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Hugh Jackman has repeatedly proved himself as a bankable actor. His role as Wolverine in the X-Men films made him instantly recognizable. His other noteworthy roles were in Van Helsing and Prestige. Meanwhile, with Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman, he’s also made a name for himself in the world of musicals.

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With a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Academy Award nomination and a net worth of $150 million, he’s the splitting definition of success. But it hasn’t always been an easy ride for Jackman- in fact, he was in his 30’s when his acting career finally took off. Read on, to find out how!

He Was Always Ambitious

Hugh Jackman always had big plans for himself. As a child, the Australian actor dreamt of traveling all over the world. He would take every opportunity to go on school trips, camp out or visit the beach. He would even stay up looking at atlases. In fact, he wanted to be “a chef on a plane” once he grew up.

He says, “Because I'd been on a plane and there was food on board, I presumed there was a chef. I thought that would be an ideal job.” In other words, Hugh Jackman was always ambitious and didn’t care if his dreams were crazy or not.

He’s Always Testing Himself

Unlike a lot of other people, Jackman doesn’t believe in comparing oneself to others. Instead, he’s always pushing himself, to try out new things and discover the full extent of his hidden potential. He says, “Testing yourself is the only way you find out what you can really do.”

He also doesn’t believe in setting goals, either, adding, “But we limit ourselves with goals. We have far more ability than we give ourselves credit for. How can you maximize the use of your mind?” His unique mindset set him apart and is a key factor in his success.

He’s Open To Change Of Plans

Even though, he’d always been passionate about theater, Jackman didn’t always plan to become an actor. In fact, with a BA in Communications, he was preparing for the world of journalism. However, in his final year, he took up a drama course and played the lead in an adaptation of Václav Havel's The Memorandum.

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It was then he realized that he could make a living out of acting. But he wanted to be better at what he did, so he even turned down a role on the soap opera Neighbours to attend the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts of Edith Cowan University. In fact, his openness to change of plans, perhaps added to the versatility and flexibility as an actor.

He Believes In Perseverance

Unlike a lot of people, Jackman doesn’t believe in joining the rat race. The definition of success differs from individual to individual and Jackman was in no hurry. For him, hard work and perseverance are paramount and there can be no short-cuts.

He says, “The longer it takes you to become successful, the harder it will be for somebody else to take it away from you."

He Isn’t Afraid Of Failure

A lot of people are so afraid of failure, they never even start out. But Jackman knows that failure is an important part of any success story, and that without it, there’s no room to grow.

For instance, he says, “Unless you're willing to fail miserably in the pursuit of your dreams, you'll never make it." Of course, failure can be painful, and the way Jackman deals with it, is to simply accept pain as an integral truth of life. He adds, “If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you”.

He Doesn’t Blame Others For His Troubles

The Wolverine actor believes that we are the creator of our own destinies. There’s no point blaming anyone else for our misfortunes, because by doing so, it won’t change our current predicament.

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His rule of success is pretty simple: “There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can't go through life obsessing about what might have been." In other words, seize the present and make the most of what you have.

For Him, Life Is A Learning Experience

We’ve already talked about how Jackman is flexible and open to change. He was never afraid of auditions, because to him everything is an exciting learning experience.

He says, “I treat auditions like I treated my first dates. It's an opportunity to get to know a stranger and to learn from each other." That’s a pretty useful and optimistic mindset to have!

He’s Insanely Hard-Working

At the end of the day, Jackman knows that it’s only hard work that gets things done. And there can be no excuses. If you work hard and you’re sincere and dedicated, you’re bound to find success.

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In fact, he believes that, “If somebody in your industry is more successful than you, it's because he works harder than you." So push yourself to your limits!

He Doesn’t Expect Anything From The World

Jackman is aware of how cruel and disappointing the world can be. And it’s enough to get anyone down. But how can one avoid it?

Well the secret lies in having zero expectations. According to the actor, “Look, my philosophy in life is expect nothing and everything is a bonus.” In that way, you’ll hardly be disappointed.

He Doesn’t Obsess About The Outcome

For Jackman, it’s the process of doing something that matters and not the outcome. He says, “Because I believe actually the more you do something, the less frightening it becomes because you start to realize the outcome is not as important as you think."

So if you wish to be successful, first stop being afraid. Secondly, do your utmost best, without caring about the reward. Remember, it's the journey that matters, not the destination.

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