← 10% Happier with Dan Harris

Nicholas Hoult & Danny Strong, 'Rebel in the Rye'

Sep 27, 2017 31m 50s 24 insights
The new biopic about reclusive author J.D. Salinger explores his formative years, from struggling writer, to serving in World War II, to publishing his famous and controversial 1951 novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," to using meditation to deal with PTSD. Actor Nicholas Hoult, who plays Salinger, and Danny Strong, who wrote and directed the film, are both meditators themselves and talk about diving into this tortured author's mind to bring his story to the big screen.
Actionable Insights

1. Daily 3-Minute Meditation

Medidate for three minutes every day to experience increased creativity and focus, making ideas come easier, particularly beneficial for writing sessions.

2. Nap and Meditate for Energy

During highly challenging and time-constrained projects, meditate daily and take 15-20 minute naps during lunch instead of eating to re-energize for the rest of the day.

3. Dedicate Art as Meditation

Approach your creative work or art with deep dedication, viewing it as a form of meditation rather than solely for external rewards, as this can be a profoundly inspiring and remarkable practice.

4. Practice Yoga for Exercise

Practice yoga, such as hot yoga, as a beneficial form of exercise.

5. Reflect During Quiet Time

Utilize meditation and yoga not only for peacefulness but also as a dedicated quiet time to reflect on complex work, such as a character or story, away from other distractions.

6. Embrace Imperfect Practice

Engage in meditation and yoga for increased peacefulness, consciousness, and positivity, but acknowledge that its effects may vary and one will still retain the capacity for human error or negative states.

7. Write for Self-Therapy

Engage in writing purely for personal expression and as a form of meditation or therapy, without the intention of showing it to anyone, as this can be a deeply personal and healing practice.

8. Preserve Writing as Spiritual

If you view writing as a spiritual exercise or meditation, avoid publishing or showing your work to others to prevent external judgment and feedback from interfering with its spiritual purpose.

9. Prepare Extensively for Work

Engage in extensive preparation for your work, including diverse activities like dance classes or accent training, because proper preparation ensures you are ready to perform and allows for effective molding of your output.

10. Practice the Craft

To deeply understand or prepare for a role involving a writer, practice writing short stories to ‘wire that part of your brain’ and shift your perception of the world, as this helps in formulating the character.

11. Be Passionately Persistent

Be persistent in pursuing desired opportunities, like hounding agents to stay on top of a role, as this shows passion and can be exciting for those considering you.

12. Choose Personally Connected Projects

When embarking on a challenging new endeavor, such as a directorial debut, choose subject matter to which you have a deep personal connection, as this can provide a strong foundation and motivation.

13. Overcome Crippling Worry

When confronted with immense pressure and thoughts of potential failure, actively move past crippling worries to focus on execution, as this enables completion of the task.

14. Prioritize Learning Over Plan

Instead of adhering to a rigid career game plan, prioritize seeking out interesting roles and characters, and actively learn from great people, as this approach can lead to increasing enjoyment and growth over time.

15. Embrace Unconventional Ideas

Don’t dismiss ‘out there’ or unconventional ideas, as they can become hugely successful, especially when collaborating with others who might see different potential.

16. Gain Perspective for Art

When creating art based on recent or ongoing events, allow sufficient time to gain perspective (e.g., years later) to understand the larger, global story and what the art aims to say on a broader scale, rather than focusing on immediate events.

17. Tell Inspiring Stories

Tell stories that highlight individuals overcoming profound trauma to achieve greatness, as such narratives can be deeply inspiring, moving, and helpful to others, particularly those who have shared similar experiences.

18. Find Yourself in Literature

Read literature that reflects your personal feelings and experiences, especially if you feel alienated or like an outsider, as it can provide a sense of not being alone.

19. Compare Life and Art

When studying a character or subject, read their creative works alongside biographical information to gain deeper insight into their essence and how their life influenced their art.

20. Detached View of Criticism

When confronted with public criticism or untrue stories, take a step back and understand that the source likely doesn’t know you personally and is primarily motivated by selling a story, which can help manage anger and hurt.

21. Actors: Maintain Privacy

As an actor, strive to maintain a degree of personal privacy so that audiences can fully immerse themselves in your character without being distracted by knowledge of your private life.

22. Maintain Relationships

Do not constantly cut people out of your life, as this behavior is considered unhealthy.

23. Eat Homegrown Raw Foods

Incorporate homegrown and raw foods into your diet as a method of self-healing.

24. Attend Yoga Classes

Attend yoga classes for sessions lasting an hour to an hour and a half.