Sister Circle

Back in grad school we studied playwrights like Brecht, Shakespeare, Odets, Williams, and my favorite, Ibsen. Each writer presented a unique glimpse of the world and wildly different challenges. 

But looking back one thing there wasn't a great deal of was work from women or people of color. The voices were compelling but often felt linear in tone. It was probably something my overly earnest and anxious 25-year old self didn't really take the time to consider. I was just happy to be performing.

There were a handful of classmates, who thankfully, felt different. A group of African-American girls started a terrific little theater company called, Sister Circle. The group was made up of actors and playwrights who wrote, directed, produced, and performed original works. The stories were bold, unique, and personal. The girls were a big hit.

Most importantly, Sister Circle was an excellent example of a group of artists who refused to wait for permission to get their stories told. They felt the program wasn't doing enough to support underrepresented voices and instead of complaining took bold initiative to do something about it. It's a story that still inspires me to this day.

What Los Angeles Traffic Taught Me

Anyone who's lived in Los Angeles knows there's traffic. A LOT of traffic. I realized pretty quickly there was a unique opportunity to take advantage of those moments of idleness and turn them into a mobile classroom. Here are a few quick insights that may nudge you to turn daily gridlock into the "University of Traffic."

-- One way to set yourself apart from the herd is to optimize moments most people use for entertainment with education.

-- Divide your audiobook selection into different categories that interest you -- (e.g. Fiction, History, Personal Development, Finance)

--  The average US commuter spends roughly 42 hours in traffic per year. That’s nearly identical to a semester of college. You have a remarkable opportunity to turn your commute, workout, or daily chores into the equivalent of a college degree.

-- After listening to an audiobook make note of at least three things you’ve learned and can implement, track, and measure. Keep an audiobook notebook in your car so you can jot a few notes after your commute.

Be Liberated by the Randomness of it All

Last night I caught a screening of, All the President's Men, the 1976 political thriller about the Watergate scandal. The film is a classic and stars two of cinema's most prolific storytellers in Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. As someone fascinated about history, politics, and film All the President's Men really captivated my attention the first time I saw it several years ago.

The first go around I remember marveling at the writing and at Hoffman and Redford's chemistry. Two actors at the top of their game, I remember thinking. Hoffman later said in preparation for the film he and Redford memorized one another's lines in addition to their own because they felt Woodward and Bernstein were the kind of guys who finished each other's sentences. The proof is in the pudding because they each deliver brilliant performances.

But last night as I saw the movie for the second time all I could think about was how terrific all the supporting actors were. Everyone was excellent. I took solace in how much talent there was in this industry and even began to consider the randomness of who "makes it" vs. who doesn't. 

Redford and Hoffman are undoubtedly great storytellers, but so was everyone else in the film. No one was less marketable, talented, or I suspect worthy of commercial success.  

A lot of young actors go mad trying to figure out what the "X Factor" is and how some actors progress in their careers, while other equally talented ones don't. I've found it's simply a big waste of time trying to come up with some algorithm or wrap your head around something beyond reasoning.

Instead, why not be liberated by the randomness of it all? Some people are just in the right place at the right time through no fault of their own and so what? It doesn't mean your talent or what you have to contribute is less valid. It simply means a few breaks didn't go your way. 

The important thing is to continue finding platforms to share your unique voice regardless of the outcome. 

You Can't Be All Things to All People

As a young actor I wanted to please everyone. I thought I could be all things to all people. Not only was it incredibly exhausting but impossible. 

When you try to be a crowd pleaser you end up compromising your credibility and sense of integrity. You also lose touch with what is important to you because you spend all your time and resources trying to appeal to other people.

Instead, focus your energy on crafting the message you want to share with the world. Once you do that you won't be easily discouraged by the people who will inevitably not support your vision. You'll be too busy creating community with those who do, while strengthening and refining your own unique voice. 

Going Beyond the Bare Minimum

There's a security guard at the supermarket I go to. I'd guess he's in his mid-50s or so. He wears the standard uniform and always makes the rounds through this busy shopping center with a smile. At first glance, there doesn't appear to be anything unique about how he goes about his job. Except there is...

Whenever he has the chance he bags groceries, (something he's not paid to do), he offers people help with their items, and he walks around the store with an enthusiasm you can't fabricate. He takes genuine pride in his job and goes beyond what is expected of him. 

As a result, he's earned the respect of his colleagues and appreciation of customers. He understands that just because we can do the bare minimum of what are duties officially demands of us it doesn't mean we have to.  

Keep Mining Your Weird

According to Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, and The Art of Seduction one of the single biggest killers of living a bold and unique life is we stop "mining for weird."

As cliche as it sounds, there is absolutely nobody on the planet like you. And not just in a spiritual or divine sort of way. Literally and biochemically nobody has your exact DNA coding and no one ever will. And as a result, we are all unique and "weird" in the most profound ways.

What happens as we get older though is we conform. We take the type of jobs everyone else has, do the things we're told we're supposed to do, and as a result we stop searching and cultivating those very qualities that set us apart.

Get back in touch with your inner weirdness and live as boldly as you thought possible when you were a kid.

Having Ideas is Not Unique

It's estimated that we have between 35 - 50 thoughts a minute. Needless to say, thoughts are not unique, not even good ones.

We probably all have a relative, friend, or colleague who's been pitching his or her idea for the next great screenplay, book, or film to us for years. You may have even silently concluded, I'd see that movie, or buy that book.

What IS unique is the ability to execute on those ideas. It's the quality that separates those who succeed and make meaningful creative contributions from those who simply go on talking about it wondering what might have been.

As, German philosopher Friedrich Engels once noted, "An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory."