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Think like a queen.a Queen is not afraid to fail.failure is another stepping stone to greatness.
This blog post is about one incredible woman's life and the inspiration she can provide for her readers. "The rich because they think rich; the poor because they think poor." It's a quote from Oprah that resonated with me. We can't change what happens to us, but we have a choice in how we perceive it and use it for good or bad. Anything is possible if you think it is. It is an Oprah quote and an idea shared by several other successful people like Steve Jobs.
"I wanted to be the Oprah of my generation, not that I was interested in being a talk show host, but I knew I wanted to do something that had an impact," - Misty Copeland (American Ballet Theatre soloist)
Misty Copeland is the first African-American principal ballet dancer of the American Ballet Theatre. Although having such a coveted role is something most people could only dream about, Misty has faced her fair share of struggles. Growing up in a low-income neighborhood and being raised by a single mother made life incredibly difficult for young Misty. As she recalled, "I got picked on and teased relentlessly." Her one-bedroom apartment was filled with dogs, cats, and mice. Misty's mother held several jobs so she could provide for her daughter. Still, when her mother could not take care of Misty, she often spent time at a local ballet school. It was there that Misty fell in love with the art of ballet. Her newfound passion started her on a path of discipline, sacrifice, and hard work. She practiced 20 hours a day. But as great as her hard work was at improving her dancing, it also made it difficult for her to make friends with kids in school. They couldn't even fathom someone who loved ballet as much as she did, let alone someone who took that same passion and turned it into a career.
"A lot of people didn't see my potential, because I was a little too different, and they really couldn't understand how I could be a ballet dancer. When you want something so badly, you just become determined to make it happen," - Misty Copeland (The power of the mind)
When Misty was 14 years old, her mother fell behind on rent, so Misty was taken away from her dance classes and put in a group home. Misty continued to practice ballet with her portable CD player by placing it on the floor and dancing around it. She would also spend time at ballet studios after school with tutors and other young dancers who were more susceptible to bullying than she was. Misty's coaches at the time told her to quit because she would never make it in the ballet world. But Misty never gave up, and one day while watching a ballerina on TV as a child, she was captivated by her strong and confident performance. Misty wanted to be like that person - a ballerina who could change the world.
"Yes, I am on my way to being the next Pat Benatar. She is twenty-nine years old, but I'm starting at age 14." -Misty Copeland.
When Misty got older, she moved into an apartment where another dancer trained her for free. Misty worked eight hours a day and then did eight hours of ballet training in the evenings. She eventually scored a full-time job at the San Francisco Ballet, but she was soon asked to leave because of her small stature. She had just turned 20 years old; back then, dancers were forced to retire by age 29. "There are two ways to pursue your dreams: you can do it with someone standing on your shoulders or do it alone," - Misty Copeland
Misty realized that she would have to be better than everyone else if she wanted to succeed in her field. She moved back home so she could work at a regular nine-to-five job while simultaneously training in the evenings with the San Francisco Ballet. She was tired of the feeling that her small stature was holding her back. So she decided to focus on her ballet career because she couldn't let anyone else get in the way of doing what she wanted.
"You can't back down, quit or accept less than your best effort. You have to give it all you've got. You have to be in control of what you want, how you want to live, and how you want to act. You are always responsible for your own life, especially when others are around," -Misty Copeland.
The mistier focused on her goal, the more determined she became. She started gaining more and more experience with the San Francisco Ballet, eventually becoming a soloist. She emailed a million pictures of herself in a tutu to companies asking for auditions. She got several rejections, but finally, one company replied and invited her for an audition. Misty would later say: "I had never gone out in my life and I am not much of a social butterfly." However, she was determined to make it through the audition as an ordinary girl with no ballet background. She did her best, and she got the job of a lifetime.
"I remember being overly confident in my abilities. I had a strong sense of having the ability to succeed at something I had dreamed about for so long. And, in that one moment, I could feel it - I could feel the circle closing," -Misty Copeland.
She was becoming a star on stage and off it as well. Misty worked incredibly hard and quickly rose through the ranks until she was appointed American Ballet Theatre's first African American principal dancer by Alvin Ailey. But still, some people doubted that she could play a significant role. To prove everyone wrong, Misty started training more than ever. She hoped to become the first African American ballerina to dance the lead role in George Balanchine's ballet "Jewels."
"You can't step into those shoes and have preconceived notions of what that person should be like. You have to go with your heart and at least give it your best shot. That's all you can do." -Misty Copeland.
When you're young, pursuing your dreams and making them a reality may seem challenging. But as you age, you will realize that every moment spent dreaming is time well spent. You must always keep your eyes on the prize and try to work harder than anyone else to succeed. It doesn't matter what obstacles you can face along the way because if you put in all your effort and passion, there will always be a way to overcome any odds, no matter what they may be.