Kevin Hart — The Unstoppable Combination of Positivity and Relentless Improvement

1. 0:00 – 0:15

   Intro

   1. TFTim Ferriss0:00

      [upbeat music]

2. 0:15 – 3:20

   Kevin Hart’s mother as the source of his drive and standards

   1. TFTim Ferriss0:15

      Kevin, welcome to the show.

   2. KHKevin Hart0:16

      Yes, sir. Thank you, man. Thanks for having me.

   3. TFTim Ferriss0:18

      And I thought we would start with, uh, a quote from a mutual friend. I won't mention his name unless you wanna mention it, but I asked him about you, and he said you were the person he would most like to be like. And-

   4. KHKevin Hart0:31

      Wow

   5. TFTim Ferriss0:32

      ... coming from him, that is very strong praise. He knows a lot of people. And he suggested that, uh, I learn more about your mother.

   6. KHKevin Hart0:44

      Wow.

   7. TFTim Ferriss0:44

      And I, I th- I have done a whole lot of homework, and I feel like she was a very powerful influence in your life.

   8. KHKevin Hart0:51

      Mm-hmm.

   9. TFTim Ferriss0:51

      And I'd love to just hear you describe your mother and your relationship with her, if we could.

   10. KHKevin Hart0:56

       Cool. Cool. Who was the friend? Do I, do I get to know who the friend was or no?

   11. TFTim Ferriss1:00

       Oh, this is Neil.

   12. KHKevin Hart1:01

       Oh, Neil. Okay. Yes.

   13. TFTim Ferriss1:02

       Yeah.

   14. KHKevin Hart1:02

       Uh, my mother, I mean, God, where do you want me to, where do you want me to start about my mom? I mean, that's my, that's my reason for the way that I move, at the level that I move, and how I move.

   15. TFTim Ferriss1:20

       Yeah.

   16. KHKevin Hart1:20

       You know? Um, I think I can just sum it up for you in like a, a nice nutshell to where it's not, it's not the longest run-on sentence that you've ever heard. Just one of the most determined and strong-willed individuals to ever walk the earth, and she was someone that just wanted to always improve, uh, wasn't content with just being complacent in a position because this is the position that I'm given or that I have.

   17. TFTim Ferriss1:56

       Mm-hmm.

   18. KHKevin Hart1:57

       Uh, was always searching for the next step. So whether it was in education, whether it was, um, you know, in health, whether it was in family, it was always trying to figure out how to improve when most would be okay with just being okay.

   19. TFTim Ferriss2:21

       Mm-hmm.

   20. KHKevin Hart2:22

       You know, we didn't live a lavish lifestyle. We didn't come from money. You know, we, uh, we were, we were, we were, we were the, we were poor. You know? We, we had enough to eat, and she put clothes on my back. Um, but you know, that's, that's about it. We didn't, we didn't, we didn't live an astronomical life, you know? And the extra money that she did have, she poured into extracurricular activities for me. So her priority was her kids and, and it showed, you know? Um, where some mistakes were made, fixes were immediately figured out and implemented on the next child.

   21. TFTim Ferriss3:06

       Mm-hmm.

   22. KHKevin Hart3:07

       So it's a, it's a woman that I have so much respect for and admire, but, um, she's basically the, the definition of my mindset. It comes from my mom.

3. 3:20 – 5:00

   The “Blueprint” qualities and a focus on positivity as an ‘ace’

   1. TFTim Ferriss3:20

      And I was spending a lot of time exploring your mindset. I've followed you for a long time, but I wanted to dig into your books and your writing, obviously a lot of what you've done in terms of interviews. And in the back of your book, I Can't Make This Up, subtitle Life Lessons, there's a beautiful little chapter called The Blueprint.

   2. KHKevin Hart3:39

      Mm-hmm.

   3. TFTim Ferriss3:39

      And I wanna just read a paragraph from that and give people a taste because I think it speaks to what we're discussing. It says, "Life is like a pack of cards. There are 52 cards in the deck, but only four of them are aces. The goal of life is to make your way through a crowded deck where the odds are stacked against you and draw an ace. Looking back over decades covered in this book, I've picked out eight qualities that put me in a position to draw aces. These characteristics won't work alone. Like a recipe, they only create success when combined together in just the right amount." So I'm just gonna list them real quick, and then I wanna dig into one. You have persistence, patience, class, commitment, learning, passion-centered competitiveness, positivity, and discomfort. I want to talk about positivity or hear you talk about positivity-

   4. KHKevin Hart4:21

      Mm

   5. TFTim Ferriss4:21

      ... because, for instance, uh, I was, I was reading a piece in Variety that seemed to me to indicate that you are a master of managing energy and avoiding energy leaks.

   6. KHKevin Hart4:33

      Mm-hmm.

   7. TFTim Ferriss4:33

      And, uh, for instance, the decision to allow your children to get to know your, uh, their grandfather, your father, the qu- the quote that stuck out to me was, "It takes too much time and energy to keep hate alive." And for those people who don't know, I mean, your father was an addict. You ha- you've, you've spoken about him publicly before.

