If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to find your passion, think of this week’s MasterClass professor to find the answers.  OWN brings us Morgan Freeman for an amazing hour to take us on a journey and to mind us that no matter what your age, do what you love and find your passion.  Be inspired by his story and his lessons!  Watch the episode!  Watch the clips! Hear this wisdom and find your inspiration.  Here are the notes…

• No matter what you are doing…do it and be the best at it.
• Take a look at your life and see the journey.  You will realize that your passion “happened for me all along…just not recognizably so.”
• Nurture your natural gifts – MasterClass
• Declare who you are… – MasterClass
• Morgan Freeman’s “Mrs. Lipton” Story brings with it the lesson that sometimes you can be the person who lifts someone up & helps them along for their life’s journey.  Be a Mrs. Lipton in someone’s life.  Be that person who believes and gives them a chance.
• “Make the very best of every situation…” – Morgan Freeman on MasterClass
•  “Don’t be different just for different sake…Follow your own muse…”  – Morgan Freeman
• Be who you are and always stand on the side of your own moral road – Morgan Freeman tells how he interviewed for the remake of the movie, “The Thing.”  When he went back for the audition, the writer asked, “What did you think?”  He told them that out of all the scientists…none were black.  Only the workers were black.  He didn’t get the job but I’m not thinking that he really wanted it.  He stood on the same side of the road as his principals. 
• “I need that something that engages me. I need to sit up and think. I refuse to take part in anything that is going to degrade people…especially me.” – Morgan Freeman
• Be irreplaceable – “You want to be a working actor not a movie star. Movie stars is a great place to be but it’s limiting.” – Morgan Freeman
• In November of 1985 he saw a post on a bulletin board.  An upcoming event wall had an announcement for the play, “Driving Miss Daisy.” When they went to make the movie, he said, “We knew we didn’t have a run of getting the movie…they didn’t use stage actors because we don’t have box office appeal but they couldn’t find anybody to do it better…so they were stuck with me.”  He was 50 years young and said,  “I am beginning to realize my dream…I’m in the movies.  I have arrived…”
• Creating a lasting partnership – Morgan Freeman talked about his respect and admiration for Clint Eastwood. When he was called about being in the movie, Unforgiven, he said “it was like we had been doing it forever.”  This partnership and friendship  has gone on to create many more movies over the years.  “He’s no nonsense, very quick and has a lot of talent,” Morgan says of him.
• To be a student of you, you have to listen.
• “Be observant.  Studiously observant if you want to be an actor. Spend most of your time studying.” – Morgan Freeman
• Morgan Freeman talked about how he studies the men he plays in movies as often as he can.  This is how he prepares for his roles.  For Lean on Me he was up-close and personal with Joe Clark. He studied him and called the result a “direct transfusion” of who he was.  For Invictus, he had a chance to meet Nelson Mandela and said to him, “I would like to be able to study you up close.”  He notes, “I spent a lot of time with him.  You want the little things they do.  Study.  Watching and listening very carefully.”
• “Is listening important? I can’t think of a single walk of life where it wouldn’t be.” – Morgan Freeman
• “Declare who you are.  Practice. Nurture your gift. Let the force lead you wherever you need to go.” – Oprah on MasterClass
• Challenge your courage.  You have to do things that challenge your courage. – MasterClass
• “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” – Morgan Freeman
• Always know, the universe is unfolding as it should
• Morgan Freeman ended with a few lines from the poem “Desiderata,” by Max Ehrmann.  “Go placidly amidst the noise and haste knowing what peace there is in silence.  No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Be at peace with yourself.  You are as important as the stars…”   Here is a link to the full poem.
• It’s never too late to live your dream.  Just do it and do it with passion.