Bette Midler reveals what she had to do to taste success

With a career spanning more than 50 years (can you believe it?!), Bette Midler has revealed that the secret to her longevity is perseverance.

The 70-year-old appeared in a candid with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and provided heartwarming insight into who she is and where she has come from.

“I am like a lot of women in that I don’t want to be a braggart,” Bette says, admitting that she did actually start her career that way.

“I did say I am the greatest thing that ever lived and people believed me!”

However, she says that she finally came to understand that she wasn’t the ‘greatest thing’ and she became “very reticent” and then Bette says she got to a point where she became very shy.

The Divine Miss M acknowledges that hard work and perseverance, her immense talent and help from others is really what got her to where she is today.

“I had to admit it. After all these years to say ‘Oh I’ve worked really, really hard, I’m really nothing’ is a load of hooey. I’m not really nothing, not only did I work like a dog, but I also have a lot of talent.”

With so many achievements to her name, it’s almost harder to list the things the sassy singer hasn’t done. Bette is arguably one of the greatest entertainers alive today. Having grown up in Honolulu, Bette moved to New York City where she got her big break singing.

She’s a Grammy-winning singer and has sold more than 35 million records, she has both a Golden Globe and a Tony for performances on the big screen and stage (and she’s set to make a return to Broadway later this year with Hello Dolly) and she is a passionate environmentalist.

Bette also talks about the how the world tells women that it’s all because of good luck that they become successful, not hard work.

“Hey girlie… Yes, sweetie… Sweetheart, sweetheart. Honey! It’s like oh my God please stop,” she says.

“I tell you the truth, not that long ago when people would say that to me I’d say ‘Don’t ever call me that’, you know? I can be fierce. But I think in a way you have to be fierce, right? Why do you want to be pushed around?” she says.

What did you think about what Bette Midler had to say?