Michael Caine the Writer
Michael Caine knows a thing or two about success. With a crazy film career that has spanned over 70 years, he’s bagged two Academy Awards. On top of that, he’s dipped his toes into the restaurant game and even penned a few books.
In his latest book, “Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life,” the 91-year-old touches on a bunch of topics, from how he got his start in acting to how a director, Christopher Nolan, picked him for his Batman trilogy.
Caine figured out pretty early on that no matter how hard he worked, there would always be folks who were better and some who weren’t as talented in the acting world.
“Jealousy is a nasty thing that can really drag people down,” he says. “If you start thinking, ‘I need to be better than him as an actor,’ you’re just making things harder for yourself.”
He adds, “Of course, every time I was up for an award, I hoped to win. But for me, winning meant showing I was making progress, not outshining the other nominees, who were often people I really looked up to.”
Compete with yourself
Instead of competing with others to get better, Caine believes it’s better to focus on yourself and look back at your own work.
“You push yourself and keep trying to improve from your last performances,” he explains. “This kind of self-competition helps you really see how far you’ve come.”
He points out that whether you’re acting or running a restaurant, not paying too much attention to your competition is key to finding success.
“Just ignore them completely,” Caine suggests. “The aim isn’t to be the best actor because that’s totally subjective, but to be the best actor you can be. I think this goes for everything in life.”
Caine’s way of thinking has really worked for him. Even though he took a step back from acting a bit ago, he’s still finding success by setting goals and pushing himself to meet them.
He believes having a solid work ethic helps during those times when your main career slows down. Working in restaurants and writing has kept him busy, especially when he’s not filming.
“I really think having a sense of purpose is super important,” he says. “Just drifting around isn’t a good look for anyone. It’s all about standing up and getting things done.”