Hi,
This Saturday I would like to share with you the story of a luminous personality who lit the world with his charm, personality, and accomplishments. He did not want to be like any other person and at the same time did not want any other person also to be like him. He did not like to walk in the shadow of others who came before him and made it big. Rather, he learned the tricks of the trade early. He felt he should develop his own style to be able to make mark and rise to the fame. He started poor but grew to be extremely rich with properties in several countries. He became a heartthrob of millions of people all over the world. He is a showman. He is a star. He is a pure entertainer. He has been a phenomenon in the entertainment industry. Who is he? What are his accomplishments? What are the factors that helped him script his success story?
-----------------------------------------------------The man who entertained the whole world
He is Jackie Chan. He was born in Hong Kong in 1954. His original name was Chan Kong-sang. Jackie Chan's birth was a miracle. He was in his mother's womb for 12 months. He was delivered by doctors after performing a surgery. At the time of his birth, his father was working as a cook in the home of the French Ambassador to Hong Kong and his mother as a housekeeper. They were so poor they found it difficult to pay for the hospital bills. They turned down an offer by the hospital doctor who proposed that she would pay the bill if they allowed her to adopt the baby. They did not accept. He was their only son. They preferred to borrow money from friends. The star was thus born.
His accomplishments are numerous. Jackie Chan's first appearance in films was in 1962 at the age of eight as a child actor. He acted in several films as a stuntman before acting in a lead role when he was 17 years old in 1972. His first big hit came only in the year 1978. Since then there was no looking back for him. He went on to act, script, and direct some of the films that became the biggest blockbusters in the film industry not only in Hong Kong and China but also in various countries all over the world. He acted in more than 100 movies. His movies broke the box-office records everywhere. The list of his accomplishments is very long. He was honoured with many awards and nominations. He received stars on the 'Hong Kong Avenue of Stars' and the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame.' He was also honoured by MTV with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award.'
How could he do it? His story of success from the rags to riches did not happen just like that. It is the outcome of tremendous amount of discipline, determination, and dedication with which he lived his life. Five of the secrets for success that we could learn from his story are listed below:
1. His studies were in alignment with his professional career. His schooling was done at Peking Opera School where he learned Chinese arts of performing, singing, acting, and acrobatic and martial arts which he used to his full advantage in the profession he chose to pursue.
2. He chose to be different. During his initial years of action, Bruce Lee was a big star. Jackie Chan did not want to live in the shadow of Bruce Lee. He chose different genre of films which suited his personality the most - the action comedy. He did not want to follow Bruce Lee. Though tempting, He consciously avoided following him and created his own style of action that clicked well and made him a star in his own status.
3. He took great risks. He performed most of the stunts in his movies himself, and some of them were quite risky and most dangerous to perform. In due course, his stunts became his trademarks. They created a niche for himself and made him a unique actor - the one and only Jackie Chan.
4. He connected well with his audience. He knew he was a performer and that he was performing to entertain the people. He quickly understood the pulse of the people and learned to connect with them through his onscreen actions, movements, and expressions. He wanted to give his audience a feeling of 'wow.'
5. He wants to be good and remembered by the people that way. He says, "I want to be remembered like I remember Buster Keaton. When they talk about Buster Keaton or Gene Kelly, people say 'Ah yes, they are good'. Maybe one day they will remember Jackie Chan that way. That's all." He turned down a role in Black Rain movie because he did not want to play a bad guy.
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Jackie Chan is a role model to many in many parts of Asia, They look up to him as someone extraordinary. For some, he is a god who has been delivered into this world.Jackie Chan is indeed a talent that is best explored for the good of oneself and the society at large. Yes, he deserves all the accolades and appreciation. And, we must say for what he has given to this world, "Thank you Jackie Chan."
To your continued success,
With love,
Siva
PS: Info Sources: 1) "The luminous Life of Jackie Chan" by Shyam Dua; 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan
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