michael keaton got it right. tearfully accepting his golden globes award on sunday night for best actor in a motion picture, he paid tribute to his family and upbringing.
he said, “in the household in which i was raised, the themes were pretty simple: work hard, don’t quit, be appreciative, be thankful, be grateful, be respectful. also to never whine, ever. never complain. and always, for crying out loud, keep a sense of humor.”
keaton. who won the award for his gripping portrayal in “birdman” of a washed-out actor who attempts a broadway comeback, shared a glimpse of his early life, saying, “i don’t ever remember a time when my father didn’t work two jobs, when my mother wasn’t saying the rosary or going to mass or trying to take care of seven kids in a rundown farmhouse as she was volunteering at the ohio valley hospital where i was born, in a hallway.”
and he added, “i’ve never seen the virtue in not being courageous in acting. it’s not like coal-miner bravery or doctors-without-borders-going-into-ebola-stricken-villages bravery. i mean, what’s gonna happen? people are going to laugh at you and make fun of you? okay, fine. if that happens, i’ll go on to the next thing.”
i can totally relate to keaton’s message. it’s not often that a hollywood actor so passionately or so eloquently pays tribute to his upbringing. those are values that i share. and the same kind of commitment is needed by any successful entrepreneur. it’s what separates the long-term winners from the losers.
word hard. don’t quit. never whine. don’t get complacent. adapt to change. and always remember your ultimate prize.
