George Burns' career could have ended as early as 1958, when his wife Gracie Allen retired from Show business. Burns continued the show after Allen retired, but the show was cancelled after one season. Burns could have let his wife's retirement from show business stop him from going further in his career, but he ultimately ended up being a huge comic success and lived to be 100 years old.
Many of Burns' biggest successes came when he was in his eighties and nineties. At the ages when many people have long since retired, Burns was enjoying great success. Getting older does have great advantages: we become smarter; we acquire wisdom; we have acquired more skills.
1. Burns struggled as a vaudeville straight man for years until he met Gracie
There was a chemistry that Burns and Allen had when they created their comic duo. For eight years, Burns played the straight man and Allen played the funny lady. The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show was a tremendous success on CBS. They made a dynamic team.
The same concept could apply to our careers. A lot of us have held many jobs and in those positions, there were probably people whom we loved to work with and those whom we did not. Like Burns when he was struggling in vaudeville, our present job or career may not exactly be what we want to do, but we do get opportunities to meet people who know other people and so forth.
2. For 17 years (1958 to 1975), Burns had very minimal success
Many of us may think of George Burns as a great comic success, which he was. But for about 17 years, Burns had very subpar performances compared to the show that he did with Gracie. Gracie Allen died in 1964 and Burns attempted two television shows, one with Connie Stevens, but both shows were cancelled after the first season. Burns encountered another celebrity death when Jack Benny died in 1975. Burns was offered Benny's role in the comedy film, The Sunshine Boys, and had great success. After a 17-year drought, Burns was back! The success of The Sunshine Boys led to Burns' role in Oh God!, which was also a tremendous success.
How many of us get frustrated at struggling for six months to a year? How many of us would have given up after 17 years of subpar success that Burns endured? Burns showed us that getting older is getting better.
3. Burns had over a dozen television specials after 1975
Burns' revitalized movie success in 1975 spurred resurgence in television success that he had not had since doing shows with Gracie. Burns was now playing the funny person, the role that Grace played when he was playing the straight man. Burns was now a movie and television success.
We never know what may happen when we take our experience from our own careers and apply them to new positions or careers. The skills and education we learn from other jobs may help us to get the career that we are really looking for. Any skill that we can learn should not be discounted.
Burns proved that one is never too old to do a great job. He had revitalization in entertainment in spite of Gracie's retirement and death. Burns did not let the loss of Gracie deter him from making a name for himself. If any of us catch ourselves giving up or saying things like "I'm too old for?," think of George Burns.
North Notes is a writing and researching company, which primarily helps writers gain focus, motivation, remove mental blocks that help to unblock the writing process. EVERYONE who writes has been stuck at some point in his or her career. You do not have to accept these mind-boggling roadblocks!
(586) 216-7516
car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThe difference between success and failure is based on behavior.... Read More
Finding balance is deciding to notice what goes on in... Read More
Two Immigrants Live The American DreamSome may call it a... Read More
How do you define success?According to the Collins dictionary, success... Read More
To have a high probability of becoming prosperous, you have... Read More
The Law of Experience"Success comes from good judgement; good judgement... Read More
Sit up straight! You may recall hearing those words as... Read More
Have you ever had this feeling? You're standing in front... Read More
Do you feel like your stuck?No matter what you do,... Read More
If we eat too much at home, the public eventually... Read More
"When you talk to yourself, you listen. No matter what... Read More
Management by Objectives, strategic planning, quality, teams, re-engineering. Passing management... Read More
I am constantly approached by people when I am speaking... Read More
There have been a lot of really good movies made... Read More
'No man is an island' the saying goes. The implication... Read More
Plants of all kinds (including trees), herbs and roots have... Read More
Did you know that your past, present, and future can... Read More
Everything you will ever have and accomplish in life will... Read More
Revolution:a sudden, radical, or complete change a fundamental change in... Read More
I did it my way -Frank SinatraWhat is a successful... Read More
Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More
Recently, I was asked to write a Top 10 list... Read More
We all want to improve our top line - our... Read More
Nicholas Darvas, escaping his war-torn homeland, Hungary, sought refuge in... Read More
The power went out. Again!I looked out my second story... Read More
Granger limo Chicago ..In 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down and the... Read More
When entering second adulthood, many women will begin a journey... Read More
Sometimes success is found through the things that you don't... Read More
Have you ever had such thoughts like "I always fall... Read More
Success is something that happens all by itself once you've... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you're not where you want... Read More
How do you define success?According to the Collins dictionary, success... Read More
Evaluations are a tremendous resource to help us know where... Read More
Effective listening is almost certainly the most important communication skill,... Read More
The title of this article also happens to be the... Read More
Is it possible to get rich quick using the power... Read More
Start a "round robin" goal letter with others who need... Read More
If you ask most people whether they would like to... Read More
Mike, his feet dangling above the city, opened his lunch... Read More
Magic doesn't have to be complicated. Here are some very... Read More
Why do some people end up with boring jobs living... Read More
In the film 'The Rock', Sean Connery takes a dim... Read More
In this week's New Age Notebook, I am going to... Read More
Here are 3 powerful steps you can take to free... Read More
If we are involved in a project, how hard should... Read More
Your personal image: It's the most important YOU asset you... Read More
Success is a word that is much used in our... Read More
Do you constantly find yourself saying "I can't afford it"... Read More
I call the following seven belief lies of success, taking... Read More
* Perfectionism is a time waster.Strive for excellence on important... Read More
Success |