Actors Act and Waiters Wait

I've heard my husband say “actors act and waiters wait” a million times. He heard it from Samuel L. Jackson a few years ago while Samuel L. was talking about the beginning of his career. In the early ‘90s he was first getting put on and still waiting for opportunities. Then, very quickly, his career picked up in the late ‘90s with Pulp Fiction and Jurassic Park. Now he's in a movie every three months. Samuel L. was very clearly living by the mantra that actors act and waiters wait.

And the takeaway from that really is: we have to attack life with a sense of urgency. If there's something you want to do you have to do it and be relentless about it.

I know many people are thinking about starting a business, particularly with their spouses, and for some reason they're hesitant. You're wondering: What if we don't get along? What if we put all our eggs in one basket? Is this gonna work? One in three businesses fail, so what's the point?

Great. Those are all legitimate things to think about. But the bottom line is, who says that has to be you? If you continue to sit on the sidelines and watch as other people live out their dreams, you're gonna become old and bitter. Actors act and waiters wait.

I ask you, what are you waiting for? If you think that tomorrow's gonna be a better day or next year's gonna be a better time or five years from now you'll be ready, I promise you something else will come up.

For many of you who are reading this right now, you have children. Whether you were trying to get pregnant or not, there was never a really perfect time to inject another person into your household. Having children is hectic. Having a job is hectic. Being married is hectic.

But somehow, some way, if you really try to do your best to attack your goals with a sense of urgency yes, there should be a planning component, but there shouldn't be a waiting component. Of course sometimes there must be a responsible waiting component, but there should never be a sitting on the sidelines waiting component.

So again, actors act, waiters wait. I hope that you find this to be encouraging so that you will accelerate yourself and hopefully accelerate your business.