William learned about perseverance and staying true to his
passion, in spite of what people say. In a speech delivered at
a Toastmasters meeting, he said, “When you see a little
hope, doors will open. . . . Never give up, because all you
need is a little hope.”^29
Watching him retell his story one YouTube clip after
another, I can see why so many people were fans of
William. He knows he’s being ironic. He knows he can’t
sing as well as Ricky Martin and that he’s an awkward
dancer, but that doesn’t stop him from trying. He just loves
music. And this, I think, is why we love William Hung. He’s
an underdog. Yet, in spite of the accolades, fame and
fortune were not enough to hold his attention. And therein
lies a lesson for us all.
Success is a process of persevering through difficulties,
but it’s also about knowing yourself. What William might
have added to that inspiring Toastmasters speech is that
occasionally you step through the wrong door. You
misapply the principles of practice and end up succeeding at
the wrong thing or discovering your career is somehow a
shadow of your true calling. Which is why we must think of
this process as a journey. That was what Martyn Chamberlin
discovered about his art. Though a passion, painting wasn’t
the end of the road for him; it was the beginning. In his
case, being an artist opened a door to another skill he might
never have encountered otherwise.
In any vocation, there comes a time when you realize the
path you’re on is not taking you where you want to go. All