Asking the Right Questions

In1940 a man by the name of Mortimer J. Adler published a book called, wait for it….

How to Read a Book

As Mortimer puts it, your job as the reader is to strive for equality with the writer, who presumably knows more about the subject matter than you do.

He proposes asking 4 questions while reading in order to do this more effectively:

1. What is the book about as a whole?
2. What is being said in detail?
3. Is the book true in whole or part?
4. What of it?

In other words you’re trying to determine what the central theme of the book is, how the author is supporting his or her argument, whether or not you agree with the what is being said, and figure out why the book is important.

In short, Mortimer’s argument is that you have to fundamentally change the way you look at reading.

A good reader is a demanding reader. One who has his or her highlighter in hand and ready to strike.

Know What You're Looking for in a Book

The table of contents is more than just a list of title chapters.

It’s a map.

The table of contents is a guide designed to prepare you for the unchartered land you’re about to enter.

Let’s take a book by Greg McKeown called, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less as an example. (a terrific book by the way)

If I open up to the table of contents, I discover the second chapter is titled,CHOOSE: The Invincible Power of Choice.

Now, some titles are going to provide more clues than others, but I can glean from this heading the author may discuss how decision-making is a powerful tool.

By having a sense of what the chapter is about, even broadly, I’ve armed myself for greater inspection. I now have an idea of what I’m looking for.

This can be a very effective way of reading because just as facts can serve us in better understanding a topic, they can also inhibit our comprehension.

The truth is, not everything is important. Some ideas matter more than others. Not all books need to be read from cover to cover. Many manuscripts will take one idea and spend the next 200 pages harping on it with no original or distinctive insights. If you’ve already found what you’re looking for, sometimes it’s a better use of your time to move on before finishing the book.

Knowing what you’re looking for is the first step.

The Reason You Don't Know How to Read

Don’t gloss over the title or table of contents

Before picking up a book, it may help to think of yourself as a detective. Remember, reading is active. It’s a craft.

And being passive about reading is no different than being passive in any endeavor; its rewards are never reaped, the full experience never realized.

Your job as a reader actually begins the moment you pick up a book.

First, ask yourself what the title communicates.

You’d be surprised to discover the number people who can’t remember the title of a book they’ve devoted substantial amounts of their time and resources to reading.

It’s because most people don’t believe it matters.

It does.

The title can be a very helpful indication of the world you’re about to enter. Even the art work on the book’s cover shouldn’t be overlooked.

When I taught a group of 8th graders J.R.R. Tolkien’s, The Fellowship of the Ring we spent nearly 10 minutes on the image alone.

Not only did the students come up with predictions the story would entail scenes of adventure and peril, but it also stirred up a sense of excitement.

And rousing some enthusiasm before reading is not insignificant. It makes reading more fun, and a result more engaging.

What I've Discovered About Reading

It's not enough to be a literate reader. One must be an active one. 

Reading a book for understanding is quite different than reading for knowledge. But both are crafts worth honing. 

Our job as the reader is to strive for equality with the writer, who presumably knows more about a subject than we do. 

If You Chase Two Rabbits You Will Not Catch Either One -- Praise for the Book, "The One Thing"

A mentor recently passed along a book that has completely reframed the way I look at focus. It's called, The One Thing and I highly recommend it. 

I've found myself underlining, highlighting, doggy-earring the countless insights and strategies that seem so obvious yet rarely practiced. Here's a very brief rundown of my takeaways so far:

1. Level up your focus.

2. Not all things matter equally.

3. You have to create a domino effect in your life -- success begets success

4. Do the right thing and then the NEXT right thing.

5. When you improve the right skill your results improve. 

6. Find the ONE thing and LIVE it. 

7. Be aware of the "The 6 Lies Between You and Success."

-- Everything Matters Equally

-- Multitasking 

-- A Disciplined Life

-- Willpower is Always on Will-Call

-- A Balanced Life

-- Big is Bad

8. "When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. We become active and busy, but this doesn't actually move us any closer to success." (My number one challenge!)

9. Success isn't a game of who does the most -- be aware of to-do's that masquerade as priorities.

10. You can think BIG and still go small -- busy vs. productive.

This book will be a revelation for a lot of actors and artists because you can't compare our industry with anything else in the world. It's an incredibly a solo and sometimes lonely endeavor, success can be nebulous, and opportunities rare.

As a result, we often cling to something that will make us feel as if though we're inching closer to our dreams without taking into account its actual usefulness. 

I know I've made countless "to-do lists" over the last 10 years that often gave the elusion I was being productive, while in actuality they were just keeping me busy. 

Pick up this book and figure out how to turn your "to-do list" into a "success list." 

Happy reading!

https://www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509656362&sr=8-1&keywords=the+one+thing

Lessons from a Delayed Flight

On the way back from Central America yesterday my flight had a layover in Houston. One hour gave way to two, then three, and by the time we took off the flight had been delayed nearly six hours.

But a remarkable thing took shape as I looked around the terminal. I didn't see a single person complain. Yes, people were understandably frustrated, tired, and wanted to know what was going on but everyone maintained a sense of poise. And at the root of their poise was an understanding there was simply nothing they could do about the situation.

Instead, I saw passengers use the time productively by catching up on work, reading, writing, and enjoying the company of family and friends. There were a handful of strangers who even bonded over the minor setback. 

Sitting at gate C43 turned out to be an unexpected master class.

Lessons Through a Webcam

This afternoon my 4-week teacher training came to a close. Strangely, it was a bit emotional. For nearly a month 35 soon-to-be instructors stared through a webcam, yet managed to construct a sense of community.  

