Ifyoudidnothavethatkindofinfluence,thegoodnewsisthatworkethiccanbelearned,trained,andcoaxedoutof itsdarkcaveifyouhavetherightpieceofmeattolureit.Thispointmaybebestillustratedby 10,000NOsguest TerryKnickerbocker'sjourney.Knickerbocker,anactingteacherwithhisownstudioinBrooklyn,NewYork,is knownforguidingactorslikeSamRockwellintoOscar-winningperformances.Thesignaturequalitycitedby Knickerbocker'sstudents,clients,andemployeesishisincrediblydetailedanddedicatedworkethic.Butearlierin hislife,hewasaself-describedunderachieverwhowouldgethighallthetimebeginningintheninthgrade.His appetiteforworkwasonlywhettedwhenhediscoveredhispassionforacting.Hebegantogetroles,butsoon realizedhisrawtalentwouldonlytakehimsofar.
“Ididn'tknowwhatthehellIwasdoing,butIkeptongettingtheseparts.IrealizedIreachedaplateauhereandI neededtotrain.”
—TerryKnickerbocker,ActingCoach
Priortobeingconsideredoneofthebestactingcoachesinahighlycompetitiveindustry,Knickerbockerfailedoutof BostonUniversity.Itwasnotalackofabilityorintelligencethatcuthisundergraduatestudiesshort.Itwasafailure toshowuptoclassthatundidhim.Regardlessofthesizeofyourtalentoryournatural-bornabilities,ifyoufailto workhardortodosoconsistently,youwillneverreachyourpotential.Youmaygetby.Youmayevenexcelin comparisontoyourcompetition.Butyouwillneverbeabletolookyourselfintheeyewiththepridethatcomes fromknowingyougaveityourall.
“YoucanbelikeJackHornerandchiselaplum
Andthinkyou'reawonderfulguy.
ButtheManintheGlasssaysyou'reonlyabum
Ifyoucan'tlookhimsquareintheeye.”
—“TheGuyintheGlass,” DaleWimbrow
Passionandinterestcertainlyplayapartinconsistentlychippingawayatagoalforlongperiodsoftime.But somethingthatIthinkmaybeoverlookedbymany,whichisthekeytoincreasingastrongworkethic,isthe mindset
thatusuallyaccompaniesthisprocess.Contrarytowhatmanypeoplemaybelieve,almosteveryhighachieverknown fortheirincredibleworkethicdevelopeditbecauseavoiceinsidetheirheadtoldthemthattheirGod-giventalenton itsownwasnotgoodenoughtogetthemtowheretheywantedtobe.
“Wearenotparticularlywell-spoken,wearenotparticularlygood-looking,wearenotparticularlyintelligent,we are…generallyspeakingaB-minusacrosstheboard,andyetwejustfuckingkilledourselves,andworkedour assesoffandfoundawaytopushthatboulderupthemountain.AndIthinkpeoplelookatus,andrightfullyso, andtheythink,‘Ifthoseguyscandoit,Ithinkanybodycandothis.’”
—MarkDuplass,FilmmakerandActor,onthemassivesuccessheandhisbrotherhavehadinHollywood circumnavigatingthesystem
Thefactthatthesepeoplehaveaccomplishedsomuch,andaremanytimesrewardedwithprestigiousaccoladesor larger-than-averagefinancialrewards,hascausedotherstoincorrectlydeducethatthesepeoplewerejustborn
“betterthantherestofus.”SomeonewatchingahighlightreelofNBAstarStephCurrydrainingthree-pointer buzzer-beatersinhigh-pressuregamesmightthinkhe'sjustamorenaturallygiftedshooterthanthemajorityofhis basketballcounterparts.Whilehedoespossessanenormousamountofathleticability,thepainstakingdetailand consistencythatgoesintohisdailyshootingregimeniswell-knownandsomethingheoftenspeaksabout.Asimilar narrativecarriesacrossallindustries,whetherwearetalkingaboutanathlete,actor,comedian,CEO,orpolitician.
