Lacking Motivation? Listen to This Interview.

Maybe you’re stuck in a corporate job you hate. Maybe you’re a recent college grad who doesn’t know how to take the first step into adulthood. Maybe you’re an entrepreneur struggling to start your own business, or a starving artist just trying to pay the bills. Whatever your situation is, it’s easy to get down on yourself when your career goals feel stagnant or out of reach.

This is how I felt when I stumbled upon the podcast “Don’t Keep Your Day Job,” hosted by singer-songwriter and business owner, Cathy Heller. I was only a week into my first-ever day job, having just graduated college a few months before. Finding a full-time job had taken longer than I expected, which resulted in an abundance of self-doubt about my strengths and skills. And although I was relieved and proud to finally be working professionally in my desired field (and working at all, for that matter) I still felt a little insecure. Starting a new job is always overwhelming, and I found myself feeling both inspired and intimidated by my coworkers, my company, and my own future.

With this in mind, the title “Don’t Keep Your Day Job,” enticed me, and I began to browse the episodes. Heller frequently interviews successful entrepreneurs in creative fields - think songwriters, authors, bloggers, and designers - rather than CEOs or leaders at big companies. I happened to land on an interview with Saul Blinkoff, not knowing that his story would have such a profound impact on me.

You’ve probably never heard of Saul Blinkoff. But if you’ve seen practically any Disney movie after 1999, you’ve most likely seen his work. Blinkoff is an animator, director, and voice-over actor who has played integral roles in the artistic direction of movies like Pocahontas, Mulan, and Tarzan.

As one would expect from a Disney alum, Blinkoff is a natural born storyteller. As he discusses his experiences with Heller, his musings are careful and colorful; each anecdote packed with quotable life lessons he’s acquired through his failures and successes.

On the surface, Blinkoff’s story is that of hard work; a man who didn’t give up on a dream. But unlike many rags-to-riches stories we hear today from entrepreneurs and successful leaders, Blinkoff wasn’t merely given opportunities or even taking advantage of the ones that came his way. He simply created them.

One example that comes to mind is when Blinkoff received his second rejection letter from a prestigious Disney animation internship program while in college. He had worked tirelessly perfecting his portfolio application: making art from morning til night, skipping out on social events, and decorating his bedroom with work that inspired him. But it still wasn’t good enough. Blinkoff was crushed, and figured it was time to give up on his Disney dream.

It wasn’t until he saw the movie Rudy in 1993 and was brought to tears by the main character’s unrelenting passion and grit. Blinkoff recognized himself in this story and realized failure was no longer an option.

“I decided right then and there that I would never give up again,” Blinkoff says. “I will work hard for this every second I have, every day that I have.”

So he did something that took a lot of guts.

“I called up the head of Disney the next day. Who does that?” Blinkoff says to Heller. “And I asked him, ‘How close was I to getting into this internship?”

He was told that the program chose 17 participants out of more than 3,800 submissions around the world. Blinkoff was number 20.

“I had missed it by 3 and I was going to give up on the whole thing?” Blinkoff says. “Do you know how many times in our lives we could be so close to achieving something, and yet we feel we’re miles away? And all we need to do is just push a little bit more.”

Blinkoff goes on to describe an encounter he had with one of his art professors after that second rejection letter, who gave him a piece of wisdom that has always stayed with him.

His professor told Blinkoff to write down this sentence:

Nobody worked harder today than me.

And proceeded to say, “If you can’t say that sentence and it’s true, you don’t go to bed.”

How many of us can actually say we are working hard enough to say that statement truthfully? Blinkoff, despite his natural artistic talent, was not destined for greatness for his talent alone. But he followed this motto and was determined to do whatever it took to master his craft and be accepted into the program. And it all paid off. After his third submission, Blinkoff was accepted into the Disney internship program - and went on to become an influential voice in the company.

If his story is anything, it is a reminder that achieving your goals - personally, professionally, or creatively - requires more than just hard work. Blinkoff sought out opportunities and took risks. He asked the tough questions. He approached mentors for guidance and befriended people whose work he admired. Heck, he even called the head of Disney and asked him verbatim why he wasn’t good enough.

Blinkoff’s interview is filled with numerous bits of wisdom and advice that is applicable to anyone in any career field. Whenever I feel lethargic about my career or my future, I listen to Blinkoff’s interview. He reminds us that- in Blinkoff’s words- greatness is not what it is that you accomplish - it’s what you wake up every day and fight for.

To listen to Saul Blinkoff’s interview with Cathy Heller, go to https://www.dontkeepyourdayjob.com/episodes/ep-8-saul-blinkoff.