I've always done what I thought was good if I could live on what they were offering-and sometimes if I couldn't. So even when I was broke, my career didn't lack for interest.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Money is a good thing and it's obviously useful, but to work only for money or fame would never interest me.
When I finished school, I took my entire life savings - $5,000 - and invested it in a business. I was young. I was inexperienced. But I was an entrepreneur, and I was proud. And in six weeks, I was broke.
There were times, sure, I wanted my career to go better. But once it starts to go downhill, you can never get back, or only to some degree.
The early part of my career I really struggled, getting turned down again and again. I was in debt, and it was horrible. And then my family hit such highs in their careers, I asked myself what I was thinking going into the same profession.
There are lots of things I could have done for the money, but I've made a great living doing the things I want to do.
I'd never taken a job purely for money - I felt that would kill me - but I was afraid that I was heading that way. Then, my brother passing away was the final thing that kicked me over. It reminded me that life is short, and you'd better do what you want while you have a chance.
Fortunately, now I've got myself in a position where things are about story and not money. In my earlier career, it was more about getting my foot in the door and to get enough money to live, to be perfectly honest.
Imagine choosing a job not on money or even on career advancement, but as part of a life worth living.
I was about to get a degree in economics when I accepted that I'd be a lousy businessman, and if I didn't give acting a try I'd regret it for the rest of my life.
I was never that much a focus of interest in my career. I'm aware of that now, which doesn't give me a lot of pleasure.