if you’re looking for ways to seize your
moment get confident and just say yes
then this video is for you I really
worked hard on it to make sure that I
didn’t let what I thought could be my
moment I guess go out the door because
of whatever reason I always found it
hard to say no to anything to anything
and I think that’s where the confidence
comes from I know that I’ve worked I
know that I will continue to attempt to
work it maybe in my mother’s backyard
this one-man show but I will do
something need motivation watch a top-10
believe nation what’s happened time in
my one word is believe and I believe in
you I believe you have an amazing gift
inside you that I want to see explode on
to the world so let’s get your
motivation to attend and get you
believing in you grab a snack and chew
in today’s lessons from a man who went
from playing the cola-cola bird at age
six in the school production to becoming
an award-winning actor in the Big Bang
Theory his Jim Parsons and here’s my
take on his top ten rows of success
enjoy
alright let’s kick things off with rule
number one just be you
Paul Barnes does anybody know him he’s a
director anyway Paul Barnes and he used
to say I don’t think everybody
understood it and maybe I didn’t
understand what he meant but it worked
for me you are enough he would always
say that you are enough and for me it
always worked on oh I need to
I got a blah blah blah I need to make
this Maya no no no no no no no just do
it just do it you are enough you are on
from I always took from it you are
unique just you you don’t have to gussy
anything up in fact stop let it go let
it out because then you may not get the
part you may not be right for the part
but at least you’ll be something you’ll
brought something to the party that they
can maybe then accept too you know and
you’ll be saying something then rule
number two just keep doing it do you
find that you’ve kind of reached a point
where like other actors are kind of
coming to you for advice now I’m like
how to get their career started or
actually some it’s a really really hard
issue I think because everybody’s path
is so particular and it’s there’s no
there’s no there’s no road map that’s
completely laid in stone for it you know
the only the only consistent thing I
ever say is if if you want to do it just
keep doing it you know and because
that’s the only thing I can think of
that you know cause like what do you you
can tell somebody how you did it I went
to undergrad then I went to grad school
known as showcase and I got it well I
mean this is really a particular path
you know and I had to take out loans but
you know so consistency in your effort
is what I always say as far as you know
you must find a way to do the work
because you’re only going to learn by
doing the work you know you experience
good and bad offers reams of material
for your subconscious as you move on
[Music]
that was very deep
rule number three finds your calling
long before sharing an apartment with
Leonard on the show Jim Parsons shared a
you age dorm room with his best friend
the best thing that could have happened
to me did I roomed with Gregg Stanley
who was my best friend in high school
and and still is and he was majoring in
theater as a young radio and television
major Jim Parsons loved acting and
aspired to be an actor but it wasn’t
until after his first elective acting 1
and living with an aspiring actor that
he realized his calling but what was so
great with it living with Gregg who was
majoring in it I watched him rehearse
I watched him warm up I watched him go
to auditions come back from talk about
what he was doing and it was the last
wake-up call I needed rule number four
don’t compare your success someone
else’s success is not your failure and I
think as an actor that was very
important for me to learn not that I
considered myself a very envious person
or something early on but to really
delineate that in my mind and because
this courier so ebb and flow sometimes
you’re being celebrated for the work
that you just got and a lot of the time
you’re celebrating somebody else for the
work that they just got and that does
not mean your career isn’t going
anywhere you know what I mean and it’s
very useful as you watch other people do
parts that you audition for and I’ll be
honest with you I’ve been very fortunate
part after part that I have not gotten
and that’s the majority of them if I
have seen the final product I’ve always
gone oh well that makes sense well that
makes sense
I get it I get it a very good example I
really really really wanted Kenneth on
30 rock oh my god I thought well I’m
perfect I’m perfect and then they didn’t
even call me back out well they’re
idiots and then I saw the show and was
like oh are you kidding me well I
couldn’t do that
I couldn’t do that you know that’s
brilliant that’s that’s in and I that’s
a very shining example he’s a very
unique individual you know what he did
was very special but to varying degrees
they’re all for the much part like that
