Fail Better - Peter Dinklage | Best Motivational Speech

The Life Motivation

8 Oct 202104:02

Summary

TLDRThe speaker shares a personal journey of perseverance and self-discovery, emphasizing the importance of trying, failing, and learning from each experience. Despite facing financial struggles and a lack of traditional stability, they found purpose through acting, starting with a low-paying theater job that led to a successful career. The narrative encourages embracing the present, not waiting for permission to pursue dreams, and trusting in the natural rhythm of life to guide one's path to success.

Takeaways

🔄 Persistence is key: The speaker emphasizes the importance of trying again and failing better, suggesting that continuous effort leads to eventual success.
🌟 Pursue your dreams: The script highlights the individual's aspirations and the journey they took to achieve them, despite financial constraints.
🎭 Acting career: The story revolves around the speaker's experience in the acting industry, from small beginnings to a working actor.
👣 Starting small: The speaker began with a low-paying theater job that eventually led to bigger opportunities.
💡 Finding your rhythm: The script encourages finding a personal pace and rhythm in life and career, rather than waiting for external validation.
🚫 Don't wait for permission: The speaker advises not to wait for others to say you're ready, but to take the initiative and prove yourself.
🤝 Treat people kindly: Amidst the struggles and achievements, the importance of kindness towards others is highlighted.
💡 Self-permission to fail: The speaker talks about giving oneself permission to fail, which is crucial for growth and learning.
🌌 Light up the night: A metaphor for making a positive impact and shining in one's own way, regardless of the circumstances.
🌍 The world is yours: The closing message is one of empowerment, suggesting that the world belongs to the individual and they have the power to shape their destiny.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's message?
-The main theme of the speaker's message is perseverance and kindness. They emphasize the importance of trying again, even after failure, and treating everyone with kindness.
What did the speaker do when they were 29 and struggling financially?
-When the speaker was 29 and struggling financially, they packed their belongings into a backpack and slept on friends' couches in New York. They also worked at dusting pianos at a piano store on Ludlow Street.
What was the turning point in the speaker's acting career?
-The turning point in the speaker's acting career was getting a low-paying theater job in a play called 'Imperfect Love,' which led to further opportunities in acting.
What advice does the speaker give regarding finding one's rhythm in life?
-The speaker advises not to wait until someone tells you that you are ready. Instead, they encourage finding your own rhythm or continuing the one you have already found.
What is the significance of the phrase 'fail better' in the context of the speaker's message?
-The phrase 'fail better' signifies the idea that it's not just about failing, but learning and improving from those failures, which is a part of the journey to success.
How does the speaker feel about the concept of defining moments in life?
-The speaker believes that defining moments are not something you actively search for; instead, they happen and will continue to happen, often without us realizing it.
What does the speaker suggest about the timing of pursuing one's dreams?
-The speaker suggests that one should not wait too long to pursue their dreams, as they mention that they started their acting career at 29 and encourage others to find their rhythm sooner.
What role did the film '13 Moons' play in the speaker's career?
-The film '13 Moons,' which was written by the same writer as the play 'Imperfect Love,' played a significant role in the speaker's career as it led to other roles and opportunities in acting.
What does the speaker mean when they say 'the world is yours'?
-When the speaker says 'the world is yours,' they are encouraging the audience to take ownership of their lives, make their own choices, and believe in their ability to shape their own destiny.
What is the speaker's view on seeking permission from the world to pursue one's goals?
-The speaker's view is that one should not seek permission from the world to pursue their goals. Instead, they should show the world through their actions that they are ready and capable.
What is the speaker's message about the importance of treating people kindly?
-The speaker's message about treating people kindly is a reminder to maintain a positive and compassionate attitude towards others, regardless of one's own struggles or successes.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Pursuit of Dreams and Overcoming Failure

The speaker begins by encouraging persistence in the face of failure, emphasizing the importance of trying again and striving to improve. They share their personal journey, which started with financial struggles and a lack of material possessions, leading to a nomadic lifestyle in New York. Despite these hardships, they found solace in their work at a piano store and eventually landed an acting job in 'Imperfect Love,' which set them on a path to a successful acting career. The message is to not wait for the right moment to pursue one's dreams but to take action and trust in the process.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Persistence

Persistence refers to the continuous effort despite facing obstacles or failures. In the video's theme, persistence is emphasized through the repeated phrase 'try again, fail again, fail better,' which encourages viewers to keep striving for their goals even after setbacks. The speaker's personal story of sleeping on friends' couches and eventually finding acting roles illustrates the persistence required to achieve one's dreams.

