked away. This was life-changing for Jerry.
At the time, Hollywood was seen as the place for Gods and stars were seen as better than others and “untouchable”.
Suddenly though, jerry realised that they were indeed just like him, with the same habits, the same worries and insecurities, even though he was only a 13 year old from The Bronx in New York.
After that moment, he treated everyone the same, whether from where he grew up or the president of the united states.
It teaches us all a lesson. Nobody is better than us, nobody more supremely talented than us, it comes down to how hard we will work for something, how long we can stick at it, and making sure we take all the everyday opportunities that present themselves to us.
It’s not about our background, how much money we have, what school/college we used to go to, “who we know”, it’s about the here and now and how we deal with every day in front of us.
No time to dwell on the past, focus on the people who are here to help us and try to help them too, not everyone is against us, change the way you approach people and you will find more people will try to help you.
