Meet Phillip Cattley

We were lucky to catch up with Phillip Cattley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Phillip, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I think a big part of resilience is being connected to something that is very important and crucial to you. We naturally work with ease towards something important to us so I think it makes sense to make sure what we’re going after is what we really value. Before getting into that it’s also important to note that we oftentimes make our decisions out of fear or other unexplored beliefs and choosing a path that isn’t true to us is already akin to swimming against the current. So to reiterate I believe resilience starts with finding out what truly matters to you and giving yourself the chance and generosity to explore it fully. This can oftentimes conflict with what matters to other people in your life but I think it’s a decision you make for yourself.

Making carefully considered and realistic goals is definitely helpful as well. We aren’t usually motivated to do something we don’t believe we can do and charting a roadmap gives us a set number of things to do, which makes it more manageable and gives us more inspiration to follow through. Everytime we achieve one of these goals is a positive reinforcement – a nod to ourselves that we are able to do things right and a confidence booster – giving us more resilience in the face of obstacles.

How we deal with obstacles is also perhaps one of the biggest points when talking about resilience. Separating fact from fiction is a good start. Understanding factually what an obstacle means – what it requires, its consequences – and learning to see it as an opportunity for something positive is definitely helpful. Dealing kindly with yourself and understanding your limitations at a given time are also essential = especially when something doesn’t go according to plan.

It’s also good to be around people who lift you up, especially during difficult times and to understand that as people we share in our struggles. Being around people who are negative or don’t respect you can make it a lot harder to be more resilient. Sometimes you’ll also not be able to do as much as you’d like to, and understanding and respecting this limit – I believe – is of great importance in creating a system where you can work happily, consistently and with determination.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a Brazilian actor based in New York City focused on creating films which I feel deal with important topics within the human condition. I believe the most exciting aspect of acting is using my imagination – a part of ourselves often neglected after we pass childhood – to live out situations in which I can learn more about the world I live in and the nature of the people around me. 

I’m currently working on an original screenplay which examines what we give up when choosing to live a life pursuing money and power. It’s hard to be aware of all we have and sometimes losing it highlights it’s insurmountable value. Qualities like security, peace of mind, friendship and purpose are only a few of the great treasures we let go of in this pursuit. It is set to begin production early next year.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Be passionate about what you do. If you choose to do it, try your absolute best. Don’t fall short of honoring that part of you that instinctively knows the heights you are able to reach.

Make the process fun and engaging. You’ll work harder and achieve much better results if you approach something with curiosity, patience and care than if you’re simply aiming for a result.

Listen to others and learn from the world around you. Some people have so much they can contribute to your life and work. Count others at least as important as you and learn from everyone.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

Possibly one of the biggest challenges I face right now is balancing producing frequent high quality content in a limited amount of time. As actors, I believe it is important to conduct thorough research into a character’s time period, his society and background as well as thoroughly understand his relationships, actions and motivations. As a writer, I also believe strong research is essential. I have to make the subject matter credible to the critics and audience members who most understand it. Both of these cases require a balance of time and I believe I’m learning better to balance my expectations of my own work with the time and energy I have to carry a task out. Organizing myself in a way in which I prioritize what I need to do, and narrowing my main area of focus has helped me to produce higher quality content that is both interesting and time-efficient.  

Contact Info:

• Other: IMDB

  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16309650/