Monday Morning Memo – Forging Your Own Path to Doing Work You Love

“It’s not about knocking on closed doors. It’s about building our own house and having our own door.” – Ava DuVernay, Writer/Producer/Director

Last year, I was riveted by the documentary My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women in Hip-Hop. The visionary behind that project was Ava DuVernay. After seeing her most recent film, Middle of Nowhere, I decided to do a little more digging into the life and career of Ms. DuVernay and was delighted by what I learned.

Turns out, Ms. DuVernay, like a lot of us, harbored dreams of a life in entertainment. But, as she explains in this recent interview with the New York Times, despite her artistic passions, the reality of the cost of an education and career in the arts guided her to making more practical career choices first.

After graduating from UCLA, Ms. DuVernay ventured into what would be a 14 year career in marketing and publicity for the film industry, eventually launching her own company. With her solid knowledge of the business aspect of making movies, she was able to use that knowledge to begin producing and promoting her own films…which are AWESOME, by the way. (Seriously, if you live in/near DC, Philly, Atlanta, New York City, or Los Angeles, do yourself a favor and go see this movie. Oprah said so!)

The challenge of finding that “sweet spot” between working to pay the bills and working to fuel your passion is something we’ve discussed previously on Curvy CEO. That’s partly why I was so moved and motivated by Ms. DuVernay’s personal story. The fact that she was able to pursue her passion and do so well is a testament to the fact that it can be done. And, as she states in today’s Monday Morning Memo, it’s not about knocking on someone else’s closed door…but about building one of your own and walking right through.

So, as you are toiling away this week, doing what needs to be done to keep a roof overhead, continue nurturing that little flame within you. Eventually, the time will be right and that spark will burst into a wildfire fueled by your passions.

— curvyceo

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