   8. KHKevin Hart4:50

      Mm-hmm.

   9. TFTim Ferriss4:50

      A contentious relationship. Uh, how have you developed that positivity? Was that, uh, mostly from your mom? Uh, how do you think about that?

4. 5:00 – 7:12

   Reframing anger: gratitude, realism, and redirecting energy

   1. KHKevin Hart5:00

      Well, when you, when you come from the bottom-

   2. TFTim Ferriss5:04

      Yeah

   3. KHKevin Hart5:04

      ... and you work your way up to, when you work your way up to the place that some people refer to as the top, I mean, what, what do I have to be angry about?

   4. TFTim Ferriss5:16

      Mm-hmm.

   5. KHKevin Hart5:17

      What do I have to really bitch and complain about and harp on? You know what I mean? Like I, I, I really do come from nothing.

   6. TFTim Ferriss5:30

      Mm-hmm.

   7. KHKevin Hart5:30

      I'm a, I'm a part of a very small percentage, so in understanding that and knowing that, the things that are supposed to act as triggers, the things that are supposed to be life-changing, threatening, you know, altering, um, are just lessons.

   8. TFTim Ferriss5:53

      Mm-hmm.

   9. KHKevin Hart5:53

      It's just education. It's, it's stories, for lack of a better word. You know? You got an amazing story under your belt, and- I don't choose to stay in one particular paragraph, uh, of my story. It's a long story. And, you know, the life is as long as, of course, we are all given the, the chance for it to be, uh, 'cause that's something that we have no control. We only try to enhance the opportunity of longevity or success. You know? But we don't have no control. You can walk outside and something could happen, boom, and that's it. So I just have a realistic approach and understanding to that. I come from nothing, I got something.

   10. TFTim Ferriss6:43

       Mm-hmm.

   11. KHKevin Hart6:44

       I'm appreciative of my something. I don't look at this something as if I'm supposed to have it, because that's not how it works. I'm very fortunately blessed to. It could all go away. If it did and I had to start all over again, that's life. I don't harp on it. I don't bitch and complain about the things that I can't change. And the things that you can change, why spend time bitching if you're gonna change it?

   12. TFTim Ferriss7:12

       Yeah.

5. 7:12 – 9:35

   Forgiveness and boundaries: the relationship with his father

   1. KHKevin Hart7:12

      You know what I mean? So when you, when you look at, for example, a relationship, uh, with me and my father, did my father fuck up? Yeah. Uh, did my father get himself clean and straight? Yeah. Does my father feel bad about some of the stuff that he did? Yeah. Could you still be angry at the lack of parenting [laughs] that was done or the time that was spent? Yeah. But why? It doesn't, it doesn't change it. It doesn't change anything that happened. It doesn't, it doesn't make it right. You know what I mean? Like, you don't... That, that anger that you're, that you're giving off into that is not going to change these things. So that's energy that I feel like I can put into something else. That's energy that I feel like I can get a lot more use out of that energy that would've been negative by finding a way to say, "You know what? I do forgive you, and I mean that." And that life now, hopefully, is better for us. If it's not, I know that it's not because of me.

   2. TFTim Ferriss8:22

      Mm-hmm.

   3. KHKevin Hart8:23

      I don't like putting myself in a position to easily be affected, you know? I think life is too short. It's, it's too short, and if you just spend time being affected all the fucking time, those are tough days, man. If you're-

   4. TFTim Ferriss8:40

      Yeah

   5. KHKevin Hart8:40

      ... bothered all the time, there's a lot of shit to be bothered about today.

   6. TFTim Ferriss8:46

      Yeah.

   7. KHKevin Hart8:46

      You can be bothered by a lot of shit. If you're the person that's really bothered, then how, how pleasant are you to be around?

   8. TFTim Ferriss8:55

      Yeah.

   9. KHKevin Hart8:55

      If there's just so much anger and, and so much negative energy, I, I just choose the opposite direct and approach. And I mean, that doesn't make me perfect. I'm nowhere near perfect. I done fucked up. I done did stupid shit, and I've apologized. And if I can be, uh, you know, if those apologies can be accepted, then great. It's fantastic. If they can't, well, I can't do anything about that. I can't put any more energy into the things that I've tried to do or make right. If you choose to still feel a certain way, God bless you. I'm gonna keep living. That's my attitude.

6. 9:35 – 12:41

   The car accident as a reset: control, priorities, and family-first balance

   1. TFTim Ferriss9:35

      And it seems like you've practiced this consistently over time. And then when you run into something like the catastrophic car accident you had not-

   2. KHKevin Hart9:46

      Mm-hmm

   3. TFTim Ferriss9:46

      ... terribly long ago-

   4. KHKevin Hart9:47

      Mm

   5. TFTim Ferriss9:47

      ... could you speak to not being able to put on your socks and what your self-talk was like? I mean, what are you saying to yourself in your own head when you're experiencing something like that?

