Josh Brolin: How I Became a Day Trader

Episode Overview

• Josh Brolin discusses a challenging period early in his career when acting was not financially sustainable for his family.
• He details his pivot to becoming a day trader, driven by the necessity to earn a stable income.
• Brolin explains how the financial independence gained from trading allowed him to maintain artistic integrity and ultimately made him a better actor.
• The conversation highlights how Brolin's innate curiosity fueled his success in both acting and his foray into the world of finance.

Key Concepts

• Financial Reality of Acting: The episode sheds light on the often-overlooked financial struggles of working actors, where gross earnings are significantly reduced by taxes, commissions, and fees, making it difficult to support a family.
• Career Diversification: Brolin’s story serves as a case study in diversifying one's skill set. When his primary career was not providing, he learned a completely different trade (stock trading) to create financial stability.
• The Power of Curiosity: Brolin identifies being "insatiably curious" as a core trait that allows him to thrive. This curiosity enabled him to fully immerse himself in learning the complexities of trading, just as he would with an acting role.
• Synergy Between Different Fields: The knowledge and discipline Brolin acquired as a trader later provided him with invaluable insight and credibility for finance-related acting roles, such as in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

Quotes

• At 00:27 - "I mean, I had to. I had to earn money. I had children, I had children going to school and I just wasn't making money, man." - Brolin explaining the practical, non-glamorous reason he had to find a career outside of acting.
• At 01:17 - "I'm in a profession that works really well for me 'cause I'm an insatiably curious person... I get to feel like I've lived 50 lives instead of one or two." - Describing how his curious nature is perfectly suited for acting and for exploring other complex professions like trading.
• At 03:06 - "But I made more money than I had ever made acting, for sure. By far." - Highlighting the surprising financial success he found in day trading compared to his acting income at the time.

Takeaways

• Create Financial Security to Protect Your Craft: Having an alternative source of income can provide the freedom to pursue your creative passions with integrity, allowing you to say "no" to opportunities that don't align with your values.
• Cultivate a Mindset of Lifelong Learning: Embrace curiosity and be open to diving deep into new, unrelated fields. The skills and knowledge you gain can lead to unexpected opportunities and even enhance your primary career.
• Don't Underestimate the Power of Mentorship: Brolin's success in trading was accelerated by learning from an expert he met by chance. Actively seek out and learn from people who are disciplined and successful in the fields you wish to explore.