Many of my classmates will go on to graduate school and pursue careers in teaching full-time. For others this position will merely be a summer job, something to pay the bills in the middle of a transition. But we all share a love of reading, stories, and spirit for sharing that very passion.

Our instructor ended our final session by telling us how much the work meant to her, which had a profound influence on me. I sensed how important her time at this institution was and immediately decided I would do anything not to disappoint her. But most importantly the students deserve our very best.

What I learned today was well-worth the 4 weeks and perhaps the most poignant lesson of all:

Always show up. Always go to the fear. Always do what you can.

The Benefits of Reading Stories

I'm getting ready for a summer teaching job. In a few weeks I'll go through roughly 120 hours of training all in an effort to give me the tools to teach kids ages 4 - 17 how to fall in love with reading. I'm looking forward to the skills and techniques I'll be taught because I believe I'll be able to use them in other arenas of my life.

I spent a great deal of my time reading biographies, self-development and entrepreneur books, that I sometimes forget that fiction expands your imagination in remarkable ways. 

But what I've learned by reading the required books, The Cricket in Times Square, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and The Lord of the Rings is falling in love with fictional stories has many benefits. 

You learn to think critically, identify broad themes, and take solace in knowing you're not alone. Storytelling is the oldest form of cultivating community. And as readers, we have the opportunity to focus on our shared bond as creators, adventurers, and dreamers. 

Three things you're never too old to be.

It's Not as Difficult as You Think

Last night, 6 close friends came over to my place to listen to an informal reading of my one-man show. It was great to reconnect with people I hadn't seen in several months, and in some cases, years. 

We all huddled in my cramped guest room, sitting on makeshift chairs as paintbrushes and dust made it clear renovations were well underway. Even the main lights weren't working forcing me to read in a dimly lit corridor as my friends listened quietly in the dark.

But none of this stopped us from having a wonderful time. In fact, it made it more memorable. I also got some very helpful feedback about tweaks I could make to improve the piece.

Later that evening, I was walking with my friend James and he asked about the complexity of the project. I told him, what I tell a lot of young actors looking to create their own work. "It's not that hard."

First, just decide that you want to do it.

Second, start chipping away each day and commit to writing 10, 15, 20 minutes a day until a first draft is complete. Consistency is key. And don't worry about the how good it is at first. The quality will catch up.

Third, get some friends together and let them hear it out loud. Not only will they come out and support you as a friend, but they'll respect and admire the effort.

A lot of artists don't get started because the task feels too daunting. I've learned if you take it bit by bit it will end up getting done sooner than you think. And hopefully, you'll have remembered to enjoy the creative process along the way. 

The Dangers of a To-Do List

For years I'd wake up early, set forth on my morning routine (reading, exercising, studying a positive resource in the form of a TED Talk, or article), then dive into my to-do list.

I committed myself fully to this daily archive, this sacred scroll. And nothing was better than the satisfaction I'd get from crossing off one task after another. I got a lot done.

Looking back, I now know many, if not most, of the things "I got done," could have been delegated, tabled, or weren't necessary at all. 

In all those years I failed to take inventory of whether or not the tasks I was sure needed to get done were actually important. In other words, I'd prioritized my schedule, instead of scheduling my priorities.

Once you discover the difference you'll be well on your way towards taking the action steps that truly matter in getting you closer to where you want to be. 

I just hope it doesn't take you as long to figure out as it did for me.

You Can't Force People to Care

Yesterday afternoon, I had the chance to work with some very talented actors currently performing in, The Last Tiger in Haiti, a production nearing its run at Berkeley Rep.

The actors had all agreed to participate in a reading of my screenplay. I was less concerned about casting the right people for the roles than I was just having terrific actors play with the words I'd spend the past several months putting together.

After the reading, the six of us engaged in a spirited dialogue about what it means to be an actor. We talked about the lifestyle, the struggle, and the rewards. Each of us agreed the story I was trying to bring to life was important, relevant, and needed to told. But they also voiced their frustrations with getting people to care about storytelling in general - to get people to appreciate how stories shape our culture and identity.

What I learned during our conversation was nobody can force you to care about anything. Whether it's a compelling film or animal rights, each of is wired in different ways. As a result, we all have unique desires, hopes, questions, concerns, and passions. 

What you can do is present YOUR interpretation of the world through anecdotes, stories, or facts and then allow people to make up their own minds on how they feel about it. 

I suppose what people ultimately think is less important than making the effort to create something in the first place.

Provide Support

The other night I went to see a good friend perform in a play. "I probably can't get you comps though," she warned me. "That's okay," I said. I knew all too well how difficult it could be to get a hold of some free theater tickets.

Two weeks later I showed up as promised. After the performance, which my friend was terrific in, she insisted we meet up. I told her how great she'd been, asked questions about her experience working on the production, and her thoughts on the play's challenging themes.

She beamed as we sipped our teas in the corner of a popular college coffee shop before we bid each other farewell and headed home.

I realized a week later that just the simple act of attending her play had meant a great deal to her. It not only showed that I cared, but validated what she was doing as an artist mattered - that her voice was heard.

Take the time to support a friend's play, reading, exhibition, gallery, film, concert, or screenplay. It'll mean more than you think.

Get Involved

This election season has reminded me of the actor I once was - someone consumed by theater, film, and performance alone. Sure, I had outside interests like travel, reading, and the occasional sporting event, but it wasn't until a few years after graduating I realized actors, writers, musicians, and all artists have a responsibility.

A true artist appreciates that expression is not only shared through craft, but through spirited debate, listening respectably to a point of view contrary to one's own, speaking up against injustice, being civically engaged, and doing so with conviction. Choosing not to be a bystander.

Remember that your Voice Matters. A LOT.

VOTE.