What Does It Take To Prepare For The Role of a Life Time?

Timothee Chalamet is playing Bob Dylan in the new Searchlight bio pic, “A Complete Unknown.”  If you see images of the actor and music legend side by side, the comparison is uncanny.  It is reported that Chalamet trained to sing Dylan’s songs in the movie as well.  Whether it’s Tom Cruise taking on the dangerous stunts to fulfill a role, Denzel Washington taking on the physical characteristics of his character, an executive for a major company putting in the hours to make their company competitive on the world market, an athlete going to all training measures, a disciplined dancer methodical in their approach to applicable choreography or a Mom doing everything she can to raise good kids, to be at the top of your game takes skill and common variables in everyone of these people at the top of their game, regardless of what they do or who they are. How does one prepare for the “Role of a Life Time”?

     We see political campaigns in America over the last few decades and the riggers of months of travel, in a new town everyday, long periods of not sleeping in one’s own bed, getting less that adequate sleep, talking with media from around the world, kissing babies, taking on vicious attacks and on an on.  I have often wondered, how do they do it?  I really don’t think I could.  I’d be asking, “Where’s my unscheduled time?  I need my dance class?  I need to sleep in my own bed.  Screen time!  I need my screen time!  Oh, and time to paint and babysit my grandkids so my kids can get away for a weekend without THEIR kids.” Anyone who runs for a high office in America, A Roll of a Life Time for some, gets my respect for running the race, whether I see eye to them or not.  Now, I think in Great Britain where it’s a short period of time that opponents campaign for Prime Minister,  I could maybe do that.  They fight the fierce fight, less money spent/wasted, more time governing, less on campaigning and theatrics.  Less time for, as Dan Bongino calls it, “Snap Shots and Soundbite,” which in his opinion, is what political campaigns are all about (I wrote about that a few weeks ago, it was good).  The point is, these people must have a physical, mental and emotional stamina off the radar.  If you win, you have what it takes and if you loose, you still have what it takes.

     But we’re all not running for President, or United States senator or congressman, so we don’t need to run at that level.  However, what DOES it take to be at the top of your game, whether it is a middle school principal, major college football coach, a spouse, a CEO, of a major company, a parent, small business owner or be that actor who takes preparation for the Role of a Life TIme?

     One of the first qualities necessary to have success is organization. Admiral William H. McRaven wrote about this in his book, that was originally a commencement address, Make Your Bed.  The Book and address focused on the importance of starting the day with organization by making your bed and he gives the positives of starting the day off with organization.  Anyone preparing for a Role of a Life Time, does need to be organized.  Think about a Big Ten college football coach preparing for a new season. He’s like a general in some respects.  There is a sense of order with others in supporting roles working towards the goal of a college football championship.  A sense of order is at the top of the list with organization at every level from uniform distribution, to workouts to a clean and tidy locker room to a schedule for each player, checking on players academic progress, travel arrangements and on and on.  It means that in order for the head coach to do his job, most likely there’s an organized home life and personal life.  How anyone could function at that level to prepare for such a coveted role in athletic coaching without a strong sense of organization in most every aspect of their life, is hard to imagine. 

     Next, top physical conditioning would be near the top of the list of what is required for anyone hoping to gain a Role of a Life Time, be a highly functioning individual from a A level actor, let’s say like a Tom Cruise, who does his own stunts.  High Definition viewing means looking your best and in tip top shape. Any athlete or performer of course would put this at the top of their list.  Even a CEO, university president or anyone working towards the Role of a Lifetime could benefit from being in the best physical condition possible.  Joe Dillion a top trainor who trained at the division 1 college level and beyond, later went on to have a career as a consultant to top leaders in the business world, stressed the importance of top physical fitness.  His philosophy,  that to perform at the highest level in any field, your body needs to be working properly.  A healthy physical body, fueled with good nutrition and well hydrated contributed to the individual’s performance.  He also stressed a fitness regime that included cardiovascular activity, weights and for those who felt that they had little time for workouts, a treadmill in their office for a workout of walking with weights where those two crucial components of a good workout could be achieved.  The physical, nutritional and in conjunction with a adequate sleep and anyone can have the foundation to “get the job done,” especially if they have or are working towards the Role of a Life Time. 

