What Watching Julie and Julia Taught Me About Business (Don’t Laugh)
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I finally got around to seeing Julie and Julia, the movie about blogger Julie Powell and also about Julia Child’s life while she was writing her famous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. My movie tastes usually skew a little more towards movies where things blow up, but I was at home and it was on tv on the movie channel, so I gave it a shot. Plus, half the story was about a blogger, so it was almost like doing research, right? What I didn’t expect that I’d find things in it that I could apply to business.
For example, when Julie Powell was deciding what her blog should be about, she said something along the lines of that she wanted to do the blog as an escape from the day-to-day life that she wasn’t happy with – specifically, the cubicle life at a government job that she didn’t find fulfilling or interesting, but paid the bills – a situation most people have found themselves in, especially in this economy. She loved cooking and admired Julia Childs, so that’s where the Julie/Julia project cam from – where she would cook all 500+ recipes found in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
And it was a blog that succeeded. Of it was born a book (a process you see in the movie) and, of course, the movie itself. It was a blog born out of interest and passion. Now, not every blog born out of passion and interest will necessarily succeed, but a lot more of them will than the ones without interest and passion behind it (that’s pretty much none.) It confirmed something I’ve always said on this blog – if you want to make money online, you’ve got to have an interest and passion (have I said that enough times in one paragraph?) in order for it to be a success.
The other interesting point the movie made (for me, anyway) came from Julia Child’s story. Now, it was interesting to me to find out that Julia Childs, arguably one of the most famous and easily recognized chefs in the world, ever, did not become successful in her chosen field until later in life. Heck, she didn’t even find it until later in life. She didn’t even start learning to cook until after she moved to Paris in her 40s. But one thing she always knew was that she loved food, and even though she ended up trying a bunch of different things before she figured it out, what made her successful was finally following her heart and doing something she loved.
It was heartening to me – it said that, just because you aren’t where you want to be right now, doesn’t mean that you won’t get there. I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there, working to make a living, doing enough to get by and feeling like they’ve failed because they don’t have a career that they love.
So, the message I took form Julie and Julia is that it’s ok is you absolutely don’t love what you’re doing right now, and that it doesn’t make you a failure if you don’t make the top 30 under 30 list anywhere. And you’re also not required to stick with something for the rest of your life just because you’ve put a few years into it, or it’s what you took in school. But what’s not ok if is you settle, and say that it’s good enough. Keep searching for that thing you love to do and figure out a way to make money doing it. As Julia Childs said, “I’ve been looking for a career all my life and now I’ve found it!”
I gotta see this movie
:D:D
Jason, I have to agree.
I watched this movie a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised. I grew up when Julia had her own TV show and was on all the talk shows etc and I didn’t know that much about her.
Julie’s success came from the same energy source that Julia’s came from just as you indicated and that was passion. Passion is what fuels success. Without it there’s no purpose.
There is no honest success online or otherwise without purpose. Without the passion and the purpose you would just be chasing the money.
True blogging is journaling about one’s passion and that makes for interesting reading.
I really liked the movie and ironically didn’t expect that I would.
Oh, I definitely laughed. Your excuse for watching this movie (by yourself?) was pitiful. However, I’m glad you did because now I want to watch it.
Finding ones passion is the key to happiness and success. I wish that for everyone.
Thanks for the review and the laugh.
Don’t use me as a scapegoat Chuck
Thanks for a positive reinforcement on life and defining personal success. Now I want to see the movie too – Redbox has made another sale!
Hi Jason,
Totally agree, I found Julia’s energy and determination in pursuing her passion truly inspiring!
Di
My girl friend God Luv Her! Takes an interest in my blog, which is about, Shared server hosting, and I have promised to watch a girlie movie on Sunday…
It is unusual advice from this blog… But I think I know what we will be watching!
Thank you, Jason.