Just got back from watching the “Julie & Julia” movie with Andy. Two inspiring tales of paralleling perseverance in ages of “new media” – that’s my summary. (The movie was brilliantly done, in my opinion.)
One of my favorite lines from the movie was later in the movie when Paul (husband to Julia Child) said to Julia, in the depths of her woe over her manuscript rejection: “You can teach cooking in our kitchen…you CAN teach cooking on television.” (Keep in mind, TV was still a “new media” – and cooking shows were unheard of.) Julia was completely taken aback – but she also believed it possible. Julia Child made her own game from the moment she pursued doing something she loved instead of just something culturally acceptable. Julia was a game-changer on so many levels – of the sort that Chris Brogan describes in Trust Agents.
And then there is Julie – the picture perfect example of what happens when an “average” person does something extraordinary. I would suggest that everyone is extraordinary – we just don’t always find our passion. We don’t always have that fire to pursue our dreams, to do what we love, to find our fire and go with it at all costs. But Julie didn’t know anything about blogging or technology or even anything extraordinary about her topic. But she set a goal that had to do with something she LOVED, and then she mustered discipline and determination and was willing to share her journey with the world. And she wrote and wrote and wrote. She wrote transparently and honestly. She had success – and she had strife. And she wrote. Authentically. A real person.
Julie and Julia are both loved for their authenticity. Julia Childs wasn’t afraid to mess-up or spill or even fail on the camera. Julie wasn’t afraid to have a “melt-down” on her blog. Nor did either hold back their successes and joys – the celebrations were euphoric and contagious. Human. So very human.
Julie’s story can be your story. Just with a different passion attached. New Media – like blogging, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, etc. give you an opportunity to do something extraordinary, to be “found” and to earn a living on the coattails of something you LOVE. You don’t really have to KNOW anything more than how to be human and willing to develop a discipline and perseverance for the long haul.
If you’re willing to be very human – you too can be a “New Media Success Story.”
Photo Credit: Rakka
Just wanted to let you know how the movie Julie & Julia has affected my business. We put one class on the calendar to make her classic beef burgundy. That was a Tuesday, by Saturday we had sold out of 8 classes of 24 people in each on the same subject!! Media makes a huge difference in our society and I’ve seen in a great way just how.
Jet, what a FANTASTIC story! This is exactly the sort of thing that more businesses need to leverage. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thanks for the movie review. I am always looking for motivation. Looks like this movie is an exceptional one.