Now that Oceans Thirteen has made it to cable television, it would appear that every cable channel is running it. At least that’s how it feels every time I turn on my TV!
By now I’ve probably seen the movie 5 or 6 times, but I must say this: I really enjoy the relationship between George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Not only are they fun to watch in these movies because of the great friendship their characters have, but you can tell that they’re also good friends in real life. Because they share the bond of “celebrity,” they also share the understanding that true friends are very hard to make in Hollywood.
Last week I had a coaching call with one of my clients and during the course of our conversation, she told me that the more successful she became, the more friends she lost. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised.
When my grandmother first started out in the fabric business (of which she knew nothing about), one of her suppliers took her under his wing to teach her the business and help her make other industry contacts. At that time, one of the most important things he told her was that as her business grew and she became successful, she would also lose friends. He then told her that she would meet new friends along the way, and he was right: on both accounts!
When I became an agent, I suddenly found myself with a LOT of new “friends.” However, the truth of the matter is that these people were more interested in what I could do for them, than they were in being my friend. Fortunately, I figured that out early, because as soon as I quit the agency and started my own company, a lot of those people dropped out of my life. No surprise there!
Once my business started growing, I also lost some friends who couldn’t relate to being an entrepreneur, and I chose to let other friends go because I realized that they were not supportive of me, or my business.
As your career grows and you become more and more successful, you may discover that your circle of friends grows smaller and smaller, because true friends are few and far between.
So if you ever find yourself in the position of losing friends, make sure you take the time to grieve your loss, trusting that you WILL make new friends along the way; friends who want nothing but the best for you and who will be there to share in your success because they’re genuinely happy for you.
Success does have a price tag attached to it. It may not be immediately apparent, but it’s there, nonetheless. The good news is that you’re not alone on your journey – I’m right there with you!
To Your Success,
Sharon
Sharon Moist
The Industry Coach®
*********
Website: The Industry Coach
Newsletter: Industry News Digest
Book: 101 Tips for Actors