     Following along, preparation would be another quality necessary for success in developing the Role of a Life Time.  Think of the doctor studying the films and notes on a patient prior to going in to surgery.  Preparation also can mean getting the training and education necessary to achieve that coveted role.  For an attorney, it would be getting into a top law school, passing the Bar, a CPA, passing the CPA exam would be necessary and doing well in interview for a top accounting firm.  For an actor, like Timothee Chalamet, learning to sing with a voice as close to Bob Dylan’s. For Meryl Streep playing Margaret Thatcher, it would be nailing the British accent and mannerisms. For Liam Neesen it would be reading as much as possible about the life of Oscar Schindler, who rescued many Jews from the Holocaust.  Many say he should have won the Oscar he was nominated for best performance. Tom Hanks won that year for Philadelphia, but not doubt it was Neesen’s performance, one of his best, in a Role of a Life Time, that helped the film win best picture and numerous other awards in 1994 as well.  Athletes too prepare for their successes on the court, course, the field, the pool. Many of their wins of a lifetime are years if not decades in the making. Nellie and Jessica Korda trained with their father, Australian Open (Tennis) winner, Petr. Now, both women play on the LPGA tour as top rank players. Preparation is a huge part of success in any role of a life time. 

     Finally, the last and up near the top of the list for anyone to obtain and maintain the Role of a Life Time and what it takes, is discipline.  The disciple to keep coming back to the rehearsal, the training, the reading, the sticking to the main objective.  Patricia Birch, who performed and choreographed on Broadway and in film, said in an interview I saw several years ago, mentioned that she might not have been the best dancer or most well known choreographer but it was her discipline to work to get to the studio and practice.  Patricia is most well known for her performance in the original “West Side Story” on Broadway and her choreographing “Grease” on Broadway and the movie musical with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.  For an athlete, no way could he or she perform at a top level without the discipline to train everyday for hours on end going over their special shot, play or drive.  Over and over again day after day, regardless of the win or loss, it’s the discipline, when the activity becomes part of the day to day life.  The executive who runs the weekly meeting with staff, does the walk around on the floor, who answers email in a timely fashion, who talked time to talk to investors and returns phone call all diligently.  For a coach, it’s the discipline of the routine for their players.  A prayer in the locker room for healthy bodies and fair play.  A head coach who is disciplined in using good language and recognizes their position as a role model, is a big part of their “Role of a Lifetime”.  Players and parents are watching and they take cues from you, that they will use in their own lives as future professional athletes, leaders in the business world and as parents to their own children…

     So, how do you approach your Role of a Lifetime?  As a teacher, doctor, nurse, manager, engineer, executive, spouse or parent?  Do you take your role seriously or do you coast?  Whether your Role of a Lifetime is a matter of life and death as in a careful surgeon or you are managing and shaping the lives of children, how you prepare and perform in your role DOES matter.  Your role of a spouse is a Role of and for a Life Time. How you treat your spouse does matter.  When there is respect, kindness and support, that person is able to go out in the world and be the best at their Role of a Life Time and they should do the same for you.  If you are a parent, taking that Role of a Life Time matters.  The diligence and preparation you take in teaching your children to know right from wrong, to be well versed in their faith and what they believe in and how to live by the Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”) will serve them well as children and when they go out into the world on their own.  Teaching your children to respect others is one of the greatest lessons you can teach your children and it will help them succeed out in the real world, along with their academic  as they take on their own Role of a Lifetime.  

     The G.O.A.T. ‘S out there, (the Greatest Of All Times) whether they are athletes, actors or titan in the business world usually win numerous awards for winning seasons, hit movies or taking a company public.  They get good at winning so maybe they have a few different Roles of a Lifetime.  Look at Tom Brady, he won numerous Super bowls and for different teams.  Tom Cruise has had many hit movies, same with Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.  Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary and other stars in the business world have had many hits.  Anyone who has success with a Roles of a Life Time, knows that the wins don’t come easy and they don’t happen by accident.  These people don’t have magic powers, it’s not that they are just lucky and they are not immune from hardships and problems.  It’s their organization, dedication to being in good physical condition that allows them to perform at the top of their game, their through sense of preparation and intentional discipline everyday that gets them not just the Role of a Lifetime, but success with that Role.  There’s absolutely no reason why anyone else can’t take these qualities and adapt them for the Roles of a Life Time in their own lives…If, they are up to the challenge…Me thinks this could lead to some great days for all involved.