you know and when they’re not you’re
like well you got what you deserve you
idiots you know rule number five seize
your moment closer run as an actor where
you you shoot pilots or you audition for
pilots you don’t get some of them you
get some they don’t go and there’s
always this idea that when is it going
to hit em am I going to get get my
moment right when you when you worked on
this show did you think you were going
to get your moment when I saw the
material for the audition I I wasn’t
didn’t feel very judgmental about this
is show good or bad but I knew the
character was something that I just felt
you know because you do audition for so
many things because you do see so many
characters that you’re like well that
sort of works and this one I thought I
don’t know if they’ll think that I’m the
one for it but I think I should be in
the final group they’re looking at so um
so in that way I I really worked hard on
it to make sure that I didn’t let what I
thought could be my moment I guess go
out the door because of whatever reason
I tried to take as much control of it as
I could rule number six find your
creative process what’s your process
this is a good question for Jim Parsons
what’s your process for preparing for
each episode how do you memorize the
special Sheldon monologues or
complicated science terminology that you
have to have during the week I start I
probably have them on me
I do the cards and like this is Act one
Scene a and then there’s my first Q line
it’s from Leonard there’s the L it says
okay see you later and then on the back
is my line and I paced around my house
and I drilled them like um like some
sort of ballet dancer learning moves
because largely because I don’t
understand a lot of what I’m talking
about and so I need the muscle memory to
be in my mouth at least to be really
ready to go because I find you think
about it
a the right words will never occur to me
and be the ones that do will just be
wrong I don’t want to be joined to
another object by an inclined plane
wrapped helically around an axis in what
way are you screwed rule number seven my
personal favorite is just say yes
how many unpaid or very low paid gigs
did you do before making a steady income
countless countless countless countless
I always heard you at some point you got
to stop saying yes to free work and I
guess to a degree that’s true but I
always found it hard to say no to
anything to anything and when I moved
out here I’d do a commercial or whatever
and get some money but then I did a
couple of student films for people at
Columbia or whatever and anything to
just keep moving and seeing new things
and and I mean that was my first camera
experience was literally working to
these students for Columbia and I
remember had a I had a good friend he
was like well what kind of film are they
using I went oh I don’t know I think
goes well you should know what if it’s
not such-and-such you can’t use it for
your reel and I was like oh oh I’m an
idiot and then luckily I snapped Alan no
no no no listen
listen I’m not doing this for a goddamn
reel I am doing this so I can do exactly
what we talked about I said this you
know the time I’m doing it so I
understand what it’s like to have an
intimate scene with one person while
there’s 18 other people over here
because I’m not used to that and until
I’m used to it I’m not gonna be any good
at it and I may not even be good at
after that but I’ve got to try all in
praise are free work rule number eight
get confidence from hard work I’ve said
before every taping we do every audition
I go to every meeting even today no
matter how excited I part of me is to go
and do it there’s part of me that the
cool part that it’s like if it was
canceled that’d be great there was a
power outage at Warner Brothers every
Tuesday night right before the show
taped I’d be like okay
and yet there’s a part of me that can’t
wait to get out there and really wants
to do it and you know auditions the same
way it’s like I’d like this I’ve worked
on it but and I think that’s where the
confidence comes from I know that I’ve
worked I know that I will continue to
attempt to work it maybe in my mother’s
backyard was this one-man show but I
will do something but that’s really all
I’m completely I would say confident in
rule number nine is love storytelling
how do you feel about filming in front
of a live audience is that something
that’s gotten easier over the years I
love filming in front of the audience I
think it’s the best part of this job to
be honest I don’t find it any easier or
harder than I did on day one I’d done a
lot of theater anyway so I was used to
being in front of people and my favorite
thing in the world is being part of
telling a story and there’s nothing more
boring than telling the same story to
the same people as in rehearsal over and
over again so they come and that’s what
I’m doing it for I feel as an actor in
any medium is the chance to tell that
story for the first time to fresh ears
and you really come alive in front of
