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Rob Lowe Names Names: The Power of ‘Screw It’ | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

Hey Optimists! We’re taking a little hiatus, but exciting things are coming your way! We’ll be back on October 21 with some amazing new episodes that we can’t wait to share. In the meantime, take care of yourself, enjoy the little moments, and remember—good things are just around the corner. See you soon! —Team Simon + + + We don’t usually look to Hollywood for lessons in career longevity. But it might be the perfect place to study it. Few industries move faster or cast people aside more quickly, and yet Rob Lowe has spent more than four decades defying those odds. His story isn’t just about surviving fame—it’s about overcoming adversity, finding joy in the work, and proving that authenticity is the only path to a career that lasts. Across his career, Rob has navigated the highs of teen idol stardom, the lows of very public failures, and the challenge of reinventing himself again and again—all while staying relevant and true to himself. His secret? A willingness to take risks, embrace failure, and laugh at himself along the way. Rob and I dive into Rob’s philosophy of resilience, authenticity, and joy. He shares how humiliations turned into lessons, why not taking yourself too seriously is a strength, and how authenticity has become the ultimate currency in today’s culture. You can also see Rob hosting the fourth season of The Floor, airing September 24th on FOX. This is A Bit of Optimism. + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website: http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Simon’s books: The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/ Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/ Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/ + + + #SimonSinek

Simon SinekhostRob Loweguest
Sep 23, 20251h 2mWatch on YouTube ↗

EVERY SPOKEN WORD

  1. SS

    So you decide to do a song and dance for the opening of the Oscars.

  2. RL

    Can't dance, really.

  3. SS

    Okay. Okay.

  4. RL

    I mean, I didn't get footloose for a reason.

  5. SS

    Right. For a reason, right. And it doesn't go well is what you're saying?

  6. RL

    Doesn't go well? Doesn't go well. The- there was an open letter to the Academy the next day signed by, like, Paul Newman and Gregory Peck, and, like, "This was an affront to our sensibility. How dare you?" [laughs] I, I mean, I looked, I looked out in the audience and I saw-

  7. SS

    Old?

  8. RL

    It was the night Barry Levinson won 10 Academy Awards for Rain Man.

  9. SS

    Yeah.

  10. RL

    And I literally saw him mouth, "What the fuck?" [whimsical music] It didn't go well.

  11. SS

    [laughs] To borrow a line from Heidi Klum, in Hollywood, one day you're in, and the next you're out. But not for Rob Lowe. He has been a fixture since the 1980s and has had decades worth of iconic roles, from St. Elmo's Fire to The Outsiders to The West Wing to Parks and Rec. In an industry that chews 'em up and spits 'em out, how has Rob Lowe stayed relevant for so long? It's not just his good looks. And yes, he is very good-looking. It's something else. The real secret to Rob's longevity is something more powerful. As he puts it, he's got a serious case of the fuck its. He likes taking risks, knowing full well that they don't always work out. But the thrill of doing something new is exactly the thing that has helped him find opportunities where others don't. In addition to the movies and TV shows, he's also the host of the podcast Literally! with Rob Lowe, and is host of The Floor, which airs its fourth season on September 24th on FOX. This is A Bit of Optimism. [whimsical music] How old were you when you got famous? Young, very young.

  12. RL

    I, uh, the first time w- 'cause then it, it, I, it came-

  13. SS

    When was the first time?

  14. RL

    ... and then went.

  15. SS

    Oh. Really?

  16. RL

    Yeah. 'Cause I got famous as a teen idol.

  17. SS

    Right.

  18. RL

    And then it didn't work. And it, it-

  19. SS

    What, what was the thing that put you on the map?

  20. RL

    [clears throat] It was a, a sitcom called A New Kind of Family, and I was 15.

  21. SS

    Wow.

  22. RL

    And so, you know, you're the, you're like the-

  23. SS

    You were on the cover of Teen Beat?

  24. RL

    Yeah, all that, all that stuff. Bop.

  25. SS

    [laughs]

  26. RL

    T- Teen Beat. There's something about, like, maybe just 'cause I'm just a fucking old pervert, there's something about-

  27. SS

    Oh, wait. I just put it together

  28. RL

    ... Teen Beat and Bop.

  29. SS

    I never... Wait, I just put that together in this moment. The minute you said pervert, immediately I understood.

  30. RL

    Teen Beat?

Episode duration: 1:02:21

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