The Secret to Turning Small Roles Into Big Breaks

Have you ever been presented an opportunity and debated if you should wait around for something even better?

That’s what happened to Glen Powell.

If that name sounds familiar its because you might have seen him in several recent blockbuster films, like Hidden Figures (2016), Anyone But You (2023), and Twisters (2024). But it was a lesson he learned from starring in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) that proved to be a decisive turning point in his career.

As a rising actor, Glen had big dreams of being THE leading man in a film. So when he was presented with an opportunity to be in the 2022 sequel to Top Gun he was disappointed to be cast in the supporting role of Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin… a pompous rival to the MAIN character, Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw played by Miles Teller.

Glen said, “At the time, it was a little bit of an ego blow…” Tired of being in lesser roles, and wanting something bigger, he turned it down.

Then he had a conversation with Tom Cruise.

(Photo of Glen Powell, courtesy of IndieWire)

“Tom and Jerry Bruckheimer invited me to their office.” Glen continued, “As we sat down Tom asked, ‘What kind of career do you want, Glen?’

I was like, ‘You, man, I want to be you.’

And then he said, ‘How do you think I got here?’

And I was like, ‘You choose good roles.’

He said, ‘No, Glen, I choose great MOVIES and then I make the ROLES great.’

What does this have to do with influence and success? Glen said it best:

“If you’re a great player on a great team… its better than being a star player on a losing team…That was one of the things that Tom really changed my perspective on. Even being a small part on the Top Gun ride has changed my life forever. I’m really glad I listened to him.”

So many people think that success happens only when the BEST opportunities land at our feet. If it isn’t perfectly ideal, many people let it pass.

“I’ll wait for a better time.”

“I’ll wait for a better chance.”

“I’ll wait for a better situation.”

And so they spin their wheels waiting for something “better” to come along.

The only problem is, they have it completely wrong. Instead of WAITING for opportunities, what if you knew you could CREATE opportunities?

That’s what Glen Powell learned: instead of waiting for a great role, the secret to getting better roles in the future is learning to make your current role great.

Thomas Edison famously said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” The way to create better opportunities in the future is to make the most out of the opportunities in front of you… now.

(Photo Tom Cruise and Glen Powell, Courtesy of Buzzfeed)

One of my favorite examples of this comes from the life of Chung Ju-Yung, from Korea. Born in 1915 in present-day North Korea, Chung left his village and fled to Seoul in hopes of escaping farm life. He got his first job in construction (because he needed to start somewhere) and soon discovered a passion for civil engineering. During a time of economic uncertainties, he worked many jobs ranging from being a handyman at a factory, a dock worker at a harbor, and even the general manager at a rice store.

None of these were ideal, but he made the best of them… and learned along the way.

The real problem was: the Japanese Government occupied Korea at the time and limited the opportunities Koreans had. They couldn’t work in certain industries, and had severe restrictions over what businesses they could operate. Unfortunately for Chung, Civil Engineering was one of those things. And so… trying to make the best of a difficult situation… Chung used his savings to get in the automobile repair business. In 1940, he proudly opened the “A-do Service Garage” and over the next three years grew the company from 20 to 70 employees.

He took a good opportunity and made it a great opportunity.

Suspicious local officials noticed his success, however, and soon the Japanese government forced the business to shut down. Despite this setback, Chung left with a considerable amount of savings and the know-how of running a business.

After the liberation of Korea from Japanese control in 1946, the country was in desperate need for construction, growth, and economic development and Chung saw his opportunity. Using his insight gained from over 10 years in all areas of construction, business, and machine repair, Chung founded Hyundai Heavy Industries and over the next 50 years Hyundai helped South Korea achieve one of the great economic comebacks of the 20th century.

Today in the US, you might know Hyundai as a car company, but in South Korea Hyundai builds apartment buildings, heavy machinery, and even massive container ships. This global conglomerate exists all because Chung Ju-Yung didn’t wait for something better to come along. Rather he took good opportunities and turned them into GREAT opportunities.

(Photo: Chung Ju-yung. Courtesy Korea Herald)

Which brings us to you.

How can you make best of the opportunities currently in front of you? How can you go the extra mile? Add a little more value? Give that personalized touch? What lessons can you learn?

The best way to prepare for the next season of life is to make the most out of your current season. Similarly, making the best of your current opportunity… is the best way to create your dream opportunity. And who knows? Maybe I’ll see you on the big screen, or changing the course of history.

Just ask Glen Powell and Chung Ju-Yung.

Christian

CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want to stand out and be the obvious choice. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his wife. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com