Part five in a five-part series. Thanks for sticking with me!
Success in entertainment has many ingredients: attitude, quality of material, work ethic. There’s even, I admit, a certain amount of luck involved (though successful people make their own luck by always working, always being prepared, and always being on the lookout for opportunity.)
As to the first ingredient I listed, attitude, this one may seem easy, but it’s the hardest one. It’s not a simple matter of pumping yourself up with a motivational YouTube video and getting to work. Sometimes there’s more fundamental work to be done.
I had a lot of motivational rocket fuel early in life, pure passion for my life’s work. But I would occasionally feel down, or slow down. In those times, the siren song of self-help always called to me.
In my early 20s I listened to Earl Nightingale’s “Lead the Field” cassette tapes. My then-father-in-law gave them to me. (He clearly thought I was a loser with no future and wanted to do something—anything—he could to motivate me.) This self-help classic is on YouTube, here.
In my later 20s and 30s, I got into Tony Robbins. I listened to every cassette tape he ever put out.
I also read a lot of books that helped me, from classics like Think and Grow Rich, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, How to Win Friends and Influence People, to modern discoveries like Raising Your Emotional Intelligence, Wealth Without Risk, and so many others.
In my late 30s, I started experiencing health problems, got into therapy, and realized I had even deeper work to do. The other four articles in this five-part series get into that part of the story.
Now, the journey continues. My latest self-help discovery is John Assaraf’s Innercise. For starters, it’s one of the best branding ideas I’ve heard for self-help. It’s like exercise for your body, but it’s the work you need to do on yourself—the innercise.
John has helpful programs like Winning the Game of Fear and Winning The Game of Procrastination that are super simple and super effective if you want a shortcut to better mental health.
I wrap up this little series with gratitude for all your support and suggestions for books and modalities that have worked for you, including EMDR, John Sarno, Pete Walker, and even Margaret Atwood. And I extend my best wishes for your journey to heal your deepest childhood wounds, soothe your inner baby crying out for love, and clear the way to achieve everything you want in life.
See you tomorrow!
Hi Scott - thank you for this. I've been holding back but again you've inspired me - I've been struggling with manic depression since before the CD was invented (hence the antiquated term for 'bipolar.') When I got into sales and account management I was handed many of the books you mention and learned a lot from them - Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale and Dale Carnegie at the top of the list. I'm looking forward to checking out your recommendations. For anyone unfamiliar with Earl Nightingale, this is an ABSOLUTELY CLASSIC recording linked below. He was in the Insurance business - a notoriously difficult service to sell. The story goes ('print the legend') that he would give pep talks to his sales team. One time he left on business and to keep up morale he recorded a talk - and it is now legendary. The message is great; his voice and delivery is fantastic. He later became one of the biggest names in self-help publishing, recordings, seminars etc. and the company lives on as Nightingale-Conant. If you have any interest in these ideas - check this out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLPdcGe0eS4
"Think and Grow Rich" and "How to Win Friends and Influence People" contained some of the best advice I've ever read. I'll check out Innercise. I was listening to a motivational guy who is very famous - I think Jim Rohn? It was really great for a couple of chapters -- you can achieve what you want, self-responsibility and it is all up to you whether you succeed or fail. Then, suddenly, he says, "The day I realized God is in charge, I turned it over to him and everything got better." I was listening to the audiobook while driving and wanted to drive into a tree. You are responsible or God is in charge. You can't have it both ways, Jim. Okay, rant over. I'm centered, now. I had a childhood with a violent mother who was full of rage. Fortunately, my dad was laid back and loved a goofy joke. As an adult, I kept selecting women that kept me off-balance like my mom did. After my second divorce, a counselor helped me realize the pattern I was living. Months later, I met Nancy, watched her like a hawk, and finally broke the pattern. Sometimes, we aren't aware of how we sabotage ourselves. But it's all material for a memoir, isn't it? I said it a few days ago and I'll say it again. You are needed in this world, Scott. You've made a difference in the lives of everyone on this substack and many more. You've made me laugh for more than a couple of decades and I didn't even realize it. Keep on surviving!