Sullivan Anderson 
Everybody has a dream. Whether it is to be the next biggest producer, filmmaker, photographer, YouTuber, or content creator, the truth of the matter is: to be creative is to dream big, and bet on your next chance to make it. What happens, though, when we feel like our opportunities aren’t lining up? What do we do when nobody else believes in us but ourselves? When we feel like we’re constantly counted out? What happens when we hustle for years on end, and we feel ignored? It can feel easy to quit. Tyler Perry says not to.
Someone recently recommended that I watch “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story,” so I did. The word inspirational barely scratches the surface of what this documentary is. Here are three lessons we can learn from Perry:
*Use your hardships to your advantage.
Perry had an extremely traumatic childhood. He faced emotional, physical, and mental abuse from his father, where he would create a reality in his head to escape as he endured various hardships. His inner reality, where he envisioned the smallest of details, shaped the creativity that he draws from to make films. Perry even credits his father with the work ethic he uses today with gratitude.
Indeed – Perry’s struggles became his biggest asset, and he used them to his advantage.
We can learn from him to draw the positive from a negative situation.
*Don’t take no for an answer.
Perry wrote plays for years on end that failed – they received horrible reviews, they had minimal attendance (one play even had only three people come out), to which he accrued no revenue. Perry went on to work odd jobs and ended up homeless in the streets of Atlanta, where he almost lost hope.
Almost.
He gave his play a final try in 2005, where it finally landed after 25 years. His hard work had paid off. His success grew rapidly from that point on; imagine if he had quit after his first play failed to land. He refused to take no for an answer, and he listened to his calling despite repeated failures.
There’s nothing to it but to do it. Don’t give up.
*Don’t compromise your values.
Perry’s films draw from the African-American experience, which includes the Black church and southern family traditions and values. Initially, as Perry pitched his ideas to networks, they identified that there was no audience for his work, and that saying “Jesus” on national television was forbidden.
So, Perry did it himself. He refused to compromise his beliefs and neglect the audience that he knew existed. And his films sold.
“If there’s one thing that everybody respects, it’s money,” he said in the film. “As soon as the dollars started rolling in, everybody started paying attention.”
Don’t censor who you are to reflect other people’s values. Follow your heart, and it will pay off.
You know the famous running question: Would you rather have dinner with Jay-Z or get $50 million? I would rather have dinner with Tyler Perry. His dogged determination, continued altruism, and creativity are something we can all learn from. Despite his humble beginnings and repeated failures, Perry created his own opportunities, and continues to extend them to the Black community.
Well done, Tyler Perry. Well done.
If you haven’t seen the documentary yet I highly recommend it. You can stream it now on Prime Video.
By Sullivan Anderson, North Carolina A&T State University Alumna
Instagram: @SullivanGrace_
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