You can probably count on one hand the number of professional wrestlers who have made a dent in the acting business. Many a sports star has tried to find their footing in Hollywood following retirement from their chosen profession, but Dwayne Johnson serves as something of an anomaly – he didn’t just find his place as an actor, he’s now firmly sitting amongst the top-earning celebrities and boasts the kind of acting resume that many can only dream about.
Since leaving the wrestling ring, Johnson has taken to acting full time, becoming the go-to casting choice for blockbuster movies revolving around action, stunt work, or merely requiring the kind of impossibly jacked physique Johnson walks around in. What began with smaller roles like the villain in The Mummy Returns has instead turned into recurring lead roles in the likes of The Fast and Furious and Jumanji franchises. According to Forbes’ list of top-earning actors, Johnson topped the list for the second year running in 2020 with US$87.5 million as he remains constantly in-demand for projects.
It’s hard to believe then that Johnson could find any time between a chaotic work schedule for his passions: working out and his family. Even aside from acting, the man has a number of side hustles, including ZOA energy, his own brand of tequila and his training apparel with Under Armour. And yet, Johnson seems to navigate it all with ease, never missing a workout and continuing to prioritise his family. It speaks volumes of his ability to manage his time and use key tools for balance.
In a recent Instagram video, the star opened up about how he manages to balance all of his different projects, while still being a husband and a father. As Johnson admits, the first step is to acknowledge just how hard it is to achieve that balance when dealing with a busy life full of personal and professional commitments. “It’s much easier said than done,” said Johnson. “Like you guys, I’ve got babies to raise, babies to feed, bills to pay, food to put on the table, relationships to maintain, business to run, it’s hard.”
The key tools to finding balance are discipline and communication, according to Johnson. As he explains, “Apply discipline to take care of yourself,” adding, “If you communicate with others around you, like, hey guys I need help finding my balance, you’d be surprised how fast people come to help you.”
As he suggests, “You’ve got to take care of the thing that allows you to do what you do, and that thing is you. So take care of you and find that balance.”
Back in January, Johnson further elaborated on the idea of maintaining his intense training schedule amidst family life and work. “When it comes to hard work and things I’m passionate about – years ago, I stopped saying ‘I have to’ and started saying ‘I get to’.”
Johnson continued: “Big psychological shift on how you approach the daily grind of shit we gotta get done…I ‘get to’ train hard and push myself to the breaking point. I ‘get to’ get my ass kicked and come back stronger. I ‘get to’ be the hardest worker in the fucking room. Because when you ‘get to’ do the things you love – it’s a privilege.”