   6. KHKevin Hart9:58

      That's when you truly realize that you're not in control. Like, right now, I said that to you. That's because I really understand that. But there was a moment where I lost sight of reality, you kinda feel like you are. You're not in control, but you kinda feel like you are. I can make this happen. I'll do this. I'll get this. Easy. I'll get it done. I got it. I'll do it. I'm up. I'm at it. I'm working hard. I'm gonna do it. I, I, I, I, I. Everything was I, I, I. And you get lost in that. You know, you really do get lost in that. And for me, that car accident was much more than any and everybody can see. For me, that car accident, it was a reason to sit down and really process what's around me. And by what's around me, the things that only matter, and that was my, my wife and my kids. You know, all of the things that I put the significant value and tremendous amount of, uh... I'm, I'm gonna call them... You put the things that come with success on a pedestal for a minute, the things that you feel you need and the things that you feel you have to have, right? Um, but when life hits you with a, a real curve ball and you're in that room with four walls, none of that stuff that you thought was important or that you thought you needed is ever brought up in conversation. When it comes to life, when it comes to health, when it comes to, like, you know, an emotional support, none of it's materialistic. It's all person to person. And when it was my wife and my brother and my kids, and we were just in this hospital room, that gave me a different, a different look- An insight into life. So it made me shoulder shrug negative shit even more. I already had no tolerance or patience for negativity. I already was a guy that never feeded into, to the world of, of nonsense, and I, I... It's something that I pride myself on. But then after this, it was even more. Oh, I don't have time to be upset. Even if I am upset, I'm gonna figure out what I can do to make this better. I don't have time to, to do that. It's not, it's not valuable.

7. 12:41 – 18:49

   Ambition without misery: history, legacy, and building a life worth discussing

   1. TFTim Ferriss12:41

      Mm-hmm. One of the things that most fascinates me about you, and this has shown up over and over again in, in what I've read in preparation for this, also what I see, is that you have, say, as one of the aces, so to speak, you have discomfort, right? Never being complacent. Uh, if you wanna get far in life, you never get too comfortable. Don't stop. Don't rest. Don't be satisfied. So, you know, I've, I've heard that when, when you hit these various pinnacles of success in different areas, that one of the first questions you ask is, "Okay, what's next? Where do we go from here?"

   2. KHKevin Hart13:16

      Mm-hmm.

   3. TFTim Ferriss13:16

      And, uh, and yet, for instance, Neil told me that, uh, I asked him, I said, "Do, do you think that he is genuinely happy?" And he said, "He is." Like, "Well, from what I can tell, he's a genuinely happy guy." And in my experience of interviewing high performers, those two don't always go together.

   4. KHKevin Hart13:31

      Mm-hmm.

   5. TFTim Ferriss13:31

      You find people who are never able to appreciate what's in front of them or to rest for a moment because they're constantly focused on what's in the future, what's next. How do you combine those, uh, in the sense of appreciating what you have, but still deliberately building in discomfort or not getting too comfortable and looking forward? How do you think about that?

   6. KHKevin Hart13:52

      Well, you got BA and AA, right? So you got before accident, after accident.

   7. TFTim Ferriss13:59

      Mm-hmm.

   8. KHKevin Hart14:00

      Before accident, that engine, that engine ran. And that engine is still running. I, I can't sit up here and act as if it's not. I'm just a ambitious person. Um, and I'm in love, I'm in love with understanding the definition of history, right? What, what fascinates me is when you watch something from the past that's attached to an individual or a person and a monumental moment in history, that's fascinating. This man walked on the moon on this date such and such. Regular guy who wanted to be an astronaut was the first man to ever walk on the moon. And for years after his life is over, it's a discussion. It's a discussion. It's information that people need to know. That's fascinating to me. Right now, we're in a pandemic. Our world has been hit with a catastrophic stomach punch that's put us all in a position where the economy has dropped, and we have been put on quarantine. Huh? And we're home for how long? And now it's gonna be this long. This is history. This moment in time will be talked about in 30 to 40 years as one of the worst things to hit the globe. When COVID and X, Y, and Z, and Chi- ... It's history. So my hard work and my craft, and my hard work is from me playing the game in my head of are you going to be a conversation attached to history? How long will the work that you put in be a discussion? Are people gonna one day look back and say things about the things that you did? And if they do, what would it be? I like not knowing it, but I like knowing that I put a lot of shit in that conversation. I like knowing that you're gonna have a lot of shit to talk about whether you like it or not, because I'm in love with just doing that. I'm in love with the resume. I'm in love with the boxes that can be checked off. I'm in love with the, the thought of success, and more importantly, the benefit that comes from hard work. I'm in love with being a testament to the conversation that's preached to so many that some don't necessarily know if it's true. I'm a product of truth. I'm a product of hard work pays off. I like that. I like the fact that that was instilled in me, and I didn't get it, but now I do get it, and it's thank you, mom, at the highest level. I like the fact that my kids get to see me operate, and that I get to talk and communicate with them. And whether they do it like I do or not, it's embedded in them. It'll kick in somewhere, in something. It'll kick in whether they like it or not. It's embedded in you. So my joy definitely comes from being able to see the benefits of my work and being able to create a story that can possibly be talked about years after I'm here. That's a, that's, for me, that's a happy place. And if and when I decide to, to not do it anymore, I'm happy with that decision. After my accident, it did make me say, "Let's be conscious of your family. Let's make sure that we put the time and energy into this that matches the time and energy that I'm putting into that." This should never outweigh that. And there was a moment where I was guilty of that, and the accident made me realize that. So Kevin, you make sure that if you go in at 1,000% over here, you don't come back at 900. You better match that 1,000 on both sides, and that's what I'm much more conscious. I've always been, uh, you know, a great family guy, a great dad, minus my [laughs] fucking bumps in the road of just stupidity, but I'm a good dad. That's never gonna be compromised. Never. Never gonna fucking be compromised.

