Topher Grace: Make Your Opportunity and Multiply It

Make Your Opportunity and Multiply It

William Shakespeare once said, “This above all: to thine own self be true.”

Being true to yourself is not always easy. It means building your strengths, as well as working to overcome your weaknesses. It takes hard work, honesty, self-reflection, and the right mindset to stay true to yourself. This is something we talk about a lot on The School of Greatness. And on today’s episode, we discuss the benefit of having a positive mindset and how it influences you on your path to greatness.

“When you are challenged, you are actually going up the mountain. And when you [come] down [the slope], you feel amazing, but there is no challenge in that.” – Topher Grace

Known for his roles in various blockbuster movies and on a very famous sitcom, today we have the amazing Topher Grace in the house. I was excited to talk to Topher about a celebrity’s mindset and learn how he balances being true to himself with the demands of work, celebrity culture, and all the attention that comes with being an actor.

I am really excited for you all to learn from this legendary man about his career and about how Topher made his own opportunities — and multiplied them.

Who Is Topher Grace?

Topher is an American actor best known for his lead role as Eric Foreman in the Fox sitcom That ‘70s Show, alongside well-known actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. The show took over the TV world for several seasons and was also airing on Netflix until recently.

Topher then went on to play Venom/Eddie Brock in Spider-Man 3 and starred in Interstellar, BlacKkKlansman, Traffic, Mona Lisa Smile, and many more well-acclaimed movies. Topher has been acting for decades, and his work has been extremely powerful and inspiring.

On the side, Topher also hosts a podcast, Minor Adventures with Topher Grace, where he brings along a new guest each week and takes them on a little in-studio adventure. It is hilarious and creative, and I highly recommend that you check it out after this episode.

I was thrilled to host Topher on this episode of The School of Greatness, and our conversation would surely inspire you to lead a life of greatness.

Landing His First Role: That ‘70s Show

Topher found himself in the limelight quite early in his life, at the age of 20. After acting in just a few small roles in his high school plays, he landed the lead role in That ‘70s Show, despite failing to make it into film school.

“I was [attending] the University of Southern California, … [when] my friend Lindsay’s parents, … who were big-time Hollywood producers, … called me to [audition for] the show. And I had never auditioned for anything outside the school plays. … They were looking for a really nerdy kid, and that is what they got.” – Topher Grace

His friend’s parents, Bonnie and Terry Turner, who had recently won a Golden Globes Award, had seen Topher in one of the school plays and considered him for the role. The producers auditioned several thousand kids, but, beating all the odds, Eric won the part.

“[I was] more nervous than I’d ever been. … I knew [if I got the role] … it would be totally life-changing for me. … [I had] never dreamed that big, … but it just happened. … I had twelve mini auditions, and then one big audition … for the president of Fox Networks. … The first year [of shooting] was the most intense experience of my life, and then it got easier.” – Topher Grace

Topher went on to do eight seasons and 200 episodes for the show that was hugely acclaimed worldwide. He considers himself very lucky to have landed the role, and with time he eased into showbiz.

The Biggest Lesson from the Show

An experience like that comes with some significant learning and personal growth. Topher says the biggest lesson that he learned from the entire eight-season experience was humility.

“[The greatest] lesson I learned was to [accept when] I am wrong. … It’s a skill that [many of us] don’t pay attention to, but [it’s all about] amwork. … There are a lot of times when [you have to accept your mistakes], but there are no classes for it [in school]. … [it’s about] shaving down your ego.” – Topher Grace

Once you accept your mistakes, you open yourself to learn and grow as you move forward in life. Keeping oneself grounded is no easy feat to achieve either — especially as you’re putting yourself out there in front of the cameras (and critics) each and every day.

“Every right move I make now is because I made a wrong move then.” – @TopherGrace

Handle Criticism with Grace

Receiving feedback is never easy, and part of being an actor is opening the most vulnerable part of yourself to criticism. Many of us hold on to negative feedback for years, allowing it to eat away at our confidence until we become paralyzed. This is something Topher has had to learn to overcome throughout his career. He says part of his strategy for keeping an open mind to feedback is to just listen.

“People who don’t listen, especially on something as collaborative as a film or a TV set, [then] the punishment is theirs. … Even if you think that you are standing up [for yourself] if you don’t learn to listen, it only hurts you.” – Topher Grace

Actors are constantly getting critiqued or judged. Many of us also have to hear criticism — from our managers, coaches, parents, and significant others. The best way to handle negative criticism is to take the feedback quickly and positively and move forward. Shutting out the critics allows actors like Topher to take advantage of opportunities that can feel scary or vulnerable — even when these opportunities don’t pay well.

