Lessons from Bullfighting

Some believe it to be an art form. It's critics call it barbaric. Others view it as nothing more than a spectacle. 

But no matter your views on bullfighting, assuming you have some, it's hard to overlook the influence the tradition has had on the ancient cultures of Europe and Latin America. Paintings dating all the way back to 2000 BC adorn some of the caves in present-day Crete.  

Even India and Tanzania came claim to have dabbled in the timeworn drama between man and bull. Each corner of the globe undoubtedly sprinkling their own interpretation of how triumph is regarded and heroism, if any, is measured. 

Though the guidelines around fighting a bull vary by region just as say, cuisine or climate the objective usually falls squarely into one of the following categories:

-- debilitate

-- subdue

-- kill

Today, the event is held in sporting tabernacles that are as impressive as the spectacle itself. Stadiums like the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas built in 1929, can seat nearly 24,000 people. It's distinct Neo-Mudejar architecture and heraldic crests representing the various Spanish provinces remind you there's nothing passive about the sport or its perception. 

Unlike the simple layout of the Plaza de toros de Ronda, a venue Hemingway was known to attend, the sport and motif it may offer seems more nuanced than a quick glance offers. 

But not in the way you may think.

Though there may be lessons gleaned from watching the composure, even courage demanded in deliberately agitating a 1300 pound (and very angry) animal, just as much can be learned from studying the bull.

Let me explain...

In Spanish-style bullfighting, also known as "corrida de toros," there is a fair amount of pageantry that precedes the actual fight. Here are the three distinct stages:

Stage 1: Tercio de Varas

-- a bugle announces the start of the event

-- the bullfighters enter the arena in an elaborate procession

-- the bull is released into the ring and tested for its barbarity

-- another fighter, known as a picador, enters the ring on horseback before driving a lance into the neck of the bull.

As you can imagine, this doesn't go over too well.

Stage 2: Tercio de Banderillas

-- each of the three bullfighters in the arena, also known as banderilleros, will then attempt to force two sharp rods into the shoulder of the bull

Stage 3: Tercio de Muerte

-- two of the three banderilleros exit stage left leaving just one to fend for himself

-- by now he is holding what many of us consider to be synonymous with bullfighting -- the muleta, or red cape

-- the bull, which is considerably wounded at this point, does its best to hamper the domination exhibited by the fighter through a series of passes

-- finally, a skilled matador wears the bull down to eventually angle the bull into a position where he can stab it through the heart

It's safe to say the three stages of the event heavily stack the odds in favor of the banderilleros. Not only is the bull outnumbered but long before there is any semblance of being evenly matched, the animal has been severely impaired.

Still, there is a point when the bull is considered to be MOST dangerous...

Amid the confusion the bull has the capacity to suspend its turmoil and pain. Just as we can, it can find a momentary respite amongst the chaos.

When the bull reaches this state it's called, Carencia. 

When this happens, the matador knows he's in trouble.   

The reason Carencia is so threatening for a bullfighter is because the bull recognizes its vast strength and power. It's potential and capacity for greatness is suddenly re-awakened. It slows time down, is no longer subjugated by its anger, and even finds some semblance of tranquility.

You too may feel as though the odds are against you -- the rules are unfair. You may even have the battle scars to prove it. 

But within that adversity exists a unique opportunity for intelligent endurance. We can pause and in the process blissfully interrupt stimulus and response with resourceful thought. 

We may have little control over the events in our life, both good and bad, but we can still elect the way we respond. 

Amidst the pain, the hardship, and the odds we can still create an interval of peace. It's there we hear ourselves above the noise, sometimes truly for the first time.

It's in that arena we cultivate resilience and character, while unearthing our power, durability, and vast human potential.

Then we live to fight another day.

  

   

Raise Necessity

In one of the several books I've been praising lately, I've learned one of the strategies that separates high achievers from everyone else is raising necessity. World class athletes to successful executives understand the power of following through on an objective for a higher calling -- for someone or something other than themselves. 

Whether it's an Olympian who strives for greatness for his or her country, the father who sees a project through long before its deadline to spend more time with his family, or the busy executive showing up to the gym at 5:00 am because she doesn't want to let down her trainer, there is extraordinary power in looking beyond your own needs when it comes to achievement. 

