More Unsolicited Advice for Actors

I have a whole plethora of pithy "hang in there" speeches in my back pocket, but here's a short one:

When I first moved to LA 18 months ago, I got caught up in the car culture.

Every time I'd pull up alongside a Mercedes or a Jag or Bentley, I'd find myself thinking: who's in THAT car? Is it a celebrity? Is it a producer? Is it a network exec? Is it someone I know? Is it someone I SHOULD know? Look at their car, they must be important!

Now when I pull up alongside a Mercedes, I think: Hmm... his lease payments are about $450/month.

In this town, where so much attention is piled on who's hot THIS week, it's easy to fall into a horse-race mentality and continually try to keep up with the Joneses (or the Shia LeBouf's or whoever).

The truth is: you put yourself into this race and you are the only person who can take yourself out.

And on the flip side: this is a fickle, psychologically-corrosive business. If you're tired of running along this path, there's no dishonor in turning left at the nearest intersection -- not if that's the road that leads you to a happier life.

So run. Somewhere, anywhere.

Just don't run in circles.

-Tom, a guy who can not only milk a metaphor, he can butcher it, cut it into steaks, grill it on a spit and serve it with three courses of appetizers and a dessert tray.