Thesesuperstars'workethicsaretheircommonthread,likeaninsurancepolicyagainstchanceandmeretalent.
GettingtoKnowFear
Let'sbreakdownthepsychologyofastrongworkethic.Bumperstickersaboundspoutingsloganslike“NoFear.”
ButperhapsmyfriendandformerpodcastguestTonyBlauerhasitmoreaccuratewithhisowncompany,Know Fear.Blauerisoneoftheworld'stopself-defenseexperts,havingtrainedscoresofTierOneOperators(a.k.a.Navy SEALs,ArmyRangers,etc.)aswellashousewivesandeverydaycitizens.Hisphilosophyisthat,ratherthanstickour headsinthesandpretendingwearesafe,weneedtofamiliarizeourselveswithfear.Weneedtobeincrediblyaware ofoursurroundingsandthepotentialfordangeratanytime,whetheritbefromanassailantonthestreetoracarin anoncomingtrafficlane.Blauerteachesthatitisonlyinleaningintothefearandsadnessoflosingone'slovedones thatpeoplearemotivatedtotaketheproperprecautionstoreducethechancesofthathappening.Fear,inthiscase, becomesthemotivatorthatsignsusuptogetthetrainingnecessarytoprotectourselvesandourfamilies.That trainingandawarenesscanbeconsidered“goodworkethic”withintherealmofself-defense.
Asanactor,IknowfeareverytimeI'monanewsetinanewrole.Myconsistenttraininghasreducedthisfear.And overtime,myexperiencehasprovidedmeexamplesthatIcandrawfrom,oftimeswhereIhaveovercomemyfear inthepast,whichhelpsmetokeepitincheck.Butnewenvironmentscanbringnewchallengesthatsometimes makemefeellikeI'mstartingalloveragain.WhenIwasyoungandI'dhearalegendaryactorlikeGeneHackman wonderifhewasevergoingtoworkagainoncehewrappedafilm,Ithoughtitwasaninsincereployforsympathy.
Butnow,asaconsistentlyworkingactormyself,Ifinallyunderstandhisstatement.TheyearshavetaughtmethatI canneverpredictwhatiscomingnext.Likewise,onanewsetwithnewplayersandmaterial,afearthatIwon'thave whatittakestohackitcansometimescreepintomypsyche.Myspecificcareer,wheremuchofmyworkhas consistedofextendedstintsonotherpeople'sshows,hasbroughtthischallengeupformerepeatedly.
TheWestWingExperience
Oneoftheseintimidatingstintswason TheWestWing.WhileIwaseventuallycastasBramHoward,theadvance manofJimmySmits'sMattSantoscharacter,towardtheendofseason6,Ihadauditionedforadifferentroletwo yearsprior.Forthataudition,Ihadmadeitfarenoughtoeventuallyreadwiththeshow'screator,AaronSorkin.
Despitehavinghadanicerunon TheSopranosafewyearsbeforethis,Iwasabitscared.Thetipfromthecasting directorbeforeIwalkedintotheroomwasthatSorkinlikeditfast,soIwouldneedtopickupmycuesandkeepthe paceatafastclip.WhileIwouldn'thaveconsideredmyselfaloyalfanof TheWestWingatthetime,Ihadseen enoughepisodestoknowthatvirtuallyeverycharacterwashyper-articulateandpronetoslingingpolysyllabic politicaljargonwhilemarchingthroughthemaze-likehallsoftheWestWingorhotelcorridorsatabriskpace—
these“walkandtalks”quicklybecameahallmarkoftheshowandafeatureusedbymanyshowssince.Itwas intimidating,tosaytheleast.
