How is your career like Lucille Ball?

Happy Women's History Month!?

I don't know if there is anyone who doesn't at least know who Lucille Ball is, mainly being known for her role in I Love Lucy, and today I want to share some things about her you might not know and ask you - how is your career like Lucille Ball?

In the final performance of the dramatic arts school she attended in 1926 as a teenager, Lucille performed poorly and was told that she "had no future at all as a performer". She adjusted and pursued acting and modeling gigs after failing out of that same dramatic arts school in 1928, and had moderate success in modeling. She landed some small acting roles in the early 1930s, which inspired her to move permanently?from New York to Hollywood. In Hollywood, she became known as "The Queen of the Bs", because?she appeared in 72 "B grade" movies in the 1930s and 40s.?

At the age of 40, an age where most female actors of the era were struggling?to find parts, she landed her biggest role - the lead in I Love Lucy. CBS did not want to cast her husband (who was six years younger than Lucille) Desi Arnaz because of prejudices of the time, believing that the American public would not accept an interracial couple. Ball stood firm and issued an ultimatum - it was all or nothing, and, of course, she won out.?

During the filming of Season 2 of I Love Lucy, she broke more barriers when she found out she was pregnant. It was considered socially unacceptable at the time to show a pregnant person on television, but Lucy and the writers wrote the pregnancy into the show. Although she wasn't the first, she was the first notable pregnancy on national television. The show never used the word "pregnant" though, because at the time, it was considered vulgar. Instead, they used the word "expecting" or "spectin".

Ethyl and Lucy's friendship on the show also broke barriers and challenged the status quo. At the time, two female characters were only shown as competing with each other, and true positive and supportive friendships were never accurately portrayed - until Lucy and Ethyl.?

Lucy was the only one who was allowed to acknowledge Desi Arnaz's accent because she and the writers wanted to advance, not diminish stereotypes, and were culturally many years ahead of their time. If any other actor even attempted to mention Desi Arnaz's Cuban accent while on set (I Love Lucy was filmed live in front of an audience, so many times there would be improvisation on the set), the audience would become silent, discouraging anyone from even thinking about doing it again.

Finally, Lucy was a perfectionist, and would work for hours on her craft, practicing her comedy lines and gags with impeccable timing, tone, inflection, and attention to detail.

So how can your career possibly be like Lucille Ball?

First, like Lucille going through periods of setbacks, adjustments, and ultimate success, your career path is not linear, and you will - not your might, maybe someday, but you will be faced with challenges, adversity, and possibly outright struggle in your career. But those trials do NOT make you a failure, just like Lucille Ball! Think to Lucille's feedback from dance school - what if she had stayed mediocre as a dancer, remained in New York and had a perfectly comfortable career as a dancer? The world would likely never see her gifts. Just like that, your setbacks are setups for your ultimate success.

Just like Lucille Ball, you should be constantly seeking to break down barriers throughout your career and in serving those around you. like Lucy and Ethyl, while supporting your peers, not bringing them down.

Your career, like Lucille Ball, will sometimes depend on you taking a stand, and when you remain firm, even if you don't get the outcomes you sought, will keep you in your zone where you were created to thrive.

My ask of you is to, like Lucille Ball, challenge the status quo. Don't accept what has always been done just because it has always been done that way. Be bold and follow your heart in your career, and keep finding ways to innovate.

Also like Lucille Ball, know that there is no limit to what you can accomplish with a mindset of success and abundance.?

Keep being amazing, follow your heart, and serve those around you. I believe in you!