Are you trying to please everybody?

Bill Cosby said "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

The other day I sent an email update to my contact list with news of my film going to Cannes and my other latest doings. I've gotten hundreds of positive responses, which is so wonderful and uplifting.

I've also gotten a few unsubscribes, since I use a mailing list provider, and I even got one person who wrote a one-line criticism of the fact that I didn't read his screenplay (he refused to write a treatment because "there are things that occur in the
process of reading a script that can never be captured on a treatment.")

At one time in my life, I would have been heartbroken about these few negative responses, even with the overwhelming number of positive ones. But my wonderful coach Dallas Travers has taught me that there are two kinds of people in your career and your life: your collaborators and your NYPs. Not Your People. These people don't like you, don't respect you, don't understand you, or just plain don't care about you. And the more time you spend worrying about them, the less time and energy you have to celebrate your unique contributions.

Many people put forth the dating analogies in this industry - either you click with someone or you don't, and if you do, you'll probably work together. If not, you probably won't. But there's no sense in beating yourself up over the ones who are NYPs.

My advice is this: when someone compliments your work or takes an interest in your career, don't stop there. Get to know them - what are they in need of right now? Maybe there is something you can help them with, someone you can connect them with, or a job lead you can hook them up with. In the process of helping them, you're also reminding yourself that you are generous and abundant, and that positive glow is one of the most valuable assets you have in attracting the work you want.


*********************************
Success in LA - multihyphenate actress-writer-producer Rebecca Jupiter thinks outside the box - if you enjoyed this or any other post, please become a follower over on the right. It's free and takes only a few seconds. Thanks!