Ontopofthis,whileIconsidermyselftobeanintelligenthuman,Ihaveneverbeenparticularlyastutewhenit comestopolitics.Withanexorbitantamountofpreparation,however,Iwasabletosuccessfullymakeitthroughmy readingwithSorkin.Knowingthattherewereonlyafewotheractorsintherunning,coupledwiththefactthatthey werelookingto“castanunknown”inthisrole,IactuallywalkedoutofthatroombelievingIhadalegitimateshot.I waswrong.Ratherthanofferingtheroletomeoroneoftheotherhandfulof“unknowns,”theygaveittoMatthew Perry,whowasfreshoffofthesmashhit Friends.SuchisHollywood.Iwasforcedtochalkitupasanotherofmy 10,000“no”swhenPerryeventuallywonanEmmyforhisperformance.
Twoyearslater,in2005,whiletemporarilyinLosAngelesattemptingtoscoreaseriesregularroleonanewshow duringpilotseason(thetimeofyearwhenpilots,a.k.a.firstepisodesofanewseries,arebeingcastforthefollowing seasonofTV),Iwentinagainforwhatwasadvertisedasaone-offgueststarroleon TheWestWing.Again,there wasamountainofpoliticaljargontoclimb,andmyfearofflubbingithelpedmetopreparefortheauditionenough thatIwaseventuallychosenfortherole.Ironically,Irememberfeelingworsecomingoutofthatroomt
hanIdid aftertheSorkinauditiontwoyearsbefore.(Howanactorfeelsabouttheirauditiondoesnotalwayscorrelateto whetherornottheygetthejob.)
Gettingthegigwasavictoryconsideringthepedigreeoftheshow.ButwhenIwenttomyfirstfitting,Ipickedupan insidescoopfromamemberofthewardrobedepartment,whoeventuallybecameafriend,thatraisedthestakesfor meconsiderably.Hetoldmethatmystorylinewaspartofanewdirectionontheshowthatinvolvedthecampaign trailforJimmySmits'scharacter,MattSantos,runningforPresident.JohnWells,whohadsincetakenthereinsof theshowfromAaronSorkin,wasapparentlyusingtheseguestspotsasawaytoauditionactorsforapotentially longerstintontheshow.Inessence,mynewconfidantewastellingme,“Don'teffitup!”
NobodyWalksontheHill!
JohnHurley,myfreshmanfootballcoach,endedthefirstpracticeofourninthgradeseasonbysurprisingtheteam withanordertotakealaparoundatreethatwasperchedatopaverysteephillthatslopeddowntoourpractice field.Mistakenlyassumingweweredonecausedmetogetalatejumpontherunand,havinghustledmybuttofffor theprevioustwohours,Istruggledandcameinalmostdeadlast.IspecificallyrememberthinkingthatmaybeI wasn'tcutoutforthislevelofplayandeighthgradefootballwasmylimit.ButIstuckitout,stayedaround,andhad agoodseason.Buildingonthatfreshmanyear,Ihadthreemoregoodseasons,playingthroughtheendofhigh school.IalsoquicklylearnedCoachHurley'smostfamouscatchphrase,“Nobodywalksonthehill!”Hewasreferring tothatsteephillwehadtoclimbafterthatfirstpractice. Everytimeweascendedit,fromthatfirstpracticeon,it wasdrilledintoourheadsthatwecouldnotwalkit.Instead,nomatterhowtiredwemightbe,wehadtosprintup.
“Nobodywalksonthehill!”isamantraIstillusewithmykidstothisday.Infact,Iuseitmyselfforeverythingfrom motivationinthegymtoprepworkforrolestomyoveralldailyhustle.Itwasfrontofmymindmyfirstdayon The WestWing,whenIwascalledtoset.Theywerefinishingasceneinaschoolclassroombeforewemovedontomy firstscene.That'swhereIfirstmetBradleyWhitford.Ihadseenhisworkontheshow,andhiscombinationof flawlessmachine-gun-firedialoguecombinedwithhisloose-as-a-goosevibewasfrighteninglygood.Iwasalso awareatthispointthathehadwonanEmmyAward,amongmanyotheraccolades,forhisportrayalofJoshLyman.
Ontopofthis,Iwasawarethatallofmyscenesinthisepisodeconsistedof meleadingthechargedownhallways.
