If you read last week’s post, you know that we’re all about debunking the “It’s too late” lie. In fact, the more we talk with people, the more we find that It’s not unusual to get 20 years into your career and realize that you might want to try something different or that a dream has been laying latent for too long and finally needs to be let loose. Maybe you’re one of those people who has something that you’ve wanted to try but just feel stuck. For your inspiration, during the month of April we’d like to visit some famous people who made big mid-life transitions – and won! Hopefully, these success stories will prove that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, even if you hanker to enter what some might consider a “young person’s” field.
Today’s spotlight: Legendary comedian, actor, and author Phyllis Diller! Did you know that Phyllis Diller was working as a journalist when she first appeared on “You Bet Your Life,” with Groucho Marx. That appearance led to an opportunity to debut as a stand-up comedian. In fact, this pioneering woman quit her day job at age 37 to pursue standup before she had even performed her first comedy routine on stage. Two years after she handed in her notice, Diller appeared on The Tonight Show and became America’s first female comedienne on tour.
In her monologues, Diller adopted the stage personality of a typical housewife and spoke of topics that affected American suburbia—kids, pets, neighbors and even mothers-in-law. She became famous for her delivery which was accentuated by her animated facial expressions, eccentric costumes, overdone make-up and signature loud, cackling laugh.
By the time she died in 2012 she had penned several books, appeared on stage in Hello Dolly! and in several movies alongside her longtime friend, Bob Hope. In 1992, she even received the American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Her legacy to us is not only her comedic take on life and her art. We are also heirs of her pioneering spirit – taking a risk to pursue the thing you love can bring a lot of joy both to yourself and to the world around you.
“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” – Phyllis Diller
What about you? What risky dream is calling you? What would it look like for you to pursue it?
