Look, if I ever stop being grateful for gigs, I just need to

Tony Hale, with the humility of one who has walked the narrow and uncertain road of the artist, once declared: “Look, if I ever stop being grateful for gigs, I just need to stop. Because this business is… you know, it’s just so kind of job-to-job, and the fact that I’ve continued working… I’m just incredibly thankful for it. And I never, ever take it for granted.” These words ring not only as a reflection on his own career, but as a timeless teaching on the fragility of opportunity, the discipline of gratitude, and the sacred duty of humility in the face of fortune.

The origin of these words lies in the nature of the acting profession, where certainty is rare and permanence is a myth. Unlike trades bound by stability, the life of the performer is a cycle of beginnings and endings, auditions and rejections, roles given and roles lost. Hale, known for Arrested Development and Veep, knew well that even success does not guarantee tomorrow’s work. Thus, he resolved that if he ever ceased to be grateful for each job, then he would have lost the heart of his craft, and it would be better to stop altogether. Gratitude, for him, was not optional—it was the lifeblood of endurance.

The ancients, too, knew this truth. They taught that fortune is fickle, that the wheel of fate turns ceaselessly, lifting some high only to cast them low again. The Roman philosopher Boethius called this “Fortuna’s Wheel,” ever spinning, never steady. In such a world, the wise man did not cling to entitlement, but learned to accept each gift of fortune with thankfulness, knowing it might vanish tomorrow. Hale’s words echo this ancient wisdom: he knows his livelihood is precarious, and so he treasures each moment of work as a gift, never to be taken for granted.

Consider the life of the painter Vincent van Gogh, who, though he created masterpieces, sold but a single painting in his lifetime. His genius was not rewarded with steady work or wealth, yet he painted with tireless devotion. Hale’s gratitude for the ability to continue working is the other side of this same coin. Where van Gogh never saw recognition in life, Hale acknowledges the miracle that he has seen his efforts rewarded and his craft sustained. Gratitude, then, becomes not only an emotion but an ethical response to privilege.

There is also an undercurrent of humility in Hale’s reflection: “If I ever stop being grateful, I just need to stop.” To him, ingratitude is not merely an error—it is a disqualification. For when one forgets to be thankful, one begins to believe they are owed, and when one believes they are owed, artistry withers into arrogance. His vow is a safeguard against the corruption of success, a reminder that the only proper posture before opportunity is humility and awe.

The lesson here is profound: whatever path you walk—whether in art, in work, or in life itself—never lose the capacity for gratitude. Each opportunity, each task, each breath even, is a gift, not a guarantee. If you find yourself ungrateful, as Hale warns, then pause and re-center your spirit, for ingratitude blinds the heart to the very blessings that sustain it. To live with gratitude is to live awake; to live without it is to walk in darkness, even when surrounded by light.

Practically, this means cultivating habits of thankfulness. Keep a record of the blessings you receive, no matter how small. Speak gratitude aloud to those who give you chances, whether employers, mentors, or loved ones. Treat each new opportunity as though it were your first and your last, treasuring it fully. And when work or life seems uncertain, remember that uncertainty itself sharpens gratitude, teaching us to treasure what we have rather than pine for what we lack.

Thus, Tony Hale’s words endure as a teaching for all generations: to be thankful for every chance, to never take opportunity for granted, and to guard against the poison of entitlement. His wisdom is the wisdom of the ancients reborn: that fortune is fleeting, but gratitude is eternal, and only the grateful heart can endure the storms of fate with joy and strength.