I do take my work seriously and the way to do that is not to take yourself too seriously.
Interpretation
One should be dedicated to their work while maintaining a lighthearted perspective on themselves.
This quote emphasizes the importance of balancing seriousness in one's work with a sense of humor and humility about oneself. Alan Rickman suggests that taking work seriously doesn't require one to have an overly serious demeanor, and that a light approach can enhance creativity and enjoyment in the process.
In practice
In a speech about workplace culture, I referenced this quote to highlight the importance of maintaining a fun environment.
Film has to be reflecting the world that we live in, and that's all you want to be a part of. Actors inhabit the same planet as everyone else. It's a weird thing that happens when you're an actor because people hold you up because you somehow embody in parts groups of people or people's hopes or something.
You can act truthfully or you can lie. You can reveal things about yourself or you can hide. Therefore, the audience recognizes something about themselves or they don't -- You hope they don't leave the theatre thinking that was nice...now where's the cab?'
I'm a lot less serious than people think, it's probably because the way my face is put together.
Those of you who are not aware of my brilliant career as a stand up comic, I'm not aware of it either so we might well wonder what we're doing here.
Acting is mostly about listening. If you just focus in on what the other person is saying, acting takes care of itself to quite a large extent.
When I am asked about influences, I always say I bow down to Fred Astaire, because when you look at him dancing you never look at his extremities, do you? You look at his centre. What you never see is the hours of work that went into the routines, you just see the breathtaking spirit and freedom.
No man can perform so little as not to have reason to congratulate himself on his merits, when he beholds the multitude that live in total idleness, and have never yet endeavoured to be useful.
Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop
β"Don't bother too much about your feelings. When they are humble, loving, brave, give thanks for them; when they are conceited, selfish, cowardly, ask to have them altered. In neither case are they you, but only a thing that happens to you. What matters is your intentions and your behavior
One of my greatest pleasures in my writing has come from the thought that perhaps my work might annoy someone of comfortably pretentious position. Then comes the realization that such people rarely read.
This is the key to time management - to see the value of every moment.
Resolve to be thyself: and know that he who finds himself, loses his misery.
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