The Hollywood Commandments Read online

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to everyone who wants to be free.

  Free to be who God created you to be and

  do everything you were created to do.

  To those who want to go further than you ever thought possible in achieving your God-ordained destiny.

  To those who are tired of living beneath your potential and crave the success you know is within your grasp.

  To those who want peace in the depths of your spirit . . . this book is for you.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Introduction: What the Church Doesn’t Teach You About Success

  1: Your Prayers Alone Aren’t Enough

  2: You Are the Talent

  3: You Have to Carry a Crown Before You Can Wear One

  4: You Have to Know the Rules to Play the Game

  5: Your Gut Is Hiding God

  6: You Get What You Negotiate (Not What You’re Worth)

  7: You Must Master the Walk of Fame

  8: Your Difference Is Your Destiny

  9: Your Amnesia Is an Asset

  10: Your World Is Smaller Than You Think

  Epilogue: Peace

  Acknowledgments

  Reader’s Guide

  About the Author

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  INTRODUCTION

  WHAT THE CHURCH DOESN’T TEACH YOU ABOUT SUCCESS

  I was basking in the afterglow of one the biggest successes of my career when God spoke to me and told me it was time to “get out of the boat.” It was the spring of 2014, and the movie Heaven Is for Real, starring Greg Kinnear, had just shocked Hollywood by making almost $30 million in its first five days. I was senior vice president of production for Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, where I had been an executive for nearly ten years, and I staked my career on my belief that Heaven Is for Real would be a box office hit.

  I came to Hollywood because I wanted to be a producer and make entertainment filled with faith and hope—entertainment that could inspire the world like Heaven Is for Real. I wanted to do that by running my own production company. I never had the desire to work long-term as a studio executive, and in that moment, I realized that God had been using my time as an executive to prepare me to run my own company one day. Apparently, that day had come sooner than I thought! As I felt that nudge in my spirit to “get out of the boat,” I knew what it meant: I had to quit my job.

  In the book of Matthew in the New Testament, there’s a famous story that has always inspired me. It’s the story of Peter getting out of the boat to walk on water to Jesus. Jesus had sent his disciples out on a boat to sail the Sea of Galilee after they had finished ministering and while he went up to the mountaintop to pray. When he finished praying, it was the middle of the night, and he walked on water toward the disciples’ boat. When they saw Jesus walking on water, it scared them so much they thought he was a ghost. Jesus said (Matthew 14:27–29, NLT), “Don’t be afraid . . . take courage. I am here.” But Peter was the only disciple to speak up and challenge this claim, saying, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on water.” Jesus said, “Yes, come.” In that moment, Peter got out of the boat and did the impossible: he stepped onto the water and walked toward Jesus.

  This story was the perfect metaphor for what I was feeling because I was constantly praying, “Lord, do you have more for me? Is the dream you gave me ever going to happen?” In this moment, it was as if Jesus was saying, “Come.” But it also stopped me in my tracks. I realized that my studio executive job was the boat, and Jesus was my dream. In order for me to reach my dream, I was going to have to step completely out of my job. I was going to have to risk everything.

  That’s the scariest thing about the story of Peter walking on water: he had no guarantee that the water would hold him. He risked drowning. He had to have faith that if Jesus was calling him to do this, somehow the water would transform underneath his feet into a firm surface he could walk on and not drown. But he wouldn’t know until he stepped out of the boat onto it. Peter had to make a leap of faith. In the same way, I wouldn’t know if I would fail or succeed until I had the faith to step out of my own boat and quit.

  CALLED TO DO MORE

  Have you been there? Felt like God was calling you to something more, something maybe a little scary and unfamiliar but that would take you a step further into your purpose, your destiny? We all have at one time or another. It’s always unexpected, and it can be confusing. There’s no manual or set of rules that tells you what to do when God taps you on the shoulder and whispers, “It’s time to make a move.” You might feel fear, exhilaration, or both at the same time. I know, because that’s how I felt. So, believe me, I get it.

  On Easter Sunday, I got an email from the chairman of Sony Pictures, Amy Pascal, that read, “I hope you’re feeling great!” I was. It was the second email she sent me over the weekend congratulating me on the success of Heaven Is for Real. I felt something stir in my spirit when I got this email, and that’s when I heard God say, loudly and clearly, “It’s time to go, you’ve got to get out of the boat.”

  So instead of just replying back to Amy’s email by saying, “Yes, I’m feeling great,” I took this opportunity to seize the moment. I asked her if we could have a meeting. She replied, “Yes, definitely.”

  On the day of the meeting, I nervously walked down to Amy’s office and waited for her to finish a call. Then her assistant said, “Amy is ready to see you,” and my heart was beating out of my chest. Amy is a force of nature, one of the most successful people in the history of Hollywood. She greeted me warmly and congratulated me again on the success of the movie. I sat down on the couch, mustered as much courage as I could, and said, “I love you and love Sony, but it’s time for me to go.”

  Surprised, she said, “What do you mean?”