8. 18:49 – 24:05

   No halfway effort: lessons from school, ownership, and treating your word as bond

   1. TFTim Ferriss18:49

      It seems like you have done a- an excellent, consistent job of cultivating your physical vehicle for giving 100% in many areas of your life. Has that always been the case? When did that start for you?

   2. KHKevin Hart19:04

      Uh, I would say, I would say for me, I don't understand how you do something halfway. I did that through high school, and doing that, I saw the, I saw the instant consequence. You know, there was a moment where after high school where my friends went on and they started going to college, and I was the guy that didn't even know that we applied. I didn't know we was applying to college. What is y'all... I thought we was playing all this time. What, where, where y'all going? What was a joke to me was never a joke to anybody else. I was the only one that the joke was being played on. So when I thought we were hooking or cutting class, well, I thought we all weren't doing work. I thought we all were, were getting by and just fucking off opportunities. Oh, it's just me? Oh, y'all been doing your work this whole time. Oh, fuck. Huh. Wow. University of, university of, university of... I was the only jackass that was going to community college, and that's not to take a shot at anybody that was going to community college because those colleges are available for a reason. I was the only jackass that didn't have a plan because I thought that was a cool thing to do. So I saw what not working hard got me. I didn't take my SAT. I did abracadabra going down and guessing at it because I thought that's what we all were doing because we were hooking class to go. I was the only dickhead that did it the other way. So that joke was on me. That to me, that was an eye-opener, man. Well, if I want to do something, I should never do it halfway, and that means that if I do want to do it halfway, I just shouldn't do it. If I'm not gonna do it to show what I can do at the best of my ability, then why am I doing it? If you ask me to come work out with you and I come work out and I bullshit the workout, why did I go work out? If you ask me to come see a movie and I go to sleep, and as soon as I get in there, well, why did I go to the movie? Why didn't I just say I want to stay home? If you ask me to go and get up early with you so we can go look at these, these apartments or, or housing complexes, and I get down there and I just got a negative attitude, why the fuck did I go? What I've learned in how I operate is that you're in so much control of yourself that it's ridiculous, and sometimes it's easy to put out excuses for yourself that make sense to you. We all know the fucking truth. We all know if we're giving 100%, if we're not. We all know. If you tell me to go outside and pick up the dog shit, my wife tell me every morning, I don't want to go out there and pick the dog shit. But I get up and do it. If I go out there and I take two steps and I'm like, "Man, it's too early. I'll do this shit later," then that means that I'm fucking... I'm, I'm already compromising an action that I said I was going to do that I'm not. If I say I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it. If I don't say it, don't expect it from me. I never put my foot in my mouth. Well, why do you expect me to go do that? I never said I would do that. That's the one power that I have. That's the one thing that can never be taken from me. What I say I'm going to do, I do. And if I do do something that puts me in a position to be scolded because my actions weren't correct, then I gotta stand up and I gotta say that too. "Hey, I said I was gonna do X, Y, and Z. I didn't do it. I gotta wear that hat." Hit me with the stupid stick or the dummy hat, scold me, whatever you gotta do, I fucked up. I out loud said that I would do, and I didn't. For that, I'm wrong. That's the difference. That's what I'm okay with. I'm okay with standing in the shit and smelling it if I have to. I try my best to avoid it, but I'm not perfect. So if there's ever a moment where that happens, and it has to happen though, I'm on it. But as I've gotten older, my word has become more of my bond. "Hey, Kevin, I want you to come talk to these kids. Man, look, there's a group of kids..." "Hey, I can't do that. I'm... Not because of the kids, I'm tired. Let's find another time where I can." There was a time back in the day, "Kevin, talk to the..." "Yeah, yeah, I figure that you can't get me on the phone." Well, why did I say I could do it? I've learned from that. I don't, I don't play those games. So if I say you're gonna get me, you're gonna get 100% of me. If I don't feel like I can, then I'm not gonna say it.

