Meet Michael Morris

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michael Morris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Michael with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

As a child, I set out to emulate my role models in music, film and theatre. Once I realized I could achieve a tangible result, with or without the approval or encouragement of my friends, I became solidly independent from the needs to please anyone else but myself. From there, it was merely a matter of discipline to achieve any result I wanted, whether or not anyone like my efforts or not. Ultimately, I found a way to please myself. Mathematically, the odds will be in your favor if simply do the work for its own sake – eventually someone will recognize you.

But if the recognition is the only reason you put yourself to task, then you will definitely encounter emotional setbacks.

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

I first received a film award when I was in the 10th grade. After that, I was hooked to anything I could make possible. I attended NYU as a theater major, then as a film major. And all the while, I kept my music writing and recording ambitions alive.

Today, I run a boutique production company called RandomInc., in which I produce feature films, albums, publish stories and teach. While most people concern themselves with climbing the ladder of their own reputation, I incorporate a discipline of creativity into everything I do. You could call me a slave to inspiration!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Curiosity. The love of experimentation – material rewards or money secondary

Thriving on discomfort. If you are uncomfortable as you work, don’t back off or shy away, dig further into it and find out what is behind it. That’s where you may find yourself.

The flower of repetition. The latter word seems like a drag, but when you persist, you will find variations starting to emerge. This is the very foundation of Darwin’s evolutionary theory. It truly exists in the artistic process of persistence.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Mahatma Gandhi’s “My Experiments with Truth” made an enormous impact on me. His words gave a glimpse of a whole new way of seeing life. Instead of churning and burning to succeed, to prove something to others and to myself, it gave me the approach of seeing life as playful act of living fully, whether you “succeed” at everything or not. Instead of taking everyone else’s advice or education about how life works, you can get closer to life with your own two hands, with your own real life experiences. That way your inner wisdom grows from within you, a personal search for what speaks to your soul.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @michaelrandommorris

Image Credits

Action stills of cast members for Season Two of the Anomalyst limited series. All images courtesy of RandomInc Films. 2024