Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Koji Steven Sakai. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
KOji Steven , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
One of the best ways to find purpose is to try everything. People sometimes think that if you don’t like something or if you’re not good at it, it means you failed… when in fact, it’s the opposite. When you try something and find out it’s not right for you, it means you’re one step closer to finding your true calling (or in my case, accepting your calling). Out of college, I didn’t think people could make “real money” as a writer. So I went corporate. I hated it. Every second of it. I couldn’t imagine doing it for the rest of my life. It made me realize that I needed to do what I was supposed to do or my life was going to be VERY long.
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’m a screenwriter and producer. I’ve had a bunch of movies made; most recently, I wrote a movie starring Samuel Jackson and Vincent Cassel called Damaged. I also produce, write, and co-host a podcast called the Unofficial Official Story podcast. In my spare time, I teach at UCLA Extension.
But I’m also a dad. I assistant coach a travel baseball team and help my son try to achieve his dreams and goals.
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?
Three most important skills:
1. Doing it every day…. in other words, stop talking about doing it and just doing it.
2. Stop worrying about what other people are doing.
3. Loving the grind. I always say that I would write even if I never got paid to do it again (knock on wood). But, when I think about things, I’m most content when I’m writing.
The best advice I can give is to make it a habit to put your head down and grind. You can be taught everything you need to learn in your field, the one thing that is all you is how hard you work…. everyday!
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
The biggest challenge I’m facing is the changing landscape of entertainment. That’s why I try not to get caught up and keep my mind open to everything that is new. I’m open to collaborations, new opportunities, and even new technology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kojistevensakai.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksakai1/
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