9. 24:05 – 27:10

   Saying no with clarity: removing guilt and protecting what matters

   1. TFTim Ferriss24:05

      Do you have, do you have other ways of saying no that you use as sort of default language or anything like that? Because people see what you do, right? I mean, you have so much- In the air and you're, you're getting so much done, but they, they don't see the thousands of things that you say no to, right? I'd just love to-

   2. KHKevin Hart24:23

      I can say, I can say right now, I, I am, I am so honest right now. I'm so honest that it is, it's so... It's ridiculous, right? Like right now, I am, I am, "No. Can I be in it? Absolutely not. No." 40 years old. What I got time to beat around the bush for? No. Why? I just don't wanna do that. I just, I don't wanna do that. I shouldn't have to explain why I don't wanna do something. I shouldn't have to explain. That's a, that's a thing that people have to overcome. There's a portion of life that you go through where you feel guilty for saying that you don't wanna do certain things. That's not fair. Because when you do wanna do things, there's celebrations and there's happy times. But you're allowed to not wanna do. You're allowed the option to say no. You say no for things that work for you, then good for you. You can be saying no to opportunity for all I know. You're allowed the option to say no and to not want to participate or not want to do. That's your choice in anything. I know that, and I make sure that I use my no's wisely. There's a lot of yeses, so when there is a no, understand that. For example, I love my fans. I love my fans. Take pictures with fans all the time. Go back and forth with fans all the time. Make myself available before red carpets, after carpets, movie premieres, not movie premieres. I'm out and about, see them, stop, talk, pictures, videos. But if I'm with my kids, no. "Kevin, can you..." I said no. I shouldn't have to explain to you I'm with my family. I shouldn't have to do that. I'm entitled to no. That's why you got two options. You got yes and no. You throw maybe in there, that's your choice. I'm, it's a yes or a no. [laughs] So as you get older, you start to see that a little more clear. And I joke around about it, but it's so true. You ever notice how direct and honest old people are?

   3. TFTim Ferriss26:46

      Yeah, for sure.

   4. KHKevin Hart26:47

      Have you ever noticed a old person does not waste time? No! Yeah, I'd do it. No, get your ass up out of here. Whatever it is, it's, it's, it's direct because they don't have the time. They don't have the time to-

   5. TFTim Ferriss27:04

      Yeah

   6. KHKevin Hart27:04

      ... to play those games. I don't either. I don't, I don't play those games anymore.

10. 27:10 – 34:25

    Choosing opportunities with tunnel vision: thinking several turns ahead

    1. TFTim Ferriss27:10

       One thing that you seem very good at is long-term investments and thinking, and what I... I'll, I'll give a few examples of that. So if you, if you look at the path of Kevin, which, which I've done to get ready for this conversation, and I notice these seemingly little things like, for instance, you go from community college to, a- as I understand it, selling shoes, open mics. Eventually, you're, you're hitting the road and touring, gathering email addresses, right? You have people putting cards on tables. You're sowing the seeds of tremendous things later.

    2. KHKevin Hart27:43

       Mm-hmm.

    3. TFTim Ferriss27:44

       And what I'd love to hear you maybe discuss a little bit is how do you choose your opportunities so that they're steps up and not steps sideways or steps backwards? Because you have a lot thrown at you. How do you think about that strategically, or how do you think about it at all?

    4. KHKevin Hart28:00

       Well, I think when you're talking about opportunities in general, the, the best part about opportunities are figuring out what makes them an amazing opportunity for you, right? And, you know, I think you're extremely lucky if you're doing something you love. You know, if you're doing something that may not necessarily be your passion but it's a job, the trick is to find out how to make this thing become a bigger thing for you so that you're able to go and do what you want to do. How do we use the things in life that are thrown at us as step stones or baby pathways to the, to the ultimate road, right?

    5. TFTim Ferriss28:49

       Mm-hmm.

    6. KHKevin Hart28:49

       Um, so for me, I have a great... My tunnel vision is ridiculous. So if life was like, if you could compare it to, let's call it, let's call it like a Indy 500. You know, when these guys in, in race cars, when they're racing in cars, they're never looking right in front of them. They're, they're way up in the road. Before they make a turn, they're looking at the turn after that turn to decide how to handle this turn, so that when they come out that turn, they're on the straightaway already as to how they're gonna come out. You have to have vision that's in front, that's at least set as a goal, as a destination of where you're trying to get. And once you get there, you can reassess. The opportunities that I have were ones that were wanted back when.

    7. TFTim Ferriss29:50

       Mm-hmm.

    8. KHKevin Hart29:50

       I wanna be a stand-up comedian. Now that I'm a stand-up comedian, I wanna make sure that I'm telling jokes that can allow me to travel the globe one day. I wanna make everybody laugh. If I can make everybody laugh, I will travel the globe. If I get the opportunity to travel the globe, that gives me the opportunity to start on that journey of making the world laugh. Opportunity one is getting to a position to perform outside of the US. That would be massive. Let me get... What's my first opportunity doing something that's considered international? Where is it? Where does it, where does this exist? My first time going to Canada, I didn't know what to expect 'cause I'm a guy from North Philadelphia. What language do they speak?

