Meet Eric Sweeney

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Eric Sweeney. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Eric, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Your purpose is defined by another “p” word with the same amount of letters- passion. I think they are interchangeable.

Most of us have an intense interest in some subject no matter how specific and unique it may be. We become “experts” through our curiosity that drives us to soak up as much knowledge as we can. It may create a new hobby or even a career path that you never imagined.

I think it’s important to ask yourself what is my passion(s) when you ponder about your purpose in life (another “p” word lol)!

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I always wanted a career in show business as a stuntman and actor. I remember being a teenager and wondering when I’m going to make my big move to Hollywood. At that time Los Angeles was really the only place to be unlike now where tv and films are shot all over the U.S. and the world.

I grew up in Roanoke, Virginia so California seemed like a far away place and after I graduated from college I still didn’t have the nerve to move across the country. I had heard they did some filming in Wilmington, N.C. so I moved there instead (since it was only about a 4 hour drive from home).

Over the next few years I moved back and forth from Wilmington to Roanoke a couple of times. I had gotten a few small acting credits and had met some local stunt performers and thought maybe it was time for a bigger market.

My parents played a big part in my decision to move and they had given me some great advice. It was my mom who encouraged me to move to Los Angeles. I remember coming home from an acting class and talking about one of the students who had moved to L.A. She said I think you should go too, it’s your passion but just remember that there will be a lot of rejections don’t let it faze you. A few years before that it was my father who urged me to go to college and get a degree in something I am interested in so that I could fall back on it if I ever go to Los Angeles.

So there I was, my mom urging me to go and I had already gotten my degree. I was 27 years old and time was ticking by.

When I arrived in Los Angeles I used my Exercise Science degree to become a personal trainer just like my dad had advised and I began auditioning and getting those rejections just like my mom had prepared me for. Years went by but I began to get more and more work. I finally got to the point where I had started to make a living in the entertainment business at 40 years old, 13 years after I arrived in Hollywood.

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?

I think the most important qualities to have when pursuing a career or anything you want to achieve are:

1. Perseverance – don’t give up keep trying.
2. Resilience – there will be many rejections on your journey but keep moving forward
3. Knowledge- learn everything you can about your goal and how to get there by using what works for you.

I always give the same two rules to follow for anyone pursuing the entertainment business.

1. Make yourself available 24/7
Many people have missed opportunities because of not being available. There are many people waiting to take your place!

2. Keep you goal in mind don’t get distracted
I’ve seen people get into different careers just to make money or worse fall into the wrong crowd and turn to alcohol and drugs. It’s easy to get distracted in a big city but don’t let that happen and work towards your goal every week.

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?

I did a book report in college on a book titled “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. It was written in the 1930’s by Dale Carnegie. The book started a movement and workshops and classes around the world. It had quite an impact on me by teaching me how to interact with people on a more genuine level. One piece of advice I still remember is to be truly interested in people you meet and ask them about themselves- but also be interested in the answer. To this day when I interact with someone I am genuinely curios about their life and experiences.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @erictsweeney
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/erictsweeney

Image Credits

They are all original images.