I am somewhat obsessed with Joan Crawford. Mommy Dearest is one of my favorite movies and it’s just about her. I was watching the FX show Feud, which details the relationship between her and Betty Davis and the making of the film Baby Jane, (another must see movie). Joan was upset that she couldn’t get quality scripts and how that would affect her career. She took things into her own hands by finding a book she thought could be an amazing screenplay. Then, she pitched it to a producer and convinced Betty Davis to join her as part of the cast.
Joan Crawford was a bad ass. How many of us have been in a similar situation with our careers? We were not happy, we didn’t have the kinds of projects we wanted, and we didn’t have a schedule that would allow us to enjoy the lifestyle we wanted to live. With the recession, there were few jobs to be had. We had to create our own dream job. Just like Joan, we had to hustle, gather the right resources, and fight our way to be seen.
What is sad about this story was how she felt defeated when she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, but Betty Davis was. She achieved a huge accomplishment by finding material and putting together a crew who made an amazing movie. Why didn’t she keep going? Why couldn’t she celebrate that? Why can’t we stop and celebrate each success we have? I mean come on, you’re running your own business…. that’s huge!
If you are unhappy with your job, even if it’s one you created, I challenge you to think about what you really want to do. There isn’t just one path to success. Make up your own rules. You can put together a business model that works just for you. You can be like Joan and create your own dream job.