    9. TFTim Ferriss30:48

       [laughs]

    10. KHKevin Hart30:50

        Oh, my God, what's gonna happen? Jesus Christ.

    11. TFTim Ferriss30:52

        [laughs]

    12. KHKevin Hart30:52

        What's gonna happen when I'm here? I just landed in fucking Canada. Oh, my God. "Hi, how are you? I'm looking for this hotel." "Why are you yelling, sir?" English.

    13. TFTim Ferriss31:06

        [laughs]

    14. KHKevin Hart31:09

        He speaks English. Okay. Whoa. I performed in Canada, people laughed. Is it like this everywhere? I go to London. Holy fuck, I'm in London for the first time. Oh, my God, people speak English. What if I can make... I'm making people laugh in London. Oh, my God, the opportunity that I was talking about is now happening. It's a reality. Man, what doors can comedy open up? What if comedy got me to acting? Eddie Murphy was a comedian. He started acting. How did he do it? What if I got in there? Oh, my God, it got me the opportunity to act. Oh, my God, now that I'm acting, what if I can figure out an opportunity to create? Oh, my God, creating showed me that you can write. Oh, my God, what if writing creates more opportunities? Holy fuck, that's how you produce. Now I'm producing. Oh, my God, what if I can direct? Ooh, shit. Then you look all the way back behind you, it all started off with the goal of doing comedy.

    15. TFTim Ferriss32:10

        Mm-hmm.

    16. KHKevin Hart32:11

        But the opportunities kept getting bigger because you kept looking past the first opportunity at what the what if was. That doesn't mean that you're not respecting the thing that you're doing. It just means that you're realizing why you should do this well. That's what I do.

    17. TFTim Ferriss32:26

        Deep.

    18. KHKevin Hart32:26

        So my, my tunnel vision is, is ridiculous.

    19. TFTim Ferriss32:30

        Yeah.

    20. KHKevin Hart32:30

        I'm always down the street no matter what. Have you ever played Monopoly? And there's a, a person that you play with, and they'll get like, you know, they'll, they'll get the worst property on the game, and people go, "Why the fuck you buying that? Ugh. You got Baltic Avenue. Mediterranean?" Yeah, I did. It's the cheapest one, but I'm gonna put all of my houses and then flip those into hotels, and it's cheaper. I now have money left, and hopefully if I'm making money on this, I can go and get some of the nicer stuff. I can go and get the, maybe the Boardwalks or maybe the Venturas or, you know, maybe, maybe some of the other more expensive, but I want to get my money right first 'cause I don't have enough. And then you got the people that go right and go buy Boardwalk, and then they're stuck with $200 or $300 after. And they're trying to figure out how to get houses, but they can't really afford the thing that they bought 'cause they didn't have a plan. There's other people that put a plan together that they're trying to execute that can get them to the place that they wanna be. I'm the guy with the plan, and whether I get there or not, I'm executing something that I'm vetting out.

    21. TFTim Ferriss33:46

        Yeah.

    22. KHKevin Hart33:47

        You know what I mean? It's, it's, it's-

    23. TFTim Ferriss33:48

        I do

    24. KHKevin Hart33:49

        ... I'm vetting it out, and I'm trying my best to get there by checking all these boxes and building an amazing team around me of people that are more than qualified to help me on this journey. So it doesn't become a Kevin did a thing. It becomes a we did a thing, and then before you know it, you change lives, and now you're able to have a major impact, not just with laughter, not just by providing content, but now you're providing jobs, opportunities. Now you're providing, you know, now you're providing dreams, hope. There's a, it's a bigger story to it.

    25. TFTim Ferriss34:22

        Mm-hmm.

    26. KHKevin Hart34:22

        It's a bigger story. There's a bigger understanding.

11. 34:25 – 36:04

    Morning routine and the non-negotiable workout foundation

    1. TFTim Ferriss34:25

       So, so I definitely wanna talk about stories and storytelling, but before we get there, we, we were talking, you were talking about this macro planning, vetting, and looking at opportunities. I'd love to look at the micro for a second. What do, what does, say, the first 90 minutes of your day look like? Are there any components or routines that are particularly important to you in the first hour or two of your day?

    2. KHKevin Hart34:47

       The first 90 minutes of my day.

    3. TFTim Ferriss34:49

       Yeah, hour or two, if there's anything that, uh, is a constant for you.

    4. KHKevin Hart34:53

       There's no... I mean, the, the one thing that never changes is my, my workout regimen. You know, I'm up 6:00. I mean, well, since we've been in quarantine, I've been working out 7:00 AM every day. Um, but before this, if I'm, like, out and I'm working, I'm up at 5:00.

    5. TFTim Ferriss35:11

       Mm-hmm.

    6. KHKevin Hart35:11

       You know, in the gym, and very consistent about that. I don't, I don't, I don't sway with that. You know? It's how I start any and every day. Uh, and I'm just heavily into taking care of me. Um, got a lot of people that depend on me. Got a lot of people that, that, that I feel need me and also that I need in return. Um, but I can't be the best version of myself if I'm not taking care of myself.