  “It’s been a blessing to be here and help create value for the company for almost ten years,” I said. “However, I can’t keep creating value that I’m unable to participate in. I came to Hollywood to start my own production company, and I know now is the time to do it.”

  There was a beat of silence, and I knew it was my chance to add the kicker:

  “And I want Sony to fund it. I want you to give me a first-look deal so I can start my own company.”

  Whew! Scripture says, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God” (Hebrews 4:16, NLT). God gives us the authority to come before Him boldly to ask for what we need, so why be afraid to go boldly before a man or woman to ask for what we need? In other words, step up and ask! So, I did.

  Amy looked at me for a long moment, and finally she said, “Well, okay. Yes, I’ll do it! We value the contributions you’ve made to this company, and we don’t want you leaving this studio. So, we’ll give you a deal under one condition: you can’t negotiate with anybody else.”

  I quickly replied, “Okay, as long as the deal is good.” She laughed, we hugged, and I walked out of her office practically walking on water myself.

  DESTINATION: DESTINY

  Talk about stepping out on faith! I had no idea whether it was going to work or whether Amy would say yes. But I wasn’t concerned. It was time. Too often we ignore the alarm that goes off in our spirit when it’s time to make a career or life move; instead, we keep hitting the snooze button. How many people have snoozed away their destiny? I refuse to be less than I was created to be, and I endeavor every day to discover who I really am and to achieve the destiny God has promised me. I also felt the way everyone feels—the way you feel—when you’re stuck in a job that doesn’t fulfil
l you. You know you can be more and do more, but you’re afraid. There’s the mortgage and the car and the kids and the uncertainty . . . and before long, practicality suffocates your purpose.

  When those choices confront us, we have to ask ourselves a question. Do we want our gravestone to read, “Lived a properly practical life,” or “Lived a life of passionate purpose”? I know what I want carved on mine. When you decide that following your purpose passionately is the most important thing, you break out every skill, every bit of wisdom, and every character strength at your disposal, and you go for it.

  During this time, I realized something revelatory. The skill set, knowledge, and wisdom that I was relying on to enable my transformation into a film and TV producer—industry understanding, creative competency, marketing and publicity knowledge, political maneuvering, contract negotiation—were not qualities that I had developed in church! Even though I’ve been a Christian all my life and grown up in the church, a place that shaped my character, my worldview, and my faith, I didn’t learn those lessons there. I learned them in Hollywood, in what some people would call “the belly of the beast.” Yet those Hollywood-honed skills were what would help me achieve my destiny and live according to God’s will.

  GOD’S POWER DOESN’T STOP AT THE GATES OF HOLLYWOOD

  Does having faith make you less successful? Do Biblical principles work against secular success? Does God care if you are a spiritual success but a secular failure? Is it possible for spiritual teachings and secular strategies to work in concert not only to help you achieve the success you’ve been yearning for but also to help you become who you are destined to be?

  As I said, I was raised in the church, but we never addressed those kinds of questions. Almost every single weekend of my upbringing was spent on a pew singing worship songs and listening to the pastor preach. As a young teen, I was deeply moved and convicted to accept Christ as my personal savior. As I came into adolescence, I believed what I was taught: I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me, and all things are possible to those who believe.

  Then something interesting happened. As I began to express my belief that God wanted me to live out my calling by working in Hollywood and the entertainment business, I was met not only with blank stares but with admonitions:

  “Hollywood is the Devil’s playground!”

  “Hollywood is Sodom and Gomorrah!”

  “It’s not a place for Christians.”

  “You will lose your faith.”

  I was perplexed. How could God’s power stop at the gates of Hollywood? Was it possible that there is actually a limit to what our faith in Him can do? If we commit our lives to Him, does that limit how far our God-given ambitions can take us?

  There was also an undercurrent of fear running through those warnings. It’s part of a culture of fear—a beware mentality—that is taught and widely reinforced within the community of believers. Generations of well-meaning Christians who felt alarm bells going off in their spirits urging them to live out their calling in the secular world—to glorify God by achieving worldly success—chose not to pursue their destiny because the church convinced them they would go too far or lose their faith. Because of this, many never experienced the fullness of their lives—and in turn, missed out on the fullness of God.

  It’s common to characterize the entertainment industry this way, but many industries are subject to similar thinking, including the high-tech world, professional sports, and politics. Maybe you’ve been told something similar about a career path or lifestyle you’re pursuing. This fear of being outside God’s grace has been used too often to control and curtail bold, radical faith—faith that was designed to thrive in the secular world and to transform that world, and us in the process! I believe that is why so many people are secretly unfulfilled—especially people of faith.

  As I began looking for answers to these problems, I again went to the scriptures. One of the most compelling stories I found, one that I felt might hold the secret answers to this dilemma, was the story of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon.

