MY TOP 3 CHADWICK BOSEMAN LIFE INSPIRATIONS
Seeing “Black Panther” on ABC last night, re-watching a King as a King no longer with us in the physical, made my body literally shake. I’m still in shock from the news last Friday 8/28/20 that sent shockwaves around the world of Chadwick Boseman passing away at the young age of 43.
It was so painful, yet so inspiring to know this man lived out so many of his wildest dreams and fulfilled a purpose in leaving a legacy that will truly last forever...like the Wakanda he made a royal reality in our hearts.
In celebrating and processing the greatness of this king’s life, here are My Top 3 Chadwick Boseman Life Inspirations
#1: LIVE YOUR PURPOSE W/FEARLESSNESS
We hear time and time again how important it is to discover our purpose. But I believe it takes incredible people like Chadwick Boseman to truly show us how to live on purpose, so we have a crystal clear example of how we can tap into our “Why.”
Chadwick started his entertainment career on purpose, choosing to write a play in high school because one of his friends was shot and killed. This intentional purpose evolved into him becoming a leading superstar and superhero for some of the most iconic black stories ever.
In Chadwick’s own words he said this about Purpose:
“PURPOSE crosses disciplines. PURPOSE is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill. Whatever you choose for a career path, remember the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your PURPOSE.
#2: NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR BELIEFS
Chadwick Boseman got his first role in Hollywood playing a stereotypical black criminal in a TV series. After doing an incredible job in 2 episodes, Chadwick diplomatically addressed the director about his concerns in perpetuating such stereotypes. He was never brought back onto the show. After that experience he refused to play such stereotypical roles. And because of that, his moral character became the breakthrough quality that enabled him to perform such iconic roles.
Chadwick showed us that in never compromising your beliefs, you often have to go on the road less traveled. If it were easy, everybody would do it. Chadwick shared in his own words. “If you are willing to take the harder way, the more complicated way, the one with more failures at first than successes, the one that has ultimately proven to have more meaning, more victory, more glory – as is often the case those that follow most often enjoy the results of the progress you gain.
#3: WORK LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW
High school and college classmates of Chadwick said he worked like there was no tomorrow. He put in hours and hours to perfect his craft at whatever level he was on.
When he was casted to play James Brown, the hardest working man in show business, in the movie “Get On Up” Chadwick committed himself to a strenuous regimen of vocal rehearsals, dance rehearsals and watching countless James Brown footage for numerous hours every day for weeks. In doing so he was able to embody his soulful persona and voice – while performing James Brown’s incredible dance moves without needing a stunt double. He did all of this in only 2 months, as Chadwick was not a trained dancer and had to start from scratch.
Yes this is Chadwick doing James Brown’s mashed potato dance moves to perfection. He became the hardest working man in show business - while playing the hardest working man in show business.
This work ethic produced some of the best biographical movie portrayals for his roles in “42” as Jackie Robinson, “Marshall” as Thurgood Marshall, and of course “Black Panther.”
And some of Chadwick’s most heroic work was off set, as he visited numerous kids with a terminal disease, 2 boys in particular, while filming Black Panther. His parents told him “They were trying to hold on” until the movie comes out. The heart and emotion he had for these kids speaks to the effortless energy he was able to activate in showcasing humanity through heroism in real life.
And to know that Chadwick was fighting his own terminal illness for the last 4 years, and kept it a secret while doing several incredible films, speaks to his remarkable resilience to live on purpose, never knowing when the next day may be his last.
Chadwick stated, “Anything you fought for was not for yourself, it was for those that came after.”
Chadwick, we are going to miss you so much. Yet we salute you for carrying a crown for humanity and heroism against all odds, sacrificing so much to inspire a world you knew you may soon transition out of. Thank you so much for being our shining Black King! You will always live in our hearts. #ChadwickForever
