On Dec. 12, 2023, Julia Roberts was interviewed on “CBS Sunday Morning” with Gayle King, where King played a clip from an interview Roberts gave more than 30 years ago for her 1988 film, “Mystic Pizza.” Roberts was 21, and when the interviewer asked about her future plans, Roberts said, “I think for now I’m just working really hard until that day, when it comes, when I’ll be able to enjoy a more normal life and distance myself from the business a little more and not be forgotten about.”
When King pointed out that Roberts was successful in her goal, Roberts said, “It’s interesting. I’m speaking in such a way of such kind of … the long game of life at such a young age. Well done, me!”
Julia Roberts is a rare breed, not just for Hollywood but for American women in general. By planning ahead for leaning out of her career, she got the best of both worlds: a successful career and a successful family. Roberts disappeared from acting for a long time after having her three children. Now that they’re older, we’re seeing a bit more of her.
When it comes to building a happy life, the secret is to play the long game. Being as intentional about your personal life as you are about your professional life when you’re young offers the best chance at being successful in all areas of life, not just your career.
Despite what the culture teaches, our twenties aren’t years to