the audience in a new way you think so
I definitely notice you’re someone who
does thrive from that extra energy see I
need the extra push I don’t know how to
give it all until there till it’s d-day
that’s why they’re still down and ruled
and pretend the last one before the
bonuses have fun what three things would
you take with you from earth to your
planet I would take Todd my partner I
would take Otis my white dog and I would
take Rufus my Shih Tzu okay and the rest
of you can piss off what skill or talent
would you like to learn to whistle I
can’t either
really I can’t I’m very surprised I
musician too much so do what I’m sorry
you know what you know what I don’t even
mean that because I consider myself my
own level of musician and what I do
how what do you think Rob Thanks
I just don’t know I think you can but
you can’t it’s one of those things
have you tried hard yes and it sounds
just like that so you won’t even do it
nope that’s probably wise do you know
how often a script calls for an actor to
whistle it’s a frequent that is really
good to know that I would have never
guessed
did I play yeah cuz you don’t think I
have an ounce of rhythm what
what’s the judgment that is really mean
no no thanks no you’re right I put words
in your mouth but you’re so great at
acting yeah that I picture you having
another absolutely absolutely thank you
no it changed that you were sweet
now I’ve got some special Jim Parsons
bonus rules for you but before getting
to them I have a question of the day for
you what do you think of Jim’s idea of
just saying yes and doing more free work
to get exposure and experience it’s free
work a good idea or not leave in the
comments below I’m excited to see what
you have to say thank you guys again for
watching I believe in you I hope you
continue to believe in yourself and
whatever your one where it is
much love I’ll see you soon and enjoy
the bonuses
do you read reviews of an act of God no
no I certainly know the tone of the into
the reviews of reviews in general very
funny but the reviews for theatres
actually very very important because
it’s just it makes a big difference but
this is something I have to do eight
times a week you know what I mean like
for a movie or a TV thing it’s in the
can it’s over so if you wanted to read
it it’s not going to affect what you’re
doing I if I read it I have to go out
and you know do it again you know what
if they talk about a specific line you
said that you didn’t say that well well
you’ll never say it well now in a weird
way a review is for everybody but you
when it’s your show or whatever you know
it’s it’s really in a weird way none of
your business you know it’s one person’s
opinion and that’s fine I actually like
reviewers I love reading reviews of like
music albums and stuff I especially
enjoy reading like an album that I enjoy
and I enjoy listening to all go back and
find the positive reviews of it like in
the major publications like Rolling
Stone or pitchfork or whatever and I’ll
read it and I enjoy reading how they
celebrate it and because it well-done
criticism is a very fun thing it’s fun
to break down art a lot of the other
tics some of them like the penny on the
door I don’t know where that came from
that wasn’t written in a script first
though it came during a rehearsal week
the word bazinga came during a rehearsal
week it wasn’t in the script one of the
writers used to say that in the room
apparently isn’t that ridiculous and
curse that man no I don’t mean that
look it could be worried I always think
if I could have some sort of phrase
following me like a dumbass or sell you
know what I mean what is what it will
say did I do that or whatever you know
it could be worse
but but some of them like twitching the
face you know when Sheldon gets upset
sometimes that happens I did that and I
don’t remember when but I dunno I regret
it I mean that sincerely you know and
this is the funny thing about doing
television I guess I guess he’s unique
television you know I was used to
theater choices I was used to most of
what I do in this part in this role
right now and goodbye in eight weeks or
whatever the hell and this is oh we’re
gonna use that for years years like the
the Sheldon laughs you know or whatever
I just they I did it I don’t remember
when I hate myself for doing it they
would write in they wouldn’t write in
Sheldon laughs but they’d write in
laughs wherever in the line and I would
give whatever anything else I go no no
no no no the other one were you oh god
okay and so for me that’s how ticks have
been invented and and they they ride you
like ticks do you deuce can’t shake them
one was long yeah
the most important work ever if you had
to think of one word that’s most
important to you or that sums you Apple
that would be like a little beacon pay
believe nation if you want to know what
the most important one word is for Tony
Robbins Gary Vaynerchuk Oprah Winfrey
will.i.am and Howard Schultz I have a
very special secret video for you check
the description for details
[Music]