Raising necessity means building the community of folks who have something at stake if you don't honor your word. It's not about placing unrealistic expectations or pressure on yourself but about a heightened sense of accountability. 

The 6 Truths of Making a Big Decision

1. There is power in making a decision.

2. It takes courage to make a choice and stand by it.

3. Not making a decision is still making a decision. 

4. Change is inevitable but growth is not.

5. The key to growth is the ability to move forward.

6. Nobody can tell you when it is time to move on to the next chapter of your life.  You will know when you know.

The Great Lessons of Travel

Shaky WiFi, waiting for water and power to be restored, and a glacial paced immigration line. These are all events I've had to wait for, while traveling. I'm embarrassed to admit I was also impatient throughout much of each ordeal.

But each incident made me take some serious personal inventory and appreciate the world does not work on my timetable. Through cultivating greater patience I also deepened my perspective. How could I complain when these minor hiccups in my journey wouldn't have even cracked the top ten list of challenges many of these communities faced on a daily basis?

Whenever traveling, whether near or far, remember to be endlessly curious, bold, and flexible enough in your thinking to reap the many lessons seeing this world has to offer you.

Leave Your Book Out

I could go on and on about the benefits of diving into a great book but one of the most overlooked reasons is the ease in which it allows for interesting conversations to happen.

Years ago, as I was taking the train home I noticed a woman reading a book I'd just finished. I asked her if she was enjoying it. She seemed a bit taken back at first, almost startled that someone would pull her from the world she'd been inhabiting. "Yes," she finally said. "It's really interesting." 

I asked her if she'd reached a certain part in the book that I'd especially enjoyed and saw her slowly light up. "I just read that part!" she said. "Pretty crazy." 

We spoke for another stop or two before I got off and made my way home. I remember marveling and how I'd had a moment of authentic communication, even connection with a complete stranger in a city often noted for isolation and feigned interest. The power of books, I thought to myself. Of ideas, of possibility. 


Next time you're in line at the check-out counter or sitting on a plane, leave your book out and see what unfolds.  

Clarity Comes from Action not Theory

There's a great line in Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist that goes “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.”

It's easy to read all the personal development books, attend the right seminars, and listen to podcasts recommended by colleagues but none of it means a thing if what we learn sits idle. I've learned that knowledge is not power. It is potential power. We learn through doing, not thinking. 

The trouble is often two-fold. Either we're afraid of failure or we don't know where to begin. Sometimes it's both. Again, both are byproducts of over-thinking rather than doing. In time we become over-motivated underachievers. 

I'm not suggesting one be cavalier in their endeavors or be passive about where you invest your time. I'm saying we should stop waiting for permission. 

The truth is nobody ever knows where to start. There is no blueprint for success, or single trajectory for entrepreneurship. Those who succeed stumble, even tumble, but with fortitude a sense of clarity is often revealed. Even then, it's still hazy. We just keep moving.

As far as tackling fear goes you must ask yourself what is the worst that could happen. An endeavor doesn't unfold the way you thought it would? So what? Has anything in your life ever gone according to plan? Probably not. So what's the difference?

Fail fast. Learn fast. Adjust. Rinse. Repeat.

Protect Your Right to Say, "No"

As actors we're conditioned to be grateful for any role that comes our way. Because booking work for most actors is so sporadic, when an opportunity presents itself we often take it without questioning how the part actually sits with us. I know as a young actor I wrestled with this as well.

But as I got a little older I began to appreciate that as actors, though our options may feel limited, we have power over the following:

-- our work ethic
-- our ability to create our own opportunities (e.g. writing your own films, plays, blogs, etc) 
-- how we react to setbacks 

AND

-- whether or not to accept a role 

The last one doesn't seem so obvious to most, but one thing to consider is the roles you take will be there for posterity. If it's caught on film, you want to be able to look back and hold your head high. And I don't mean every role must be a leading role where you save the day, or triumph over a villain. I'm referring to taking on roles that are in harmony with your personal principles and core values. 

