Are You a Leading Actor or the Best Friend?

“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way you are right.”

–Henry Ford

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In the movie industry the leading roles are few. Only one man and one woman can have these spots. The leading actors are the Leonardo DiCaprio’s, George Clooney’s, Marlene Dietrich’s, Eva Gardner’s and so on. But leading actors usually have best friends. And usually these best friends roles are usually played by the same kinds of actors like Kathyn Hahn, Annie Parisse, Adam Goldberg and Thomas Lennon. It’s very hard to get the leading actor roles, but actors know that they have to work hard and keep working to get where they want to.

Luckily, in God’s eyes, those who are grafted into His family tree are all leading actors.

But, when it comes to our craft, our industry, our skill, we must have some vision, and goals on where we’re trying to get to. The U.S. Marine commercials have at the end: “Many are called but few are chosen.” Few are chosen for the leading roles. And often times our thinking can hold us back from getting those leading roles.

If you want to be an actor and you’re not satisfied with getting the best friend roles, then work your faith by doing all you can do to get larger roles, and seek God if that’s what He wants for you too. If you want to be a school principal, but you’re a teacher then work hard, get the necessary certification to be a principal, strive to be a good teacher (work hard where you’re at), and at the right time apply for principal roles. And if you want to be the next evening news anchor, but you’re a small town broadcaster, work hard in that role, network and apply for roles at major news networks.

If God wills it and by working your faith to trust His ability to grow you, and if you aim high your hard work to shift from the best friend roles in life to the leading actor will pay off in some way.

But, if you choose the best friend roles for your life, and you really want the leading actor roles then that’s your choice. Our thinking, like Ghandi and Ford stated so long ago can often hold us back. How far we go in life is largely dictated by how big or small our thinking is. 

*Header photo of Clark Gable and Yvonne DeCarlo in Band of Angels, 1957.