Paul Bettany and Always Believing in Yourself

When Avengers: Infinity War was released it became the number one movie in the world setting box office records within its first week of release. One of the main characters within the fight for the Infinity Stones is Vision played by actor Paul Bettany. 

The character of Vision evolved from a voice over of an artifical intelligence system for Tony Stark (aka Ironman) named J.A.R.V.I.S., to the cape wearing superhero Vision, to an onscreen depiction of Bettany himself sans make-up as Vision tried to be a little bit more human for his love Wanda Maximoff (aka The Scarlett Witch). Now, he's one half of duo in the runaway hit WandaVision.

Paul Bettany in Avengers: Infiinity Wars

But it's Bettany's own evolutionary story that is the real silver screen triumph. Paul Bettany had been a working actor since he was 21 years old. Though starting his career in England, Bettany went on to star in U.S. films such as A Knights Tale with the late Heath Ledger, and the acclaimed A Beautiful Mind alongside Russel Crowe and Bettany's future wife Jennifer Connolly. 

Things seemed on the upswing for Bettany, his future looked bright. A few lackluster projects proved to slow his momentum, but undaunted Bettany took a meeting with a producer for an upcoming project where he was told in no uncertain terms that his career was over.

"I had just had a meeting with a producer, who will remain nameless, who told me that my career was over. He said 'You're done, you're done in this town,'" Bettany recently told BBC Radio 1. "I stepped out into Hollywood and I sat on the sidewalk with my feet in the gutter and I thought 'F--- me." 

But the something unexpected happened. As if on cue, Bettany's phone rang.

"My phone rang and it was [Age of Ultron director] Joss Whedon and he said, 'Do you want to play the Vision in the next 'Avengers' movie?'" Bettany said.

Of course, he said yes. And the rest is history. 

The Vision

"I sort of looked up to heaven and thought karma's very quick these days ... and [I] flipped the building behind me the finger," he continued. "It happened just like that. I sat down and my phone rang. Very funny. But you know if I had a dollar for every time somebody told me my career was over, my career could be over."

There's a lesson to be learned in Paul Bettany's story. The first is to never, ever listen to the opinions of others. If Bettany had listened to said producer and believed his career was over he might've turned down his biggest role to date. But Bettany didn't listen, and more importantly, he believed in himself...which is the second lesson to be learned. 

If you have enough belief in your talents, in your ambition, in your dreams and goals then you hold on to them with all your worth. They were given to you for a reason and no one can take them away from you. Only you can squander your gifts. Don't waste them by listening to the negative words that people speak, or those that form in your own mind saying "I can't do it." 

Yes, you can. 

It takes alot of effort and a little faith, but if you keeping pursuing your passion you will get there. Sit down on the sidewalk and dangle your feet in the gutter for a moment, but then get up, dust off your pants, give your naysayers the finger, and go on to conquer your own VISION!