Dolly Parton Says ‘Common Sense’ and ‘Confidence’ Helped Her Become Successful
Dolly Parton is one of the most successful entertainers of our time. The “Love Is Like a Butterfly” singer has blessed us with songs that are still favorites decades after they were written. Parton once said the reason she is successful is because of “common sense” and “confidence.”
Dolly Parton doesn’t want people to ‘worship’ her
Parton has many adoring fans, but she doesn’t want them to put her on a pedestal. In her book Songteller, she says he gets “scared” when people treat her like an idol they are worshipping. Parton says she wants to be treated like any other person. She also says she doesn’t believe in any type of idol worship. Instead of “worshipping” her, Parton says she would prefer if people looked to God and tried to see God in her. She wants to be a “light” for Him.
Dolly Parton says ‘common sense’ and ‘confidence’ helped her become successful
When asked during an interview with Lorianne Crook how she has become so smart and successful, Parton says it has a lot to do with “common sense” and “confidence.”
“I don’t know how smart I am in the things I’m involved in; I’m just involved in a lot of things,” says Parton. “But I just have that down-home common horse sense that we all rely on as country people. And you kind of live by the skin of your teeth, so to speak, and you kind of just hang on the edge. So, all you really have to go on is what you feel inside and what your gut’s telling you, and what you believe in. I just think it’s that down home common sense.”
Parton went on to say her personality also helped her attain success. “I think that I had a very outgoing personality,” says Parton during her interview with Crook. “I think I had a lot of confidence in who I was. I always felt like I have everything to gain and nothing to lose. I could not have been any poorer, I could not have gone back any further, or come from any more humble beginnings. I was very happy with the base that I had but anything would have been an improvement. And all I had was myself, all I had to sell was myself, and my talent, and my personality.”
Parton says she felt that she had a responsibility to use her talent. She didn’t want to waste her gift. “I happen to believe that I had a God-given talent, and I felt like it was my responsibility to work that and do as much with that as I could, or I would be sinning against myself or the Holy Spirit if you will. That was my belief. So, I never meet a stranger. I feel like the worst they can say is ‘no.’”
Dolly Parton feels the ‘pressure’ of fame
During her interview with People, in which she was recognized as one of the People of the Year for 2021, Parton says she feels the pressure of such an honor. She didn’t think she was “all that” to be on the cover and receive this title.
“I have to honestly tell you, I was a little bit skeptical of being put on the cover as one of the People of the Year,” she says. “Because that’s a lot of pressure. But, yeah, it’s like, I am not all that. I’m glad that I stand for enough stuff to where I’m not the worst person in the world.”
Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter.
