Work Ethic

I love hard work.

When it comes to performing, sometimes the whole idea is to work so hard in rehearsals that you make it look easy when in front of an audience.

In school, I didn't understand what it meant to not bring my homework on stage with me. I worked too hard and overworked my performances. Like over training a muscle at the gym, too much of anything is no good. There has to be a balance. But often in the arts, that balance is hard to find. You want to work hard, but there is no work. Or you want to work, but the work doesn't resonate with you at your core. And so you make excuses. You get lazy.

But then, something inspires you again and you're off!

Tonight on TV there was plenty of inspiration for those in need. I enjoyed Will Smith's interview on 60 minutes and HBO's 24/7 Hatton vs. Mayweather. All three of these guys, Will, Ricky, and Floyd all have something in common: they're at the top of their game, where only a few other humans can match them. And all three of these guys are proof that perhaps the single most important factor contributing to how they got to the top and how they stay at the top is HARD WORK.

Will talked about having never acted before until the first day of Fresh Prince and for 6 episodes he memorized the entire script and was caught mouthing the other characters lines in scenes. He wasn't an actor, but he sure was gonna be one and prove to everyone that he was. He was given and incredible opportunity and was not about to drop the ball with the game on the line.

Ricky and Floyd are physical monsters. They work so hard pushing their bodies and minds to the extremes of human limitation. Floyd works out into the wee hours of the morning claiming that the workout while the competition is sleeping gives him a psychological advantage. And Ricky is simply a beast. He trains at 200% for hours a day grunting and screaming like a mad man.

As Will Smith put it, "I've never considered myself to be the most talented guy. But the thing that's gotten me to where I am is a strict strict strict strict STRICT work ethic. When the other guys are eating, sleeping, going out, making love...well I make love but then I'm working!"

So push yourself. See what your limitations are. Practice indeed makes perfect. You practice enough and when its game time, there's no stress b/c you're ready. You're just gonna go let loose all that hard work without even thinking about it.