Failing Up Review, Audacity Book Club
By Nic Daniels
Hello, Audacity readers!
So, there’s no way to go through 20+ years of life without failing. You were failing a few weeks into it when you were trying to turn over as a baby but stubbornly stayed on your back. Failing is quite familiar to us, in big and small ways. Yet, as familiar as it is to us, it’s never a good thing. Instead, it’s this looming shadow that will crush your future. It’s not an option. It’s not an approved-of imaginary friend. It’s the mess to stuff into the closet when company comes over for the holidays—or behind good advice, IG posts, and reworded around relatives. However, no matter how you hide it, you always know it’s there. Even if it doesn’t look like it. This is the thought process Leslie Odom Jr. takes us through in his memoir/help book.
Now, I’ll be honest and say that there were times where this book was super annoying to me. You see, Leslie is pretty successful throughout his life. Quite frankly, getting advice from people who are thriving when you’re not, is irritating. Having a book about your life through a major publisher because enough people have deemed you successful and popular enough is a huge flex. Plus, in most of his stories it seemed like all he had to do was apply himself and boom! It all worked out.
However, upon reflection, it’s not that simple.
You see, Leslie had failed in many ways that we don’t talk about. For example, he was the African American Oratorical Competition champion from elementary school to high school. However, this came from his failure to behave in school. His father had to overrule his trust in his son and give it to the teacher who would eventually help him, a betrayal to 10-year-old Leslie. In his early 20’s, Leslie had received constant work in Hollywood after his success in Rent, but it often led to him being typecast. At age 29, Leslie was successful in so many ways and excelled whenever he hit the stage. However, off stage, he was failing to be creative for himself.
The last issue’s revealed within the first fifteen pages of the book. He’s ranting to his mentor about being sick of acting and wanting to quit. His mentor made a simple request: “I’d love to see you try before you quit.”
This statement personally hit me harder than anything else in his story and stayed with me throughout it. It made me reflect on my goals and practices. Have I really tried at my goals outside of an end goal? Have I tried to enjoy them outside of “work?” When was the last time I pushed myself to a limit like Billy Porter asked Leslie to do in the Being Alive stage play? The answers were uncomfortably negative. No, no, and I don’t remember. A few times, I had to pause to take a breath as I realized this. And I think that was Leslie’s point. Often, failure isn’t the obvious reason for missing the goal. It’s missing the practices or lacking the enthusiasm to even go for it, despite it being something you love.
While Leslie’s book isn’t an earth-shattering book that will hold a space on my favorite bookshelf, it was a wakeup call. It was a reminder to get my ass up and work. It reminded me that the goal isn't to be “successful” at this thing I love, even though that would be amazing. The point is to just do it because I love it. Work on it because I love it. Figure it out, improve on it, fail again and again at it because I love it.
I’d love to hear what you think of Failing Up. What lesson stuck out to you? What’s a new way you could fail? What’s a moment where your failure turned into a success? Comment below!
Until next time, don’t forget to read audaciously!
