Henry Rollins: The One Decision that Changed My Life Forever | Big Think

Henry Rollins: The One Decision that Changed My Life Forever
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Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian,publisher, actor, and radio DJ. After performing for the short-lived Washington D.C.-based band State of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the California hardcore punk band Black Flag from August 1981 until mid-1986. Following the band's breakup, Rollins soon established the record label and publishing company 2.13.61 to release his spoken word albums, as well as forming the Rollins Band, which toured with a number of lineups from 1987 until 2003, and during 2006. Since Black Flag, Rollins has embarked on projects covering a variety of media. He has hosted numerous radio shows, such as Harmony in My Head on Indie 103, and television shows such as The Henry Rollins Show, MTV's 120 Minutes, and Jackass. He had a recurring dramatic role in the second season of Sons of Anarchy and has also had roles in several films. Rollins has also campaigned for various political causes in the United States, including promoting LGBT rights, World Hunger Relief, and an end to war in particular, and tours overseas with the United Service Organizations to entertain American troops.
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OVERVIEW:

More or less anybody who has ever done anything newsworthy can cite, as Henry Rollins can, some turning point at which they made a risky decision that paid off, and a lifelong sense of mission not easily derailed by minor failures.
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[Longo]

Shout out to the ice cream store manager that encouraged him to take that shot. That’s wisdom and compassion in a situation that most wouldn’t offer it.

[cjcar]

I'm the other Henry Rollins. Same time frame. Same situation. No lucky break. I'm in my late fifties now. Still grinding it out at jobs that most guys quit in their late twenties, early thirties. It's not all doom and gloom. I have a wonderful wife, a couple of great kids, and a nice little house in the burbs. I could do one of two things at this point in my life... sit around thinking about what might have been, or concentrate on making a better future for myself and those I love. That's why I'm here watching this video. Guys like Henry and their stories are what keep me going. Knowing that they made it out gives me hope... makes me smile.

[kennethmccormick]

"I don't have talent. I have tenacity. I have discipline. I have Focus. I know, without any delusion, where I come from & where I can go back to."

You cannot get more motivational than that.

[MgtowRubicon]

"I'm not only an American, I am an Americanist. I survive America in spite of what it wants to do to people like me." -- Henry Rollins

[ToilerOnTheSea]

It's your shot. Take it.
What a brilliant manager.

[onegirlrev]

I wrote an email to this guy once and he wrote back and it made me happy to know how human and real and cool he was.

[blixaland]

Not many bosses would be so understanding now. "It's your shot... take it." Wow. What a nice guy.

[michaelprice]

A boss that knew how shit the job was and that someone had a way out and without envy gave support. A true human being.

[mistabook]

Rollins is one of the only people I've ever seen who can come across as humble and egotistical at the same time.

[jamesgaskell]

Henry is totally spot on here about how society treats people with a poor income and future.

[andrewp]

"I should probably watch, shut up and learn instead of shooting my mouth off"

Wish more people adhered to this advise.

[davemanningreviews]

Rollins just condensed every self help book in the world in 7 minutes. Repetition, discipline, work, persistence, luck, opportunities. Most likely outcome = success.

[vonsopas]

"I know without any illusion, where I come from and where I can go back to"... the most powerful words I've heard today...

[ciaranmcginn]

"I dont have talent, I have tenacity, I have discipline, I have focus and I know where I come from and what I can go back to" - oh my god, what a statement, I hope that some young person sees this and takes in what that means, no BS just pure honesty, Henry Rollins was the first man I saw as a teenager that made me think, I want to he like this guy, what a force!

[oscartravis]

"Humiliation and young people go together; I was used to it."

[patrickgollan]

''The America is not a place you live in, it's a video game that you survive. I am not only an American I am an Americanist. I survive America despite what it wants to do to me.''

[necronomicon]

A real nice guy.
You have to admire this man.
He is 100% self made.

[bigmikeystyle]

moral of the story: when opportunity knocks, quit your shitty ice cream job and answer the fucking door.

[randyzeitman]

Henry Rollins is a man of focus and ritual. He says he got lucky. I say his work ethic give him more chances to throw the dice.

[leawood]

I saw them in '86. Guys were stage diving and Rollins stopped the show twice telling them to stop since it's dangerous. A guy jumped on my head and knocked me across the floor. It hurt like hell. I looked up and saw Rollins chasing the guy out of the ballroom, throwing punches.