moment get confident and just say yes
then this video is for you I really
worked hard on it to make sure that I
didn’t let what I thought could be my
moment I guess go out the door because
of whatever reason I always found it
hard to say no to anything to anything
and I think that’s where the confidence
comes from I know that I’ve worked I
know that I will continue to attempt to
work it maybe in my mother’s backyard
this one-man show but I will do
something need motivation watch a top-10
believe nation what’s happened time in
my one word is believe and I believe in
you I believe you have an amazing gift
inside you that I want to see explode on
to the world so let’s get your
motivation to attend and get you
believing in you grab a snack and chew
in today’s lessons from a man who went
from playing the cola-cola bird at age
six in the school production to becoming
an award-winning actor in the Big Bang
Theory his Jim Parsons and here’s my
take on his top ten rows of success
enjoy
alright let’s kick things off with rule
number one just be you
Paul Barnes does anybody know him he’s a
director anyway Paul Barnes and he used
to say I don’t think everybody
understood it and maybe I didn’t
understand what he meant but it worked
for me you are enough he would always
say that you are enough and for me it
always worked on oh I need to
I got a blah blah blah I need to make
this Maya no no no no no no no just do
it just do it you are enough you are on
from I always took from it you are
unique just you you don’t have to gussy
anything up in fact stop let it go let
it out because then you may not get the
part you may not be right for the part
but at least you’ll be something you’ll
brought something to the party that they
can maybe then accept too you know and
you’ll be saying something then rule
number two just keep doing it do you
find that you’ve kind of reached a point
where like other actors are kind of
coming to you for advice now I’m like
how to get their career started or
actually some it’s a really really hard
issue I think because everybody’s path
is so particular and it’s there’s no
there’s no there’s no road map that’s
completely laid in stone for it you know
the only the only consistent thing I
ever say is if if you want to do it just
keep doing it you know and because
that’s the only thing I can think of
that you know cause like what do you you
can tell somebody how you did it I went
to undergrad then I went to grad school
known as showcase and I got it well I
mean this is really a particular path
you know and I had to take out loans but
you know so consistency in your effort
is what I always say as far as you know
you must find a way to do the work
because you’re only going to learn by
doing the work you know you experience
good and bad offers reams of material
for your subconscious as you move on
[Music]
that was very deep
rule number three finds your calling
long before sharing an apartment with
Leonard on the show Jim Parsons shared a
you age dorm room with his best friend
the best thing that could have happened
to me did I roomed with Gregg Stanley
who was my best friend in high school
and and still is and he was majoring in
theater as a young radio and television
major Jim Parsons loved acting and
aspired to be an actor but it wasn’t
until after his first elective acting 1
and living with an aspiring actor that
he realized his calling but what was so
great with it living with Gregg who was
majoring in it I watched him rehearse
I watched him warm up I watched him go
to auditions come back from talk about
what he was doing and it was the last
wake-up call I needed rule number four
don’t compare your success someone
else’s success is not your failure and I
think as an actor that was very
important for me to learn not that I
considered myself a very envious person
or something early on but to really
delineate that in my mind and because
this courier so ebb and flow sometimes
you’re being celebrated for the work
that you just got and a lot of the time
you’re celebrating somebody else for the
work that they just got and that does
not mean your career isn’t going
anywhere you know what I mean and it’s
very useful as you watch other people do
parts that you audition for and I’ll be
honest with you I’ve been very fortunate
part after part that I have not gotten
and that’s the majority of them if I
have seen the final product I’ve always
gone oh well that makes sense well that
makes sense
I get it I get it a very good example I
really really really wanted Kenneth on
30 rock oh my god I thought well I’m
perfect I’m perfect and then they didn’t
even call me back out well they’re
idiots and then I saw the show and was
like oh are you kidding me well I
couldn’t do that
I couldn’t do that you know that’s
brilliant that’s that’s in and I that’s
a very shining example he’s a very
unique individual you know what he did
was very special but to varying degrees
they’re all for the much part like that
you know and when they’re not you’re
like well you got what you deserve you
