Meet Clifton Taylor

We were lucky to catch up with Clifton Taylor recently and have shared our conversation below.

Clifton, 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?

As far back as I can remember, I was always a self-sufficient kid, taking care of myself and handling challenges on my own. My grandfather would always have me help him around the house or with the yard work, leaving me with a task to accomplish on my own. He would always say, “Do a good enough job, you would pay for it.” That always stuck with me. As I got older and had a job, I would always make little games with myself to make myself quicker and more efficient. No matter what the job is, I believe in giving 100% because you are always representing yourself. Lead by example.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Currently, I am fortunate enough to be involved in two of my childhood dream jobs. I am a professional wrestler and an actor. I began wrestling in 2017, training under former WWE superstar, Ken Anderson. I was able to create a captivating character known as APEXX. Face paint, tattoos, spikes. A take no crap, fear nobody type of persona. APEXX answers to no one. Over time, I have made many fans and even more enemies. In 2023, APEXX won the United States Championship for APW, a highlight of my career. Although I love wrestling, I’m 43 years old. I’ve sustained multiple injuries, and I know I need to find my exit strategy.
So, a couple years ago I decided to get into the filming industry primarily as an actor. I grew up acting in theater and in school plays. It’s a love that never went away. Over the last year, I have been involved in 3 full length films, 1 short film, and recently filmed the pilot episode for a web series called, The Red Huntress.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Have confidence in yourself in everything you do. You can do anything you set your mind to, so, hold your head high and conquer your goals. It’s not just thinking it, it’s believing it.
Be open minded and willing to handle constructive criticism. If you truly are trying to better yourself and be the best you can be in your chosen field, be open to others thoughts and ideas. They just might see ways for you to improve that maybe you had not realized before. We must accept our own personal growth.
Most importantly, never give up. Every journey has it’s ups and downs, road blocks, pot holes, and dead ends. But, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Never feed off the fears of the unknown, it will only hault your progress. You can and will find a solution to every problem. As the old saying goes, “Nothing worthwhile comes easy.”
So, love yourself. Believe in yourself. And, never give up.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Sometimes, if I’m feeling overwhelmed it’s good just to take a step back and reassess the situation. Take a deep breathe, remind myself I’m okay, and find the solution. If the opportunity presents itself, I find meditation to be the best form of centering myself and finding balance. Sometimes going for a walk or getting some exercise helps or focusing on a different task at the moment. Anything to break the immediate connection to the feelings of being stressed or overwhelmed.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

John Sonnet Photography
James Lett III

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