  THE LESSONS OF BABYLON

  In the Bible, Daniel 1 tells the story of the Israelites: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (popularly known as the Hebrew Boys). Given internships in the kingdom of Babylon, these young men were fit, healthy, handsome, and quick studies. They were the best of what Israel had to offer. But as they began to serve in Babylon, they were met with a serious conflict: the king had assigned them a diet that did not align with their Hebrew beliefs.

  As foreigners, they felt confident they could do the job at hand, yet they had no idea if Babylon’s rules could be adapted to fit their faith. Should they compromise what they believed in to fit into their new careers or stand firm on their convictions and risk not only conflict but potential death?

  They decided to make a very savvy move. Rather than recuse themselves from doing the job, they asked if they could do it differently. Daniel and the Hebrew Boys asked their supervisor if they could eat their own diet (consisting of vegetables and water). However, the supervisor worried that if he granted their request he would lose his job and refused. Undeterred, they then asked the guard who managed them daily. They said, “If you give us a chance to eat differently for ten days, we will prove that we can fulfill the requirements of our job. If we can’t, we will suffer the consequences.” The guard agreed.

  Ten days later, the Hebrew Boys were better nourished and healthier than any of the other interns, so the guard allowed them to continue on with their diet. Ultimately, when it was time for them to be brought before the king, they were found to be ten times healthier and better at their jobs than all their peers.

  The takeaway is simple yet profound:

  They learned in Babylon how to be successful in a secular environment by applying their spirituality in a way that enhanced their success.

  The Hebrew Boys learned how to succeed while at work in Babylon, not in the synagogue. Some of the lessons they learned:

  •Don’t be afraid of “No.” “No” sets you up for the right “Yes.”

  •Passion persuades.

  •Being different is a divine asset.

  •Risk-averse is success-averse.

  •People will either view you as a threat or asset to their job security.

  •Results matter. The bottom line counts.

  •Persistence is essential.

  •Sacrifice is your salvation.

  •God will show up on the job He’s placed you in but only if you put Him to the test.

  •Adhering to your spiritual beliefs powers your secular ascent.

  The story of the Hebrew Boys as told throughout the book of Daniel inspired me. It helped me find the courage to pursue a career in Hollywood while adhering to my Christian beliefs. And just like the Hebrew Boys, I’ve learned more about success in the secular world of Hollywood than I ever did in the church.

  Hollywood has revealed a more dynamic picture of God than I ever saw within the confines of the church walls. In twenty years in the entertainment business, I’ve learned some of the most surprising and important lessons about God’s intention for our success. Those lessons have enabled me to build an amazing life and thriving career that glorifies God, whether I’m working on a movie set, meeting with celebrities, collaborating with directors, or negotiating with agents.

  In fact, I’ll go so far as to say something that might get me kicked out of a few churches:

  The church didn’t teach me how to be successful. Hollywood did.

  In the church, we learn vital spiritual knowledge that shapes our values and morals, determines how we see the world, reveals who we are in relation to God, and shows us His plan for our salvation. Yet when it comes time to apply that spiritual knowledge to meet practical demands, there’s a huge question left unanswered: “How do I apply what I believe to what I do professionally?”

  Like the Hebrew Boys, I’ve learned the secrets to success in Babylon, incredibly val
uable lessons about how each of us can succeed in life while enjoying the success God intends for us to have. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Hollywood or a completely different profession—these principles will transform your life by empowering you with truth, clarity, and strategy you can use to leap forward into the fullness of your calling.

  THE HOLLYWOOD COMMANDMENTS

  This isn’t a book about Hollywood elites by a Hollywood elite. No, this book is about your success! Too often, we salivate over the lives of celebrities and voyeuristically covet their lives at the expense of our own. Your life can shine brighter than any star in Hollywood but only if you let it! No matter if you are a dentist, an accountant, a teacher, a small business owner, a lawyer, a firefighter, or a stay-at-home parent, my hope is that these principles, these Commandments, will guide you to the thriving life that God has uniquely set in front of you.

  For more than one hundred years, Hollywood has endured as one of the most influential industries in the world, influencing every aspect of global culture. No matter the economic conditions, the political forces, or cultural shifts—the entertainment industry has endured. Why is this relevant to you? Because I’ve identified universal tips, tools, and strategies from my time in Hollywood that can help you become a long-lasting success, no matter what walk of life you’re in. If there are challenges and doubts that keep you up late at night, how do you resolve them? If there are politics and rivalries that are impeding your progress, how do you navigate them? If there are rules and bureaucracies limiting your ascension, how do you understand what they are and how they work so you can become more effective? I will share the answers to these questions based on what I’ve learned in Hollywood.

  One common misunderstanding is that the majority of people in the entertainment industry are rich, famous stars. Not true. The vast majority of entertainment professionals are hardworking people who perform very specific jobs behind the scenes. They’re on-set electricians and location scouts. They’re makeup artists and production company accountants. They’re studio musicians and drivers. Their work isn’t glamorous, and they don’t walk red carpets, but they make the entertainment business go. These Commandments are geared to make your life, career, and success go, too, no matter what you do to earn your daily bread!