idiots you know rule number five seize
your moment closer run as an actor where
you you shoot pilots or you audition for
pilots you don’t get some of them you
get some they don’t go and there’s
always this idea that when is it going
to hit em am I going to get get my
moment right when you when you worked on
this show did you think you were going
to get your moment when I saw the
material for the audition I I wasn’t
didn’t feel very judgmental about this
is show good or bad but I knew the
character was something that I just felt
you know because you do audition for so
many things because you do see so many
characters that you’re like well that
sort of works and this one I thought I
don’t know if they’ll think that I’m the
one for it but I think I should be in
the final group they’re looking at so um
so in that way I I really worked hard on
it to make sure that I didn’t let what I
thought could be my moment I guess go
out the door because of whatever reason
I tried to take as much control of it as
I could rule number six find your
creative process what’s your process
this is a good question for Jim Parsons
what’s your process for preparing for
each episode how do you memorize the
special Sheldon monologues or
complicated science terminology that you
have to have during the week I start I
probably have them on me
I do the cards and like this is Act one
Scene a and then there’s my first Q line
it’s from Leonard there’s the L it says
okay see you later and then on the back
is my line and I paced around my house
and I drilled them like um like some
sort of ballet dancer learning moves
because largely because I don’t
understand a lot of what I’m talking
about and so I need the muscle memory to
be in my mouth at least to be really
ready to go because I find you think
about it
a the right words will never occur to me
and be the ones that do will just be
wrong I don’t want to be joined to
another object by an inclined plane
wrapped helically around an axis in what
way are you screwed rule number seven my
personal favorite is just say yes
how many unpaid or very low paid gigs
did you do before making a steady income
countless countless countless countless
I always heard you at some point you got
to stop saying yes to free work and I
guess to a degree that’s true but I
always found it hard to say no to
anything to anything and when I moved
out here I’d do a commercial or whatever
and get some money but then I did a
couple of student films for people at
Columbia or whatever and anything to
just keep moving and seeing new things
and and I mean that was my first camera
experience was literally working to
these students for Columbia and I
remember had a I had a good friend he
was like well what kind of film are they
using I went oh I don’t know I think
goes well you should know what if it’s
not such-and-such you can’t use it for
your reel and I was like oh oh I’m an
idiot and then luckily I snapped Alan no
no no no listen
listen I’m not doing this for a goddamn
reel I am doing this so I can do exactly
what we talked about I said this you
know the time I’m doing it so I
understand what it’s like to have an
intimate scene with one person while
there’s 18 other people over here
because I’m not used to that and until
I’m used to it I’m not gonna be any good
at it and I may not even be good at
after that but I’ve got to try all in
praise are free work rule number eight
get confidence from hard work I’ve said
before every taping we do every audition
I go to every meeting even today no
matter how excited I part of me is to go
and do it there’s part of me that the
cool part that it’s like if it was
canceled that’d be great there was a
power outage at Warner Brothers every
Tuesday night right before the show
taped I’d be like okay
and yet there’s a part of me that can’t
wait to get out there and really wants
to do it and you know auditions the same
way it’s like I’d like this I’ve worked
on it but and I think that’s where the
confidence comes from I know that I’ve
worked I know that I will continue to
attempt to work it maybe in my mother’s
backyard was this one-man show but I
will do something but that’s really all
I’m completely I would say confident in
rule number nine is love storytelling
how do you feel about filming in front
of a live audience is that something
that’s gotten easier over the years I
love filming in front of the audience I
think it’s the best part of this job to
be honest I don’t find it any easier or
harder than I did on day one I’d done a
lot of theater anyway so I was used to
being in front of people and my favorite
thing in the world is being part of
telling a story and there’s nothing more
boring than telling the same story to
the same people as in rehearsal over and
over again so they come and that’s what
I’m doing it for I feel as an actor in
any medium is the chance to tell that
story for the first time to fresh ears
and you really come alive in front of
the audience in a new way you think so
I definitely notice you’re someone who
