Young Tom Hanks was a hustler
Oh, hi friends!
How much is your time worth?
Do you know?
You can divide your salary by 2,080—that’s the number of working hours in a year (in a 40-hour week). If you don’t have a salary, you can figure out how long a project takes and calculate your rate that way.
But when you do settle on a number—your hourly rate—consider this: That’s your rate for doing that one task and nothing else.
You can't read or write or knit or work on another project during that time. So is that number still worth it? You may no longer think of the money you’re getting, but of all the time you’re giving away.
Dear Mr. Hill,
Seeing that ... I have seen your fantastically entertaining and award-winning film "The Sting," starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and enjoyed it very much, it is all together fitting and proper that you should "discover" me. Now, right away I know what you are thinking: 'Who is this kid?' and I can understand your apprehensions. I am a nobody. No one outside of Skyline High School has heard of me. ... My looks are not stunning. I am not built like a Greek God, and I can't even grow a mustache, but I figure if people will pay to see certain films ... they will pay to see me.
Let's work out the details of my discovery. We can do it the way Lana Turner was discovered, me sitting on a soda shop stool, you walk in and notice me and -- BANGO -- I am a star.
Or maybe we can do it this way. I stumble into your office one day and beg for a job. To get rid of me, you give me a stand-in part in your next film. While shooting the film, the star breaks his leg in the dressing room, and, because you are behind schedule already, you arbitrarily place me in his part and -- BANGO -- I am a star.
All of these plans are fine with me, or we could do it any way you would like, it makes no difference to me! But let's get one thing straight. Mr. Hill, I do not want to be some bigtime, Hollywood superstar with girls crawling all over me, just a hometown American boy who has hit the big-time, owns a Porsche, and calls Robert Redford "Bob".
Respectfully submitted,
Your Pal Forever,
Thomas J. Hanks
***
(That’s an actual letter an 18-year-old Tom Hanks wrote to director George Roy Hill. He knew. At 18, he KNEW what he wanted and went after it. I love young Tom Hanks.)
The million-dollar question: Where do ideas come from? Insight from Chuck Close, David Lynch, Susan Orlean, and more. (~5 mins) Thank you Allison McNearney for sending to me!
Thank you for reading.
Love, Kara