What John Malkovich Can Teach You About Humility and Saying Yes.
You need to quit being a snob. Yeah, I said it.
We’ve all done it. We all think we’re a little better than we actually are. We pretend we’re the main character in a movie where everyone else is just an extra—beneath us, irrelevant, not worth our time.
But here’s the truth: We’re not the star of some Oscar-winning masterpiece. We’re a real person, living a real life, surrounded by real people.
And if you keep turning up your nose at things because they don’t match your inflated idea of who you think you are…You’re going to miss out on a lot.
I was listening to actor John Malkovich on Bill Maher’s podcast. Now, Malkovich isn’t some popcorn movie guy—he’s a classically trained theater actor. Shakespeare. Broadway. That whole vibe. So, what the hell was he doing in Con Air—a ridiculous, over-the-top ‘90s action movie? You know the one: convicts on a plane, big explosions, and Nicolas Cage’s weird wig (and accent).
Well, when Malkovich got the script, a friend of his read it and immediately trashed it. Called it garbage. Said he was relieved Malkovich had too much integrity to ever consider doing something like that. And you know what Malkovich said?
“I’m doing it.”
He didn’t even read the whole script. He saw who was producing it (legendary action movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer), understood the assignment, and got the picture.
Then he said this: “I’m not a kind of snob about that.”
How many times do we all pass on things—not because they’re bad, or wrong, or even uninteresting—but just because they don’t look like something we think we should be associated with?
We avoid people who don’t fit our scene.
We ignore invites because we don’t want to be seen at “those” events.
We act like we’re above certain conversations, books, shows, opinions.
All because we’re so busy curating an image instead of living a life. Let me say this as clearly as possible: Being a snob is the fastest way to make your world smaller.
When you turn your nose up at people or things because they don’t meet some imaginary standard you’ve set, you don’t look smart. You don’t look classy. You look closed off.
Some of the most interesting, joyful, successful people I’ve ever met? They’re curious. Open.
They’ll try things.
They’ll talk to anyone.
They’ll say yes—even when something isn’t their “vibe.”
And you know what? They end up with the best stories, the best connections, and the best lives.
Meanwhile, the snobs? They sit in their perfectly curated lives, waiting for something worthy to come along.
Spoiler alert: It rarely does.
Here’s what’s funny: John Malkovich has more talent in his pinky than most actors will ever have. He’s got all the credentials, all the experience, all the gravitas. And he’s not a snob.
So… what’s your excuse? Seriously—what exactly are you trying to prove by turning things down, keeping people at arm’s length, or acting like you’re too good for whatever’s in front of you
Your ego is not your GPS. It’s your blindfold. So here’s your wake-up call: Stop being a snob.
Let go of the need to seem above it all. Say yes to things. Be around people who are different than you.
Do things just because they’re fun, or weird, or unexpected. You might discover more in one awkward, honest, unfiltered moment than in a lifetime of carefully edited experiences.
And who knows—maybe the version of you you’re trying so hard to protect…
Isn’t even worth protecting.
Maybe the real magic starts when you drop the act.