does thrive from that extra energy see I
need the extra push I don’t know how to
give it all until there till it’s d-day
that’s why they’re still down and ruled
and pretend the last one before the
bonuses have fun what three things would
you take with you from earth to your
planet I would take Todd my partner I
would take Otis my white dog and I would
take Rufus my Shih Tzu okay and the rest
of you can piss off what skill or talent
would you like to learn to whistle I
can’t either
really I can’t I’m very surprised I
musician too much so do what I’m sorry
you know what you know what I don’t even
mean that because I consider myself my
own level of musician and what I do
how what do you think Rob Thanks
I just don’t know I think you can but
you can’t it’s one of those things
have you tried hard yes and it sounds
just like that so you won’t even do it
nope that’s probably wise do you know
how often a script calls for an actor to
whistle it’s a frequent that is really
good to know that I would have never
guessed
did I play yeah cuz you don’t think I
have an ounce of rhythm what
what’s the judgment that is really mean
no no thanks no you’re right I put words
in your mouth but you’re so great at
acting yeah that I picture you having
another absolutely absolutely thank you
no it changed that you were sweet
now I’ve got some special Jim Parsons
bonus rules for you but before getting
to them I have a question of the day for
you what do you think of Jim’s idea of
just saying yes and doing more free work
to get exposure and experience it’s free
work a good idea or not leave in the
comments below I’m excited to see what
you have to say thank you guys again for
watching I believe in you I hope you
continue to believe in yourself and
whatever your one where it is
much love I’ll see you soon and enjoy
the bonuses
do you read reviews of an act of God no
no I certainly know the tone of the into
the reviews of reviews in general very
funny but the reviews for theatres
actually very very important because
it’s just it makes a big difference but
this is something I have to do eight
times a week you know what I mean like
for a movie or a TV thing it’s in the
can it’s over so if you wanted to read
it it’s not going to affect what you’re
doing I if I read it I have to go out
and you know do it again you know what
if they talk about a specific line you
said that you didn’t say that well well
you’ll never say it well now in a weird
way a review is for everybody but you
when it’s your show or whatever you know
it’s it’s really in a weird way none of
your business you know it’s one person’s
opinion and that’s fine I actually like
reviewers I love reading reviews of like
music albums and stuff I especially
enjoy reading like an album that I enjoy
and I enjoy listening to all go back and
find the positive reviews of it like in
the major publications like Rolling
Stone or pitchfork or whatever and I’ll
read it and I enjoy reading how they
celebrate it and because it well-done
criticism is a very fun thing it’s fun
to break down art a lot of the other
tics some of them like the penny on the
door I don’t know where that came from
that wasn’t written in a script first
though it came during a rehearsal week
the word bazinga came during a rehearsal
week it wasn’t in the script one of the
writers used to say that in the room
apparently isn’t that ridiculous and
curse that man no I don’t mean that
look it could be worried I always think
if I could have some sort of phrase
following me like a dumbass or sell you
know what I mean what is what it will
say did I do that or whatever you know
it could be worse
but but some of them like twitching the
face you know when Sheldon gets upset
sometimes that happens I did that and I
don’t remember when but I dunno I regret
it I mean that sincerely you know and
this is the funny thing about doing
television I guess I guess he’s unique
television you know I was used to
theater choices I was used to most of
what I do in this part in this role
right now and goodbye in eight weeks or
whatever the hell and this is oh we’re
gonna use that for years years like the
the Sheldon laughs you know or whatever
I just they I did it I don’t remember
when I hate myself for doing it they
would write in they wouldn’t write in
Sheldon laughs but they’d write in
laughs wherever in the line and I would
give whatever anything else I go no no
no no no the other one were you oh god
okay and so for me that’s how ticks have
been invented and and they they ride you
like ticks do you deuce can’t shake them
one was long yeah
the most important work ever if you had
to think of one word that’s most
important to you or that sums you Apple
that would be like a little beacon pay
believe nation if you want to know what
the most important one word is for Tony
Robbins Gary Vaynerchuk Oprah Winfrey
will.i.am and Howard Schultz I have a
very special secret video for you check
the description for details
[Music]
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