    7. TFTim Ferriss35:40

       What are, what are some of the, in your mind... Because you've exercised a long time and very consistently, so you've had a chance to test a lot. What are some of the, the best bang for the buck exercises if you could only kind of take a handful with you? Are, are- do any come to mind?

    8. KHKevin Hart35:55

       Nothing beats pushups and sit-ups. I don't, I don't care whether you got a gym or not. That's the core. You can't beat that, ever.

12. 36:04 – 50:17

    What makes a great storyteller and who Kevin studies in comedy

    1. TFTim Ferriss36:04

       With stories and storytelling, I mean, what, what strikes me is you're a student of history. You're looking at what can become stories that are told decades, maybe 100 years after they happen.

    2. KHKevin Hart36:15

       Mm-hmm.

    3. TFTim Ferriss36:15

       And you are, in some respects, it strikes me, making your mark with an incredible gift and honed talent of storytelling. When I, when I watch you perform-

    4. KHKevin Hart36:26

       Mm-hmm

    5. TFTim Ferriss36:27

       Uh, what makes a good storyteller? Are there any particular people you consider good storytellers? I mean, whether it's, uh, the, the... I, I've, I know you've cited the Bible. The, there is, there are certain stories that are more compelling than others, and certain storytellers. Are there any storytellers who stand out to you?

    6. KHKevin Hart36:43

       I mean, minus what, what's going on, uh, in the personal life of this individual, um, you know, Cosby is one of the, uh, probably one of the best storytellers within the profession of comedy.

    7. TFTim Ferriss37:00

       Mm-hmm.

    8. KHKevin Hart37:00

       But like I said, making sure to separate from-

    9. TFTim Ferriss37:03

       Of course

    10. KHKevin Hart37:04

        ... you know, his stuff. Uh, Eddie Murphy, amazing storyteller. Dave Chappelle, an amazing storyteller. I mean, you're looking at people that have, uh, very unique styles and approaches to the craft of storytelling. Um, those are my favorites, and I'ma tell you who else is one of the best, or was one of the best at, at storytelling, Bernie Mac.

    11. TFTim Ferriss37:34

        Bernie Mac. Definitely.

    12. KHKevin Hart37:35

        Bernie Mac. Bernie Mac could tell a story. And I mean, that, you know, I, I, I love it. I love the idea of telling a story. I love the idea of, you know, grabbing someone's attention and holding that attention, and a person going on levels with you until the end, and at the end of it, getting an amazing payoff to where it's like, [slams table] "Oh, my God, I didn't even see that coming. That's crazy." Like, I... There's something special about that. I've always been a fan of it. Um, you know, and it, and it's a, it's a, it's a craft and a talent that I, that I try my best to hone and work on.

    13. TFTim Ferriss38:21

        I wanna talk about the, The Decision. So this is an Audible original, The Decision, and the subtitle's Overcoming Today's BS for Tomorrow's Success. It seems like this had been in the works for a very long time, and then the launch got accelerated because there are certain things that you can't do right now with COVID-

    14. KHKevin Hart38:39

        [laughs]

    15. TFTim Ferriss38:39

        ... and quarantine.

    16. KHKevin Hart38:40

        Mm-hmm.

    17. TFTim Ferriss38:40

        Uh, but there are things that you can do, like utilize audio. Could you speak to why you decided to push this forward now, and why you did it in the first place?

    18. KHKevin Hart38:50

        Well, I said, I said basically, you know, right now I think the crazy thing within the times is that you're, you're realizing, uh, the need behind content. You know? Like, you, you see what people gravitate towards when times are tough. Like, you know, you... There's an escape that comes with good content. You're able to get lost in something good. Like, I remember when this first hit, and Ozark had came on-

    19. TFTim Ferriss39:29

        Yeah

    20. KHKevin Hart39:30

        ... and the, the season was available, and I was like, "I'm gonna watch Ozark." And I sat, and I watched Ozark, and for that time, I just enjoyed a good show. A good show was enough. It was, it was enough for me, and it motivated me after watching it. And I was like, "I gotta get up, and I gotta write."

    21. TFTim Ferriss39:51

        Hmm.

    22. KHKevin Hart39:51

        "I gotta write. I gotta, I gotta create. I gotta write." And watching that show made me do that. Now, of course, this is my profession. This is what I do, so it's where I can grab energy from. But there's content all around that can amplify a person's mood. There's different types of content that's good for whomever, you know what I mean? It's, it's, it's a lot that you can go out and grab or read or see that j- it's just a lot. So I told my team, I was like, "This is, this is a perfect time just for me to release The Decision." And the reason why is because it's not just informative, but it's mental fitness. And, and when, when our mental is getting tugged on, just having information can be key.

    23. TFTim Ferriss40:52

        Mm-hmm.

