We were lucky to catch up with Aaron Oberst recently and have shared our conversation below.
Aaron, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I’m driven by an intense desire to prove someone wrong. Anytime someone thinks I can’t do something, it’s an immediate fire under my ass to not only do the thing, but to be exceptional at it. My first experience with this was in the fitness world. The first time I watched Fight Club, I thought out loud “I can look like that if I really tried”, which was immediately met with laughter and “yeah, right” from my friends. Fast forward to today, and I still maintain my shred. Ironically, the voice telling me most often that I’m not capable is my own. So I’m in this perpetual cycle of setting out to prove myself wrong and lighting the fire under my own ass.
In acting, the competition is insane. I heard a quote once, “the extra mile is not a crowded place”. I know the grind will pay off, and there’s nothing like seeing momentum build up after years of putting in the work.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I loved movies growing up. I went to the theater every weekend, and constantly had something on TV at home. I was raised on TV and film. But acting somehow felt like this colossus of a dream and not a “serious” career choice. After exploring a bunch of other paths for nearly ten years I just couldn’t escape my love for film, for acting, for art. Art connects deep. It helps us know we are not alone. Though our experience is unique, the emotions we feel are shared. If I can do anything with my art, I want to connect. Connect with the story, connect with my fellow actors, connect with the audience. So that whoever watches will know they are not alone.
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?
Grit, consistency, and abundant gratitude. Grit includes traits like resilience, courage, focus, perseverance. This industry is constant rejection, every day. You have to move forward in spite of that. Consistency means putting in the work every day, rain or shine, no matter what. Make gratitude your way of life. Every morning I write what I’m thankful for in a gratitude journal. It might sound hokey and ridiculous but I promise, after some time, it will change the way you see the world. Did you have coffee this morning? Be thankful for its flavor, that you could make it or buy it, be thankful for the cup it’s in, that there was water to make it. Did you only get five hours of sleep? Be thankful that it wasn’t four. Be thankful for every audition, every job, every connection, every opportunity. Gratitude can change your life if you let it.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s the story of a boy who dreams of treasure, and he follows his heart across thousands of miles to find it. Coelho writes of omens, the soul of the world, and personal legends. “…whoever you are, whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.” I’ve loved film and acting my whole life, and even though I may have had other dreams along the way, being a part of this industry has always been something I really want. “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aaronoberst.com
- Instagram: @aaroneoberst
Image Credits
Louis Galvez (all photos, not the headshot)
