David Duchovny, actor known for X-Files, discusses failure, success, and the value of learning from setbacks. They explore diverse pursuits, career advice, AI's role in the workplace, and the intersection of art, AI, and humanity. Reflects on success, loneliness, and making meaningful contributions.
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Quick takeaways
David Duchovny aims to destigmatize failure and emphasize resilience in creative endeavors.
Duchovny advocates for redefining success beyond monetary gains, focusing on authentic expression and personal growth.
Deep dives
David Duchovny's Insights on Failure and Resilience
David Duchovny, actor, author, and filmmaker, discusses his podcast 'Fail Better,' focusing on destigmatizing failure and building resilience. Duchovny emphasizes the bittersweet humanity of failure, aiming to release the shame around it and shift the narrative away from glorifying success and monetary gains. He shares his personal experience of producing a movie that was not well received, highlighting the personal turmoil of authenticity and creative expression amidst commercial expectations.
The Role of Failure in Artistic Expression and Growth
Duchovny delves into the inherent failure in translating inspiration into artistic expression, reflecting on the immediate failure artists face in conveying their vision. He emphasizes the importance of navigating these failures to evolve as an artist and connect with the essence of human expression. Duchovny's view extends to different creative outlets, emphasizing the journey of learning and embracing failure as a catalyst for growth.
Reflections on Success, Failure, and Narrative Transformation
The discussion deepens into the concept of subjective failure and the impact of expectations on defining success. Duchovny and the host explore redefining success beyond short-term outcomes, focusing on authentic expression and its broader impact rather than fleeting achievements. They contrast the intrinsic motivator and teacher that failure represents against the alienating nature of overwhelming success, ultimately advocating for empathy in acknowledging and learning from failures.
David Duchovny knows a lot about success — he’s a Golden Globe-winning actor who has had iconic roles from The X-Files to Californication. But as a literature PhD dropout turned director turned songwriter and novelist, David is more interested in failure and what it can teach us. Adam and David discuss the value of falling short of our goals, the perils of success, and whether nice people really finish last. David’s new podcast Fail Better is out now. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts
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