#133: Edward Norton on Mastery, Must-Read Books, and The Future of CrowdFunding

This episode, I sit down with Edward Norton (@EdwardNorton). Edward is an actor, filmmaker and activist. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his work in Primal Fear, American History X, and Birdman. He has starred in scores of other films, including Fight Club, The Illusionist, and Moonrise Kingdom. Unbeknownst to most people, Edward is also a serial startup founder (e.g. CrowdRise; here’s my current campaign), a UN ambassador for biodiversity, a massively successful investor (e.g. early Uber), a pilot, and deeply involved with wilderness conservation. In this conversation, we cover a lot of ground, including: His beginnings in acting, and what early mentors taught him What separates great actors from mediocre actors, as illustrated through an early Marlon Brando story Edward’s physical preparation for American History X (and camera trickery) The importance of surfing His favorite books, documentaries, underrated films and filmmakers, and essays (The Catastrophe of Success, etc.) His advice to his 20- and 30-year old self And much more... And here’s a bonus, another favorite book he remembered after we stopped recording: Buddhism Without Beliefs. Enjoy! This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world's largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs. I used them to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, and I've also had them help with display advertising and illustrations. If you want a more personalized approach, I recommend their 1-on-1 service. You get original designs from designers around the world. The best part? You provide your feedback, and then you end up with a product that you're happy with or your money back. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run. This podcast is also brought to you by Wealthfront. Wealthfront is a massively disruptive