When I signed with an agency in Los Angeles they sent me a questionnaire asking if there was anything I wouldn't do for a role, for which I was enormously grateful. Here's what I wrote:

"I won’t compromise my personal ethics, morals, or core principles. I also will not perpetuate what I perceive to be ethnic stereotypes, or undermine my ethnic heritage.  (i.e. the butt of a one-liner Asian joke in a sitcom, etc.) Also happy to elaborate if there are any questions."

If a role doesn't sit right with you for whatever reason you don't need to take it and you owe nobody an explanation. 

Not Enough to Just Know

There's a famous adage that goes, "Knowledge is power." The more I think about it, I believe knowledge is only potential power. It should lead to more than wisdom, but to action.

For years I read, listened to, or watched any resource I could get my hands on to improve my craftsmanship as an actor and my overall productivity. 

Gradual improvements occurred only when I implemented what I learned rather than tucked it away as merely theory.

If you want to get to the next level of whatever your creative endeavors may be, it's not enough to know. You've got to apply it.

Grit Versus Talent

Yesterday, I picked up a book called, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. The book is by Angela Duckworth, a MacArthur Fellow and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. I was first introduced to her work in a TED Talk I saw several months ago on the very same topic:

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance?language=en

The book talks about our fascination with talent and how we often assume having innate gifts is enough to reach our highest ambitions. It turns out, grit often often trumps talent. In fact, having talent is not only enough, but it is not necessarily a guarantee that one will have grit.

Ms. Duckworth goes on to list several examples of students, members of the armed services, and athletes who may not have been the most naturally gifted, but possessed a ferocious sense of fortitude.

"First, these exemplars were unusually resilient and hardworking. Second, they knew in a very, very deep way what it was they wanted. They not only had determination, they had direction.

The book is full of compelling discoveries and anecdotes that are both inspiring and backed by years of research. It's a book I highly suggest picking up if you get the chance. It might just put an extra bounce in your step.

The Importance of Self-Awareness

"I like getting older," my friend Alex told me. We were at our friend Sean's wedding over the weekend and what prompted his comment was an observation made by his better half, Liz. "You grow to appreciate that you can't do everything. And that's okay."

I took her words to heart later that evening. She was right. There's power in giving over to what is just not in the cards. It's not a form of defeat, or complacency, but rather an understanding that we can't be great at everything. You can still dream big and work diligently towards those grand ambitions, while also grounding them with a sense of truth. It's up to you to discover what that means.

I know I'll never play mid-fielder for the Men's US Soccer Team and that's okay. Instead, I have more time to go all in on my strengths and focus on what I'm skilled at doing.

The Less Trodden Path

The American journalist and political commentator Walter Lippmann once said, "When all men think alike, no one thinks very much." In my own experience, I've noticed a pervasive fear many people have of thinking for themselves. Perhaps there's a stigma involved with pursuing a less trodden path, of standing out, or being different.

But creativity is, in essence, stepping up to make a statement and is sometimes an act of defiance. And when a performance, a painting, or a piece of music is truly compelling, it is rarely because it's defiant for its own sake. Instead, it is the courageous execution of a thought by one or many who felt they could no longer keep it to themselves.

Don't underestimate the power of original thought, expression, or movement. Embrace your singularity and when you're ready, share it with the world.

We'll be waiting.

Fail Fast

At the offices of Facebook there is a sign that reads, "Fail Fast. Break Things." At first glance the philosophical parallels between the tech world and the performing arts may seem vague at best. Still, I have found some unique similarities. The lesson with the greatest personal resonance being the importance of putting original content out into the world before it's "perfect" because there is no such thing.

One of the most crucial bits of advice I would have offered to my younger self would be to just start creating. "But how?" I would have likely asked. "Just start writing, building, trying, failing, and see where it takes you." I'd reply.

Whatever your medium you have no excuses for not beginning. It's been proven you can make a feature film with a smart phone. A community of ambitious playwrights and actors eager to share their voice with the world can be coordinated through countless online resources. And opportunities to share your music can be reached with the purchase of a permit.

You have more power than ever to express your expression and actually have people take part. Don't wait another second. Start today.