💡Kindness

Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. The video script mentions 'treat everyone kindly,' suggesting that in the pursuit of one's goals, it is important to maintain a positive and caring attitude towards others. This concept aligns with the overall message of empowerment and community support.

💡Dreams

Dreams in this context are the aspirations and ambitions one holds for their future. The script speaks of 'so many dreams of where I wanted to go, who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do,' highlighting the importance of having aspirations and the journey towards achieving them despite the lack of material resources.

💡Failure

Failure is the act of not achieving a desired outcome or falling short of expectations. The video uses the concept of failure as a stepping stone to success, with the phrase 'fail better' indicating that each failure can provide valuable lessons and bring one closer to their goals. The speaker's own journey of numerous failures before finding success in acting exemplifies this concept.

💡Opportunity

Opportunity refers to a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. The script mentions a 'low paying theater job' that the speaker took, which eventually led to other roles and a career in acting. This illustrates how even small opportunities can lead to significant life changes.

💡Debt

Debt is an amount of money that is owed. In the script, the speaker mentions having 'debt, a big, hungry, growing larger every moment,' which signifies the financial struggles and the burden of owing money that many people face. This concept is used to contrast the speaker's initial situation with their eventual success.

💡Rhythm

Rhythm in the context of the video refers to a pattern or a flow that one finds in their life or career. The speaker advises not to wait for a rhythm to set in but to actively engage in finding or continuing it. This suggests that there is a natural progression in life that one should be a part of, rather than passively waiting for things to happen.

💡Permission

Permission here symbolizes the self-approval or acceptance to take risks or make mistakes. The video script includes the line 'I waited a long time out in the world before I gave myself permission to fail,' indicating that sometimes we need to give ourselves the green light to take chances and learn from our failures.

💡Readiness

Readiness implies being prepared or fit for a particular purpose or action. The speaker advises not to wait 'until they tell you you are ready,' encouraging the audience to take initiative and act on their own accord, rather than relying on external validation.

💡Community

Community refers to a group of people living in the same place or having particular characteristics in common. The script mentions 'bring each other along with you,' which underscores the importance of supporting one another and working together towards individual and collective goals.

💡Self-belief

Self-belief is the confidence in one's own abilities or judgment. The video script encourages the audience to believe in themselves and their abilities, as seen in the line 'the world might say you are not allowed to yet,' suggesting that despite external discouragement, one should continue to pursue their dreams with self-assurance.

Highlights

Ever tried, ever failed, no matter, try again, fail again, fail better.

The world is yours, treat everyone kindly, and light up the night.

I had so many dreams of where I wanted to go, who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to do.

What I didn't have was cash, a bank account, a credit card, or an apartment. I just had debt, a big, hungry growing larger every moment debt.

I packed the life that I knew with socks and a toothbrush into my backpack and I slept on couch after couch at friends' apartments in New York.

I dusted pianos at a piano store on Ludlow Street when I was 29.

I told myself, the next acting job I get, no matter what it pays, I will from now on, for better or worse, be a working actor.

Something good happened, I got a low paying theater job in a play called Imperfect Love.

This led to a film called 13 Moons with the same writer, which led to other roles, and I've worked as an actor ever since.

Raise the rest of your life to meet you.

Don't search for defining moments because they will never come.

The moments that define you have already happened, and they will already happen again.

It passes so quickly, so please, bring each other along with you.

You just get a bit derailed, but soon something starts to happen, trust me, a rhythm sets in.

Just try not to wait until, like me, you're 29 before you find it.

And if you are, that's fine too. Some of us never find it, but you will, I promise you.

You are already here. You'll find your rhythm or continue the one you have already found.

Don't wait until they tell you you are ready. Get in there, sing.

The world might say you are not allowed to yet.

I waited a long time out in the world before I gave myself permission to fail.

Please, don't even bother asking, don't bother telling the world you are ready.

Show it, do it.

Ever tried, ever failed, no matter, try again, fail again, fail better. The world is yours.

Treat everyone kindly, and light up the night.

Thank you so much for having me here.