    24. KHKevin Hart40:53

        It's just information. My way of thinking isn't the right way for everybody. I don't, I don't claim that. I don't stand on that. It's not my way or the highway. I'm just giving you an option. I'm just sharing wholeheartedly what has helped me in life and what has helped get me to this place, and how my thinking and thought process have played a major part, and I wanna give you guys this information. You may gravitate towards it, you may not, but I'm gonna give it to you in a way that nobody else can. I'm giving it to you with personality, I'm giving it to you with real-life situations attached that you can look up and see, and I'm giving it to you from a guy's perspective that has results.

    25. TFTim Ferriss41:49

        Mm-hmm.

    26. KHKevin Hart41:50

        So it's not as if there aren't any results in my way of thinking and in my way of decision-making. You see what the results are, which is why I feel like the information is valuable. You know, guys, I... Like, there's, there's chapters on positivity, there's chapters on negativity, there's chapters on cowboying up, there's chapters on shoulder shrugging, there's chapters on things that we overlook that are so small that I've made big. You know, a shoulder shrug, a shoulder shrug is a motherfucker, man. The ability to shrug your shoulders It can mean so many things. Shrugging your shoulders can mean I don't care. It can mean I don't know. Or it can mean, oh, well, it is what it is. That ability to shoulder shrug, that's a major, that's a major thing because that's also the ability to move on. That's also the ability to go, "Ah, well, I guess I gotta keep going." A shoulder shrug, that's what it is. It can be taken as nonchalant, it can be taken as passive, it can be taken as so many different things. But nine times out of ten after a shoulder shrug, you're gonna keep going.

    27. TFTim Ferriss43:09

        Yeah.

    28. KHKevin Hart43:09

        And these are the things that I've broken down in this Audible Original. It's, it's, it's me giving you just a different way of seeing things, a different insight.

    29. TFTim Ferriss43:22

        And your memoir, I mean, if we describe it as, uh, as that, I, I Can’t Make This Up was extremely popular on audio.

    30. KHKevin Hart43:29

        Mm-hmm.
13. 50:17 – 52:44

    Closing reflections: enduring tough times, collective responsibility, and ‘cowboying up’

    1. TFTim Ferriss50:17

       is there anything else you would like to share before we, before we wrap up? Any, uh, any words of wisdom, favorite quotes, things you live your life by, anything else?

    2. KHKevin Hart50:24

       Um, you know what? I'll say right now, I think the, the biggest and best thing is just to get people to understand that, you know, look, these times are extremely tough for, for us all. Um, but there's always sunshine behind a cloud. This is just a very dark cloud.

    3. TFTim Ferriss50:46

       Yeah.

    4. KHKevin Hart50:47

       We'll get through it. We'll get out of it. And, you know, when we do, uh, let's be better than we were when we went in it, you know? And what, uh, what I think is really dope that I was able to see and that I was able to hold on to and gravitate towards is how so much money has been raised, uh, to solve and help for world hunger, but it took a pandemic, and it shouldn't have to be, uh, because of a pandemic that we're all conscious of the needs of others. It's something that should be more of a priority, and when you see these hundreds of millions of dollars that have been raised, um, you know, within a two-month period of time, you know, it just kind of raises the question of wh- why is this so far few and in between?

    5. TFTim Ferriss51:38

       Yeah.

    6. KHKevin Hart51:38

       It shouldn't take a pandemic to make us all aware. Let's open our eyes and start to just, once again, look beneath the debris, and let's, let's get to these other real things that come out of this that we can hold on to and make other people be responsible for in the future, you know? Think about some... You know what somebody said that really made me go, "Wow"? We're solving world hunger and, you know, raising hundreds of millions of dollars, but for Flint, Michigan, clean water has been a problem for how many years?

    7. TFTim Ferriss52:13

       Yeah.

    8. KHKevin Hart52:13

       And that's a how-many-million-dollar fix?

    9. TFTim Ferriss52:17

       Time to cowboy up-

    10. KHKevin Hart52:18

        It's s-

    11. TFTim Ferriss52:18

        ... it seems like. [laughs]

    12. KHKevin Hart52:19

        Yeah. Time to cowboy up. So let's look on the, let's look on the bright side, man. This has been a-

    13. TFTim Ferriss52:23

        Yeah

    14. KHKevin Hart52:23

        ... a great conversation, dude. Great conversation.

    15. TFTim Ferriss52:26

        Yeah. Yeah. Thanks so much, and I'll, uh, I'll s- I'll certainly, uh, put all these links also in the show notes for people at tim.blog/podcast. And, uh, Kevin, real pleasure to connect.

    16. KHKevin Hart52:38

        Thank you.

    17. TFTim Ferriss52:38

        Thanks for taking the time.

    18. KHKevin Hart52:39

        Hey, man. Thank you. I appreciate you.

    19. TFTim Ferriss52:41

        Yeah.

    20. KHKevin Hart52:41

        Anytime.

    21. TFTim Ferriss52:42

        You too, my man.

    22. KHKevin Hart52:42

        All right. Bye-bye.

    23. TFTim Ferriss52:43

        All right. Be safe. Bye-bye.

Episode duration: 53:05