MycharacterwasdrivingtheactionanddialoguewhileflankedbyactorswhoseworkIknew,whohadalsobeenon theshowfarlongerthanme:Whitford,Smits,TeriPolo,andJaneaneGarofalo,amongothers.
Butthatfear,ofbeingtheguywhocomesinandturnsouttobetheflyintheointment,actuallysavedme.Knowing thatpreparationandworkethicweremybestweaponsagainstthenervesassociatedwithahigh-stakesgig,Ithrew myselfintotheprepassoonasIwascast.Withlimitedtimeforthein-depthresearchthatI'deventuallydo,Iran thescenesoverandover,drillingthelinesfrontward,backward,andsideways.I'drunthesceneswhileIwas driving,atthegym,walkingaround … inanIrishaccent,aSouthernaccent … anythingIcoulddosothatIdidn't haveto thinkaboutlinesatalloncewegotrolling.Ithoughtaboutmycharacter'srelationshiptothecandidate, MattSantos,andtotheothercharactersaswellastothecampaignitself.Onmyfirstdayontheshow,andall throughthatepisode,“LaPalabra,”Ineverfaltered.Iwasprepared,butnotoverconfident.Otheractors,evenonesI admiredsomuch,hadmomentsthatcausedustohavetocut,butIdidnot.
Tobeclear,actingis notaboutmemorizingyourlines.Inmyopinion,thebestactingtakesplace betweenthelines.
Greatactingisgreatlistening.Andtherearemanytimeswhen,aslongasyou'reexploringduringatake,youcango uponyourlinesandhavetostopthesceneandstillhaveusablematerialinthattake.Butanactorisusuallyonly allowedthatfreedomoncetheyareknown,trusted,andhaveproventhemselvestothedirectorandotheractors.
Whenyou'rearookieontheset,youdonotwanttobethatperson,particularlyonashowthatinvolveslongand windingwalk-and-talkswithaSteadicam.Whiletherewasnotmuchparticularlyemotionalheavyliftingrequiredof meinthatfirstepisode,myworkethichelpedmeprovetothemthatImightbeanassettothecast.
Iwasaskedbackto TheWestWingtwoepisodeslaterintheseason6finale,andinvitedtotheend-of-yearwrap party.AsIwasleavingthepartytoheadbacktotheEastCoast,ExecutiveProducerandDirectorAlexGravessaid,
“We'llseeyouattheendofthesummer.”Isaid,“Canyouputthatinwriting?”Theycalledmyrepsoverthe summer,guaranteeingmethreeoutofthefirstfiveepisodesinseason7,andthatledtomebeingasignificant playerinwhatturnedouttobetheshow'slastseason.Istuckaroundallthewaythroughtheseriesfinale,inwhich mycharactergothisownofficeintheWestWing.
Mytalenthelpedmeinmy WestWingexperience,butIcreditmostofthatruntomyworkethic.Ialsocreditmy beliefinCoachHurley'smantra,“Nobodywalksonthehill!”Myhealthydoseoffear,whichservedasamotivator, wasalsokey. TheWestWingmaterialIwasgivendidnotexactlyallowmetotrulystretchmyactingmuscles.But, muchlikemytimeon TheSopranos,whichyou'llhearaboutinanotherchapter,itcontinuestohelpmescorejobs tothisdaybecauseitwassuchahigh-pedigreeandculturallyrelevanttelevisionshow.
“Drivingtoauditionsthatareanywherefromsixtoeighthoursaway,maybeevensometimestwiceaweek.So, you'relivinginAtlanta,butyou'redrivingtoNewOrleansforauditions.I'mtalkingone-liners.Whenyoutalk aboutthegrind.Whenyoutalkaboutworkethic.Whenyoutalkaboutbeingcommitted.That'swhereyoulearn becauseyouaregrateful.”
