Master your anxiety. Unleash your genius | Jesse Eisenberg for Big Think+

Summary

Jesse Eisenberg reflects on his motivations for success, highlighting the role of anxiety and fear alongside traditional drivers like effort and creativity. He discusses the misconceptions about actors, his approach to avoiding self-doubt and criticism, and his experiences with directing, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and allowing others to excel in their roles. Eisenberg shares insights on leadership, humility, and the value of not micromanaging talent, as exemplified by his work with actors like Kieran Culkin and Julianne Moore.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Jesse Eisenberg's motivation stems from a mix of positive factors like effort, talent, and creativity, as well as negative motivators such as anxiety and fear.
• 🚫 He admits to self-hating tendencies and uses these negative feelings as a driving force to excel in his work.
• 📈 Despite his success, Eisenberg constantly worries about his career and the longevity of his professional life.
• 🤝 He finds that people from various fields share similar fears and anxieties, which are often the driving forces behind their achievements.
• 🔄 Reframing anxiety as fuel for motivation helps to worry less and be more driven in one's endeavors.
• 🎬 Eisenberg is an actor, writer, and director, and he recently worked on a movie called 'A Real Pain'.
• 🎥 The actor dispels the myth that all actors are confident and self-assured, sharing his personal experiences with self-doubt and criticism.
• 🚫 Eisenberg avoids exposure to his own work and reviews to prevent self-consciousness and maintain focus on his craft.
• 🎬 As a director, he realizes he's not a traditional leader and instead focuses on understanding and bringing out the best in his team.
• 🤹 His directing style involves collaboration and allowing actors like Kieran Culkin to improvise and fully embody their characters.
• 🌟 Working with highly talented individuals like Julianne Moore teaches Eisenberg the value of humility, collaboration, and the importance of focusing on the creative process rather than one's insecurities.

Q & A

What are the motivating factors Jesse Eisenberg mentions for himself?

Jesse Eisenberg mentions that his motivating factors include effort, talent, creativity, anxiety, and fear.

How does Jesse describe his experience with self-doubt and criticism?

Jesse describes his experience with self-doubt and criticism as being driven by negative motivators such as misery, self-consciousness, self-hatred, and a lot of fear. He also shares that he often worries about his last job being his final one.

What misconception does Jesse address about actors?

Jesse addresses the misconception that actors are always confident because they are in the public eye and have successful careers. He explains that actors, like anyone else, can be full of self-doubt and are concerned about how their work will be received.

How does Jesse cope with being a public figure?

Jesse copes with being a public figure by creating a bubble around himself that allows him to work at his best. He avoids watching movies he's been in, reading reviews, and doesn't bike past streets with movie advertisements to prevent self-consciousness.

What challenges did Jesse face when transitioning to directing?

Jesse faced challenges in transitioning to directing as he realized he was not a great leader in the traditional sense. He had to learn to manage people and find his own style of leadership, which involved understanding and getting the best from his team rather than trying to lead them in a more authoritative way.

How does Jesse approach collaborating with others in his work?

Jesse approaches collaboration with humility and a willingness to learn from others. He values the ideas and expertise of his collaborators and aims to provide a space for them to excel, rather than trying to be always right or to control every aspect of the work.

What did Jesse learn about directing from working with Kieran Culkin?

Jesse learned that it's more effective to allow actors to fully live in their roles and improvise rather than trying to micromanage their performances. He found that this approach made the movie better and the set a more enriching and fun environment.

How did Jesse overcome his intimidation when directing Julianne Moore?

Jesse overcame his intimidation by realizing that Julianne Moore, like any other actor, would appreciate feedback and ideas on the character and the scene. He focused on contributing positively to the creative process rather than dwelling on his own perceived inadequacies.

What advice does Jesse give to those who might feel they are not natural leaders?

Jesse advises those who feel they are not natural leaders to think about the wonderful leaders they've worked for and consider that the best leaders may not be the loudest or most confident in the room. He suggests focusing on collaboration, learning from others, and providing a space for others to excel.

How does Jesse handle the anxiety and fear that drive him?

Jesse handles his anxiety and fear by reframing them as fuel, motivation, and care. He believes that when he can do this, he worries less and is more motivated to do his best work.

What is Jesse's approach to receiving feedback as an actor?

Jesse appreciates when directors pay close attention to what he's doing and provide feedback. He values notes and discussions about his performance, even when they involve disagreements, as he sees this as a healthy and important part of the acting process.