When it comes to this thing called life, Terry Crews is on cruise control.
Just 25 years ago, the host of America’s Got Talent he was sweeping floors for $8 an hour before landing the audition that sparked his rise to stardom. He has done everything from starring in the iconic Old Spice commercials to starring in both the big screen and award-winning TV series and lending his voice to video games and animated films.
The crews success didn’t just come from sheer talent and hustle. it is also due to the creation and establishment of habits that have set the table for success. He spoke to M&F about some of the keys he’s learned during his career, why he no longer believes in competition, and how important a good night’s sleep has proven to be.
Terry Crews stopped competing and comparing himself to others when he came to training and found peace
At 55, Cruise is in better shape than many guys half his age and takes his wellness just as seriously as any acting role he’s had, or his AGT hosting responsibilities. During his football career, he focused on being the strongest and fastest he could be. While this helped propel the Crews into the NFL, he realized how detrimental that mentality is as the league gets younger every year. There are no awards for outdoing what the next guy in the gym is doing. Education now is about peace.
“It’s my spa time,” Crews says. “I don’t look at it as trying to get that particular bench, or trying to look better and be better than somebody else for that matter. It has nothing to do with anyone else. The best thing I could do for the whole world is to make the most of myself.”
By removing the need to compete and compare himself to others, Cruz believes he has saved himself from many injuries. His wake-up call came in 2010 when he suffered a torn bicep from overuse at the gym. On days he wants to go heavy, he doesn’t need to push past four reps before moving on to the next set. He also runs four miles every day to help keep everything in tune.
Terry Crew learned to redefine fear
Crews has starred alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names and has managed to steal plenty of scenes, whether he’s playing a villain or a comedic role. Even with a quarter of a century of experience in front of the camera, there are still nerves. He believes that if there are no nerves, then you don’t care. Instead of succumbing to those emotions with every shot, Crews has taken control of them.
“What I learned over the years was not to call it nerves,” he said. “What I’m doing is saying I’m excited. If you call it nerves, it’s based on fear. Fear breeds more fear, which makes things go downhill. Have you ever seen someone drown at a sporting event? This comes from fear. It comes from thinking, what if I lose? All of a sudden, you miss him, and then it goes downhill from there. When I say I’m excited, it’s more like, give me the ball when it’s time to go.”
The start of crews in Hollywood came from the same movement. After retiring from the NFL in 1997, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a new career. He made ends meet sweeping floors and doing security before getting his first big break on extreme sports show Battle Dome, where he played T-Money. It was the first role he auditioned for, and he told himself he wouldn’t go back to sweeping floors. Twenty-five years later, ‘T-Money’ has a new ring to it.
Terry Crews is all about discipline
Crews have been practicing intermittent fasting for over a decade. His workouts are already set before he starts. He has a morning, afternoon and night vitamin routine and likes to get up and go to bed at the same time every night. He is able to train with 20- and 30-year-olds and not feel out of place, and he doesn’t take it for granted that many of the former footballers he played with and against are no longer here.
“I’m 55 and a lot of the players I played with have passed away, which is crazy,” Kruse said. “If as many people died at Apple as have died in the NFL, people would say, wait a minute, we need to see why our people are dying like this.”
Sleep doesn’t make you weak
The Crew would make its big screen debut in 2000 with The 6th Day, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. From there it was all gas and no brakes. From TV shows, movies and commercials, he accepted any offer he felt was right for him. Who would have time to sleep when you’re living your dreams? Things were great until one day, Cruz developed a migraine headache that he couldn’t shake. His body began to ache and he experienced difficulty in breathing. Rightfully so, he scheduled a visit with his doctor.
The diagnosis was exhaustion. “I’m like, what?” Crews said. “I’ve heard people say, they’re exhausted. I would think they are just lazy. That was my mindset.”
The prescription was rest. For three days: no phone calls, no meetings and no commotion. He also incorporated melatonin into his nightly bedtime vitamin routine. “It changed my life,” Cruz said. He also learned that by working on everyone, he didn’t always do what was best. “Every time I woke up, I was more influential, more efficient, and I did things so well that it made people take notice.”
He also learned that by working on everyone, he was overexerting himself. With a new focus on being selective and not overextending himself, Kroos says you’ll see real growth in the second half of his career compared to where he was in the first half. Every night, bedtime is 8:30pm. He begins his shutdown by turning off his phone and then turning down the temperature in the bedroom. He then closes the blackout curtains and takes a Natrol brand of melatonin gummy before brushing his teeth. He gets up just before five the next morning.
Given the health scare that forced him to prioritize his rest, Crews advises everyone to start doing the same. “I can honestly say that sleep saved my life,” Kruse said. “You can’t live your dreams without sleep.”
