Seven years ago, Angela Duckworth released her book, Grit, into the world. This book deeply resonated with its readers and was on the New York Times Bestseller’s list for 21 straight weeks. In her book, Angela defines “grit” as passion and perseverance directed towards an objective over an extended period of time. Success in life requires a combo of passion and perseverance (or resilience). 

At our May Enrichment Series event, we were honored to have professional creatives Michael & Wynn Albanese, Mimi Tin, and Blaine Hogan join us on a panel focused on mental and emotional resilience.

Michael Albanese, a writer and entrepreneur, and his wife Wynn Alabanese, an actress, live in Trilith with their two daughters. Blaine Hogan, an actor, writer and director, lives in Trilith with his wife and daughters. Mimi Tin is an environmental designer, interior and graphic designer, product developer, entrepreneur and also resident of Trilith. 

Interviewed by host Fred Odom on the topic of mental and emotional resilience in life and work, here is a recap of their conversation: 

Q: What is your “why” behind the work you do? 

• Michael: Art has the capacity to change the world, to change culture. Storytelling is part of my DNA and it anchors me to my purpose. 

• Wynn: The creative fulfillment I get from collaboration with others and the relationships I build. There’s at least one person from each project I’ve worked on that has become a lifetime friend. 

• Blaine: The power of stories to transform. 

• Mimi: Since I was little, I felt such a strong calling to use my creative ability to create products and spaces that bring joy, laughter, and love into people’s lives and homes. It’s in my blood, it’s what I was made for. 

Q: Do you think you are born with resilience, or do you develop it? 

• Wynn: You’re born with it, but it’s also a muscle that you build. As actors and artists, we have to see our art as a gift.  Once you give a gift to a friend, you don't call the next day seeking praise and validation.  You give the gift and let go. Same with your work - on set and in auditions. Do the work and let go. This mindset will help you build more resiliency in your journey as a creative.

• Mimi: For me, I had parents who were incredibly resilient. They were immigrants who escaped from military regime, survived in the jungle and came to the U.S. with twenty dollars. I had the opportunity to watch them survive and do what they needed to do to be resourceful and resilient. But they also raised us to not be quitters. 

• Blaine: View your life and work as a portfolio. Of course, we want to be successful now, but if we think about our life as a body of work, it takes the pressure off of each project. My work and practice in resilience is building a body of work that at the end of my lifetime I’m proud of. 

• Michael: On the other side of the no is the yes. The answer no is better than no answer at all. It hurts, but at least it's definitive and you can move on. We’re born with resilience, but like Wynn said it’s a muscle and it takes time, resistance and pain to break yourself down and build yourself up to get stronger. 

Q: What are some ingredients to resilience? 

• Wynn: Vulnerability and having a growth mindset over time are ingredients to resilience. Focusing on growth, the experience, and being able to share your gift, instead of focusing on the no's and rejections, helps you grow in your resilience. 

• Mimi: For me, it’s important to remember that no experience is ever wasted. Every single thing is a step that leads you to success. If you have that mindset, you’ll be fully immersed in your work. 

• Blaine: Imagination! Where we are sitting now in Trilith, years ago it was just wildflowers and now I can’t believe we get to live here! The idea that you can imagine something is an ingredient for resilience. We often think of time as linear: past, present, future. But it’s actually past, future, present. Anything bad we experience from the past we project onto the future. And whatever we’re imagining the future to be is how we live in the present. But the easiest thing to change is the past and how we view it. So what we can do is go back to your past and renarrate the script of where you came from, and that helps us have belief in the future. The power of resiliency is imagining a different future, which redefines the past which allows you to live differently in the present. 

Q: What role does community play in your ability to be resilient? 

• Blaine: There is something called the downward spiral. When something bad happens, we can so quickly go from the first thought to the worst spot. The power of resilience is how quickly can you stop that downward spiral. You need people around you reflecting that the worst thought is not the truth. Also, being at Trilith and being around so many people taking risks every single day gives me resilience and courage. I couldn’t do that if I lived in another place, I couldn’t do that without the power of community. 

• Mimi: Collaboration is so important. As creatives, we have to be open to feedback. There’s always a way to make a product or project better. You have to talk to people who have your best interest at heart. 

Q: What filters do you all use when receiving feedback from others? 

• Wynn: You need to build a “Board of Directors” - people who love you and who you deeply trust. 

• Blaine: When I receive feedback, I find some time in quiet and stillness and ask myself “is there some truth I can glean from this?” 

• Michael: The artist both doesn’t care and also deeply cares what others think. We live in that tension. Praise and criticism are both demons, one just has a sweeter voice. We have to be careful not to listen to either too much. 

• Wynn: We also say in our house that praise and criticism are two wings to the same bird. If you go looking for praise, you’ll find criticism. One bloats you up and one brings you down that you end up in a down place. Finding that balance is a very difficult task as an artist. 

We were so inspired to hear the stories and experiences from these seasoned professional creatives. At Trilith Foundation, we believe that stories move us, change narratives and change society. 

Our Enrichment Series is designed to gather people in community and learning around the elements that make us flourish. We aim to educate and enrich the lives of those who attend as we hear from speakers and experts in their field. Learn more and see details for our next Enrichment Series event here. 

In conclusion, here are some kind words from one of the attendees of this event: 

Wow, where do I begin? Today's event was so powerful and encouraging. I loved the message and each of the speakers with their unique perspectives on resilience. I think I previously shared with you that our peer program is called "Out of the Ashes, a Road to Resiliency". We teach resiliency to our veterans and first responders. I feel we have a very strong program, but I got so many more great ideas out of today's session. I left the event and added a few notes for our next class. Thank you again for the platform to share our message so we can help our veteran community.       

– Brenton Briggs, Executive Director of The Eden Project