—MelissaPonzio,Actor, TeenWolf,ChicagoFire
WhenIreflectuponworkethic,IoftenthinkofafamousquotefromRobertDeNiro'sdirectorialdebut, ABronx Tale.Afterhischaracter'ssonaskshimifhehastalent,DeNirotellsthekidhehasallthetalentintheworld.This promptstheboytoaskifhecanbeaprobaseballplayersomeday.DeNiroresponds,“Thesaddestthinginlifeis wastedtalent.”Headdsthattherestisuptoworkinghardanddoing“therightthing.”Inanironicandsadtwistof lifeimitatingart,theactorLilloBrancato,whoplayedtheboy,atotalnaturalwhowascapableofgoingtoe-to-toe withlegendslikeDeNiroandChazzPalminteri,gotmixedupwithdrugslaterinlife.Heandafriendgotinvolved
withaburglarythatresultedinanoff-dutypoliceofficerbeingshotandkilled.Heservedeightyearsinprison,with hislifeasheknewitforeverchanged.Talentisnotworthmuchifitisn'tattachedtoworkethicandvalues.
TopThreeTakeaways
1. Ifyoulovesomething,youwill wanttoworkhardatitandbethebestyoucanbe.Havingpassionfor somethingmakestheworknotfeellikework.
2. Fearisagreatmotivator.Ifyoupretenddangerdoesn'texist,yourfearwillfreezeyouwhenyou'refaced withdanger.
3. Amassivevolumeofworkandpreparationcanserveasaninsurancepolicyagainstnerves,fear,and unforeseenhiccupsthatarecertaintoariseinthecourseofachallenge.
CHAPTER3
Performance,Anxiety,andInstinct
“Wemakedecisionsbasedonfearandwemakethembasedonhope.Andwhenwelookbackonourlives,the choiceswemadebasedonfearneverworkout.”
— EricChristianOlsen,Actor
Whileitmayseemnaturalforanactortoincludeachapteraboutperformanceinhisbook,theboldfactisthat performance,theaccompanyinganxietythatgoeswithit,andtheinstinctusedinthechoiceswemakepertainto everyone.It'snaturaltoexamineperformanceandinstinctinrelationtoactorsandathletes;nevertheless,theyare likelyaffectingthequalityof yourliferightnow.Regardlessofourprofession,mostofusareovertlyrewardedor punisheddependingonourabilitytoperformwhenitcounts.Ev
eryone'squalityoflifeisdirectlycorrelatedtohow welltheyperform.
Therearetwocommondenominatorsbehindtheabilitytoperformwellinanycircumstance:overcominganxiety, andhoningyourinstincts.Whenyou'refocusedonserving,helping,listeningto,orengagingwithany oneor any thingbesidesyourself,youhaveashotatsuccess.Butifyouturnyourhead,evenforasplitsecond,youcanlose thethreadandwatchyourperformancecrumblebeforeyourveryeyes.
TwoSidesoftheSameCoin
Atmyhighschoolbackinthelate1980s,therewasamassivechasmbetweenathletesandthoseinvolvedinthe theater.Thesocialgroupswereseparatedinto“jocks”and“dramies.”ThereasonJohnHughes'smovies,like The BreakfastCluband PrettyinPink,struckachordwithaudiencesisthattheyreflectedasocietaltruth.Students definitelyutteredsnarkycommentslike,“He'sjustadumbjock”or,“Dramiesaresuchfreaks.”WhatI'vediscovered overtwodecadesasaprofessionalactor,however,isthatthereare hugesimilaritiesbetweenathleticperformers andartisticperformers.Bothofthem,intheirbestmoments,haveacertainlackoffearandatouchofsomething beyondthepurelyphysicalworld.Thereismuchtolearnaboutanxiety,andhowtomanageit,frombothofthese camps.
DespitemyawarenessthatIwasnotanaturallygiftedathletelikemanyofmyfriends,Iwaspeggedasoneofthe jocksinhighschool.IplayedsportsthroughouttheyearandIwasproudofmyworkethicandmydedicationtomy teams.
“Andthat'swhenitclickedwithme.Ithought,‘Thesearenotsuper heroes.Thesearejustmenthatcandosuper things.’”
Matthew Del Negro - 10,000 NOs Page 3
