So I went to see “Katy Perry: Part of Me” the other day. If you think this might be the girliest movie ever…
…you’d be right. But! You should watch it anyway. The movie begins with kids giving testimony to Katy Perry’s awesomeness while lights sparkle in the background. At first, I did have an incredible urge to leave the theatre lest I spontaneously transform into a teenage girl. And maybe I would have, if not for the fact that I had dragged my girlfriend to go see it with me in the first place.
Why you ask? A few weeks ago, I heard Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM interview Katy Perry. She mentioned how she had asked for a guitar when she was only 13. Additionally, she hinted at some of the adversity she went through while on tour last year. Not only am I a sucker for stories of adversity, but also I started to sense that there was a backstory to Katy’s success beyond just a team of people pulling the strings of a pop star marionette. My interest was piqued.
So back to the movie. Without giving away too much, I will say that it was very inspiring. In the movie, you see how Katy is the quintessence of how a personal obsession can translate into remarkable success. During one period, she had written 200 songs in a span of just 5 years. You’ll also see that after a mile long list of failures, she could have given up, at which point no one would have faulted her for doing so. But she doesn’t.
Very often people look at winners with a cynical eye. We only see the overnight launch to the top, but not the behind-the-scenes hard work, struggle, persistence, and dedication that precedes their triumph. While it may be true that some people become kings and queens by good fortune alone, these individuals are never able to hold onto their crowns for very long. Because they arrived by chance, when they are lost, they do not know how to find their way back. They are unfamiliar with the road to success, a road that demands not as much inspiration as it does perspiration. Perhaps a sprinkling of serendipity, but a fistful of tenacity.
If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for?
If you liked this, you might also like:
Inspirational Movies – Yes Man
Inspirational Movies – Hajime no Ippo
Inspirational Movies – GATTACA
Choose to Take the Journey 
Too many people think success is via swallowing a magical pill, thus they gamble and their obsession with celebrity. The media often reinforces the illusion that success is easy by stories of instant successes, or by portraying a success that was done through hard work as an instant success. There are few magical pills in life. Good blog.
Thanks Alex. That’s interesting that you brought up gambling. The belief in instant success and the desire for instant gratification are closely related. For some reason your comment reminds me of Neo in “The Matrix” when he has to choose between the red pill and the blue pill. One will allow him to continue his familiar existence in blissful ignorance. The other will expose him to the truth, but throw his life into the depths, from which he must rise or be destroyed. Anyway, I’m being a bit dramatic. I very much appreciate a good movie that makes you think.