I love to read autobiographies. I love hearing the “origin stories” and learning the ways in which others were raised, and how it molded them into the people they are today. I also really enjoy listening to autobiographies via Audible, because I can hear the author tell their stories in their own voice. You can really feel the emotion in their voices when they recall certain stories or memories.
I am currently listening to So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta. I was originally introduced to Retta from binge watching Parks and Recreation after having withdrawal from The Office. Retta played Donna; an office manager for the Pawnee, Indiana Parks and Recreation Department. I immediately enjoyed her character because she reminded me of every black employee in an office full of chipper white employees. The majority of the time she’s just sitting behind her desk, in the background minding her black ass business. Who can relate? That’s what drew me to her story. I just wanted to know who she was, and how she got there. I’m about halfway through her autobiography, and I’ve already picked up a few gems.
Do what you need to do to get you where you need to be – There are times in your life that won’t be glamorous. You’ll have to do the things no one else wants to do, so swallow your pride and get it done if you want to succeed. If I recall correctly, even McDonald’s owners and operators have to start from the bottom cleaning toilets and washing lettuce.
Plan B – Did you know that Retta graduated pre-med from Duke University? As a little girl, she always wanted to be a doctor, but she always felt like acting was her true calling. While making a name for herself, and almost hitting rock bottom, she knew that she could always go back home to New Jersey, live with her parents, and go to medical school. But her passion and hustle pushed her to the point of not having to rely on a back up plan. In her eyes, falling back on her plan B to become a doctor was hitting rock bottom.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help – No one can do everything. And no one knows how to help you if you don’t speak up. At one point, Retta was in-between gigs, and was struggling to make ends meet while living in Los Angeles. As a last resort, she sent an email out to all of her contacts letting them know that she was willing to pick up any type of side job to help make ends meet. She ended up answering Aisha Tyler’s fan mail in order to pay her rent. Ask and you shall receive. She did what she had to do in order to get to where she needed to be.
Stop doubting yourself and believe in yourself – There are a few episodes of Parks and Recreation where Retta’s character sings. Even in these few minutes of each episode, you can tell that she has a beautiful voice. Early on in her career as an actress, she was called to audition for Effie’s role in the screenplay version of Dreamgirls. Retta doubted herself to the point where she didn’t even go to the audition. She didn’t even call her agent back to schedule the audition. How do you know if you’re going to make it if you don’t even try? Who knows what would have happened to her career if she would have gone to the audition, or even landed the part.
Always hustle – If you follow any entrepreneurs, “bosses,” or anyone that owns their own business on Instagram, you notice that they’ll post quotes and memes about the need to hustle on your day off, when you’re sleeping, when you’re awake, etc. This is true. Today’s successes are not promised for tomorrow. Yes, Retta is consistently booked and busy now, but this wasn’t always the case. There was a point where she was performing comedy routines in random college cafeterias by day, and sleeping in sleazy Super 8 motels at night. Acting is a fragile and volatile career, and your hit show or blockbuster movie could be cancelled at a moment’s notice. That’s why it’s important to keep working and hustling.
I’m excited to finish the rest of the book to see what else I can learn from Retta’s experiences. In the meantime I’m going to have to go back and finish watching The Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce. I had no idea she even had a role in the series.
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