I've been doing my job for a long time and I never really

Gisele Bündchen, a figure who has walked among the shining lights of the world’s stage, once spoke with humility and candor: “I’ve been doing my job for a long time and I never really thought about being an actress or being anything like that. I was always a bit scared as well because of the thing about models becoming an actress and all that. I just never really took it seriously.” These words reveal more than self-doubt; they reveal the universal struggle between one’s calling and the voices of fear, between the path of destiny and the shadow of expectation.

At the heart of her confession lies the ancient truth of identity. To know who you are, and to remain faithful to it, is one of life’s hardest tasks. Gisele, though surrounded by opportunities, felt the weight of other people’s judgments—the murmurs that mocked when a model dared to cross into the realm of the actress. Her fear was not born of inability, but of the chains of perception. The ancients too knew this trial. For every soul, the hardest battle is not against the world, but against the doubts planted in one’s own heart by the world’s gaze.

Yet her words also reveal a kind of wisdom—an understanding of the importance of focus. She says she “never really took it seriously,” and in that, we see a discipline: the ability to remain faithful to the craft she had already chosen. In an age of endless distraction, where many chase every glittering chance, she chose to remain rooted in her work, perfecting her art, instead of scattering her energy upon too many pursuits. The ancients praised such devotion. They told us that the archer does not strike the target by aiming at ten things, but by fixing his eye on one.

History gives us a mirror in the life of Florence Nightingale. Born into wealth, many expected her to marry into privilege. But she rejected the paths laid before her, refusing to “take seriously” the roles society pressed upon her. Instead, she chose the calling of service and healing, becoming the mother of modern nursing. Like Gisele, she ignored the sneers and the doubts. By walking the path of her own choosing, she transformed not only her life but the destiny of countless others. Her life teaches that the refusal to take seriously what does not belong to you can be as powerful as the courage to embrace what does.

There is also in Gisele’s words a lesson about fear. She admits being “a bit scared,” as all mortals are when faced with the unknown. But the admission itself is strength. For fear acknowledged is fear disarmed. The ancients declared that courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. By confessing her hesitation, she becomes not weaker but wiser, teaching us that even the powerful feel the trembling of the heart. The difference lies in choosing whether to bow to it or to move forward in spite of it.

The lesson for us is profound: remain faithful to your true path, even when other roads glitter before you. Do not let the voices of others define your destiny. Choose what to take seriously, and let go of what does not serve the work of your spirit. Fear will always walk beside you, whispering its doubts, but you need not let it guide your steps. Instead, stand firm, as Gisele did, in the craft and calling that belong to you.

Therefore, O seeker of wisdom, let these words remind you that not every invitation is meant for you, and not every path is worthy of your feet. Focus your strength where your spirit calls. Respect your own fear, but do not be ruled by it. And most of all, refuse to “take seriously” the chains of expectation that others would place upon you. For the life lived with purpose, with discipline, and with authenticity will shine brighter than any role adopted out of fear or imitation. In this way, you will walk your own true path, and leave a legacy that is uniquely yours.