“I felt like there had been some mistake,” she said. “…that I wasn’t smart enough to be in this company.”…When Portman was finally able to combat these feelings of self-doubt, there’d be more roadblocks to overcome…
By the time Portman got to “Black Swan,” she said that “the experience was completely [her own].” Portman had vowed to only sign onto projects that she could glean meaningful things from. And Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” — a project she admits she was “woefully unprepared for” and was “15 years away from being a ballerina” when she signed on for — would carry, perhaps, one of Portman’s most meaningful life experiences.
“It was instructive for me to see that for ballet dancers — once your technique gets to a certain level — the only thing that separates you from others is your quirks,” Portman said. “Or even, flaws … You can never be the best technically. Someone will always have a higher jump or a more beautiful line. The only thing you can be the best at is developing your own self.”
~ Natalie Portman, 2015 Harvard Commencement Speech
Credits: Quote – Salon.com.
Thanks for this post, David. Just what my young daughter needs to learn, and believe, at the moment.
Great. Thanks for sharing John. And a message there for a number of us.
Very true (and wise, and humble). I like her. Believe it or not, one night while in a chat room, someone whispered me privately and said she was in a hotel in Chicago and was bored to tears. She wasn’t sure why she was in a religion chat, but was finding it fun. She shared something personal after I failed to recognize her real name OR her character in Star Wars — at which she had roared with real delight. It seemed my words helped. Well, they could hardly have hurt. She’s a down to earth girl, and as sweet as she looks. It’s good (especially for the young) to hear from celebs who are real.
“Be the best at developing your own self.” Yep, that’s it in a nutshell. So simple and yet so damned difficult at times….
And so damn difficult. Yes.
the only thing you can be. yes.