Hollywood actor Natalie Portman, a Harvard graduate, shares in this inspiring video ‘the importance of purpose in life and work’. According to the Academy Award winning actor, achievements can be cherished only when one knows the reason behind them.
“Sometimes your insecurities and inexperience may lead you to embrace other people’s expectations or values. But you can harness that inexperience to carve out your own path. One that is free of the burden of how things are supposed to be. Achievement is wonderful when you know why you are doing it. But when you don’t know, it can be a terrible trap,” she said, while addressing graduating students at Harvard’s Senior Class Day ceremony in 2015.
“I have been acting since 11 years. I thought acting was frivolous and certainly not meaningful for a long time. After four years of graduation, I couldn’t wait to go back and make films. I wanted to tell stories, to imagine the lives of others and help others do the same. There was a reason I was an actor. I loved what I did,” recollected the actor who starred in Star Wars (1999), Black Swan (2010) and Thor (2011).
She added, “I was able to own my meaning and not be determined by box office receipts or prestige. The only thing you can be best at is developing your own self.”