“I lost money doing BlacKkKlansman [in a sense]. … [The film was shooting in] New York, [and the role I bagged] was for a local hire so that they don’t have to fly [someone] out each time. But I told them that I would fly [at my own expense]. … [Sometimes you] just have to live this way.” – Topher Grace

Topher’s ability to take on a difficult role at his own expense earned him accolades from the audience and the film industry in general. Rather than worry about his own fame, thinking about what the critics would say, or going after more lucrative (but less fulfilling roles), Topher’s been able to build a very respectable reputation on the strength of his own talent.

Topher’s Experience Playing a White Supremacist in the BlacKkKlansman

Topher goes on to share his experience of playing a white supremacist at a time when many people around the country were experiencing social-justice protests and becoming more socially-conscious.

“Playing the character and doing the research … was depressing, … [but the overall] experience was cathartic. … I wasn’t scared about Black people thinking that I am racist, [I was moreover worried about] white people thinking it. … I was nervous when the film [premiered for the first time] at Cannes, … but it worked, … and I had never seen anything like it [before].” – Topher Grace

For an actor, “becoming” a character and living in that role can be a tough challenge. Playing such an evil person can take a toll on you — and that’s before the audience even gets a chance to weigh in. It takes a strong mindset to keep oneself sane and away from negativity.

Competition Actually Makes You Better

One thing I appreciate about Topher’s humility is the way he approaches competition. He believes that competition is something that should make you better. It can force you to grow, invest more effort in your resources and time, and come up with a unique opinion.

“[It is] not just competition [but also about respecting your opponent]. … [Like if you play] tennis with someone … better [than you, then] you also get better. … In that way, movie-making is also like sports.” – Topher Grace

Competition for competition’s sake isn’t all that helpful. But, when you compete with yourself to be better, that’s when you can create something amazing. Other people doing great work can inspire you or motivate you to want to do great as well. It is all about the mindset. Instead of buckling under the pressure of competition, you can take it as an experience to learn and flourish.

Even after devastating failure, Topher’s been able to learn from the experience.

“Everyone has a different version of the story, but failure is the most wonderful teacher. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s like all the current successes I am having are because of trying to go deeper into a thing. … I didn’t even understand what the job of an actor was until I [became a] producer and saw all these other elements. And every right move I make now is because I made a wrong move [back] then.” – Topher Grace

Go back to every experience that you regret. Tell yourself that only you can change the narrative to make it something positive. Failure is an essential step in the ladder of success, and you must climb it without fear and reach the top.

You are here for a reason, and no one is ever going to be like you ever again. There is always an opportunity to do something special with your life. Master a new skill, share it with others, and choose to inspire people to tap into their own talent. If you choose to work at it, then you’ve just got to be willing to step up and have confidence in yourself. Make your opportunity and multiply it!

Why You Should Listen to This Topher Grace Podcast Episode Right Now…

I loved having this uplifting conversation with the legendary Topher Grace. I recommend you listen to this whole episode, share it with the people you care about, and ask them to subscribe. I hope this session inspired you and gave you confidence that will allow you to take a leap of faith into the unknown. Because once you get through the scary and messy times, you will experience incredible beauty.

I am grateful to Topher for taking out the time and joining us today on this episode of The School of Greatness. Follow Topher on Instagram @topher grace for more from Topher and to see what he’s working on next.

I want to leave you with my definition of success. It is to explore the unique talent and gift within you and use those gifts to pursue your dreams. In that pursuit, spread the message of inspiration and greatness far and wide to make an impact on the lives around you.

To Greatness,

Lewis Howes - Signature

Some Questions I Ask:

What was the greatest lesson you learned in the first season of That 70’s Show? (17:30)
How can someone handle getting a great opportunity with grace? (21:00)
Who has been the most brilliant person you’ve worked with? (27:00)
What is life like as a father being an actor? (37:00)
What’s the greatest challenge being married with a new child? (44:00)

In this episode, you will learn:

How Topher landed his role on That 70’s Show (3:00)
The best way to handle criticism (23:00)
Topher’s experience playing a white supremacist in BLacKkKlansman (32:00)
How Topher views failure (52:30)
Why it’s better to try even if it doesn’t work out (58:00)
Plus much more…

Topher Grace

LEARN TO EMBRACE FAILURE.