Denzel Washington became more than just an actor. It became the standard. Two Oscars. Golden Globe. Multiple nominations. He was in “Malcolm X.” “Training day.” ‘glory’. “Fences”. “Philadelphia”.
“Freedom Cry.” He has directed films. He produced. He has mentored young actors. He has won all the major awards in the entertainment industry. He has been at the top of the industry for decades. But what distinguishes Denzel Washington is not only his achievements. And that’s what he does with his platform once he gets there. He uses his voice to send the important message; As he once said, “Without commitment, you will never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you will never finish.”
It’s not easy.
Today’s quote is from Denzel Washington
“Without commitment, you’ll never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you’ll never finish. It’s not easy.”Denzel Washington said this while accepting the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture at the 2017 awards ceremony. But this wasn’t a typical acceptance speech where you thank people and leave. This was Denzel using one of entertainment’s biggest platforms to speak to the next generation.
He talked about the young filmmakers, actors, singers, writers and producers who came from his generation.
Barry Jenkins specifically stated, “Young people understand, this young man made 10, 15, 20 short films before he had the chance to direct Moonlight, so never give up.”121296177
He then delivered the essence of his message: “Without commitment, you will never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you will never finish.
It’s not easy. If it were easy, there would be no Kerry Washington. If it were easy, there would be no Taraji P. Henson. If it were easy, there would be no Octavia Spencer. But not only that, if it were easy, there would be no Viola Davis. If it were easy, there would be no Mykelti Williamson. No Stephen McKinley Henderson.
No Russell Hornsby. If it were easy, there would be no Denzel Washington. So, keep working. Keep striving. never give up. Fall down seven times, and get up eight times.
Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. So, keep moving, keep growing, keep learning.”
What does it actually mean?
Denzel Washington makes an important distinction. Commitment gets you started. This is the hard part for most people. You have an idea. You want to become a film director. Want to be an actor. want to write. want to create. But commitment is what separates the people who talk about it from the people who actually do it.
Commitment shows even when no one is watching. She makes these 10 short films that no one sees.
You’ll go to auditions where you don’t get the role. It’s starting to work when there is no guarantee of success.But then the hardest part actually comes. Consistency. Commitment may help you get started, but consistency is what keeps you going when results don’t come. When you get rejected a hundred times.
When you’ve been working for years and still haven’t gotten a break. When everyone around you is asking you to get a real job. When you’re broke and tired, and no one believes in you. That’s when consistency is important.
That’s when you keep moving forward anyway.And then Denzel says it’s not easy. He doesn’t sugarcoat it. He lists all these incredibly successful people, and says that if it were easy, there wouldn’t be any of them. Because ease does not create excellence.
Struggle does. Denzel says that difficulties push you forward. It makes you better. It forces you to dig deeper and find resources you didn’t know you had. But the ease keeps you satisfied. Ease makes you settle for less than your best.The part about ease being a greater threat to progress than hardship is crucial. Hardship forces you to keep moving. To continue growing. To continue learning. The difficulty of this path is actually what protects it and makes it worthwhile.
Only truly committed people will keep going when the going gets tough. Then he concludes with, “Fall down seven times, get up eight times.” This is the difference between people who make it and those who don’t.
Who is Denzel Washington?
Born in Mount Vernon, New York, in 1954, Denzel Washington came into the world as one of the most talented actors in the history of cinema by always taking on challenging, complex, and socially relevant roles.According to IMDB, his breakthrough came with powerful performances in films like “Cry Freedom” and “Glory” where he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, proving that he can dominate any scene. He won his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Training Day, becoming one of the few actors to win in both categories. He has appeared in popular films including “MalcolmIn addition to acting, Denzel Washington is also known as a director and film director. Like his directing, he has directed films like Antwone Fisher, The Great Debaters, and Fences. He has won numerous Golden Globe Awards and NAACP Image Awards, and has been nominated for almost every major award in the entertainment industry time and time again. He has held a seat on the bench for decades and has not become irrelevant by selecting interesting cases that reflect the human condition, race, justice, and American identity.It’s not just his ability to act, but also his willingness to do it for something greater than himself that makes Denzel Washington stand out. He mentors young actors. He uses his acceptance speeches to inspire the next generation. He chooses the roles that interest him. He directs films that have something to say. His speech at the 2017 NAACP Image Awards captured the essence of his philosophy. It’s not just successful. He is successful while maintaining his integrity, while helping others, while moving the industry forward.
His message of commitment and consistency, and how nothing worth it comes easy, is the philosophy that built his legendary career and which he now passes on to the next generation of filmmakers and actors who will come after him.