Adam Sandler and Beyonce’

I saw a really cool clip recently where Brad Pitt was interviewing Adam Sandler. Pitt is recounting a story he’d heard about Sandler in an effort to find out if it was true. 

As Pitt tells it, when Sandler was in acting school, a professor of his took him out for a beer and essentially told him to do something else. He told Sandler that he wasn’t talented enough, funny, enough, or skilled enough to make it in the film industry so he should give up. 

Years later, after Sandler had achieved both commercial and critical success, he was at a restaurant with some of his friends and he ran into that professor from college. At the time, Sandler’s films had grossed over two billion dollars and he certainly could’ve rubbed that in his former teacher’s face. 

He didn’t. 

Instead, he called his friends over, introduced all of them and said, “This is the only teacher I’ve ever had who bought me a beer.” 

Sandler then returned the favor and bought his teacher a beer. Then they went their own way. 

Years ago, I wrote a piece about how when Beyonce’ left Destiny’s Child and recorded her first solo album, the record label didn’t think there was even one top ten hit on it. That’s right. They doubted the queen herself. And they were right that there wasn’t one top ten hit, there were five. 

The people doubting you likely have no idea what you’re capable of. Just like Sandler’s professor had no idea what he was capable of. Just like Beyonce’s record company had no idea. 

Prove your doubters wrong through your successes. Use their lack of belief as motivation to fuel you. And remember that sometimes doubt is just other people’s jealousy about you doing big things. That negativity from others is often them wanting you to stay small. Because it makes them feel better if you do.  

Play big. Win big. Then buy your biggest doubters a beer and move on.