Tom Cruise Knows Capability Is Not Calling

By: Renae Richardson

Not everything is for everybody, and the person who knows the difference is sage in their own right. Tom Cruise recently gave the world a lesson in knowing which field you blossom in and having the wisdom to bloom there.

The Question Behind the Camera

In a recent interview, Cruise was asked about his lack of directing credits. Given his robust and continued devotion to film and industry, the question seems reasonable. According to ComingSoon.net, the industry veteran was asked why, after dedicating so much of his life to filmmaking, he has never lent his talents to sitting behind the camera. It is not a question Cruise has never heard before. Per Coming Soon.net,

“ During his recent appearance on the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast, Cruise was asked whether he ever planned to direct. The Mission: Impossible star responded,You know what? Since I was a kid, friends have been like, you should direct.”

Yet, despite the encouragement, Cruise has never taken that leap. With actors increasingly trying on various hats within the industry, directing can almost feel like a natural progression, a rite of passage that comes with having established yourself in front of the camera. But just because something has become common does not mean everyone has to follow the same path.

Knowing What Is Not Yours

For Cruise, choosing not to direct appears to come from something much deeper than a lack of confidence or ability. It speaks to a greater knowledge of self and an understanding of what truly drives him. Cruise made it clear that directing is not something currently under consideration. It is not because he believes he could not do it, nor does it appear to come from a fear that he would not excel. There is simply something else about filmmaking that pulls at him more strongly.

“I’ve studied the old movies, and these guys are able to make four movies a year,” Cruise said. “I want to make a lot of movies, and I’ve wanted to make a lot of films.”

Something is telling in that statement. Cruise is not expressing a desire to do less. If anything, he wants to immerse himself in more. His fulfillment seems to come from experiencing filmmaking from multiple angles rather than narrowing his attention to one particular role.

Tom Cruise: More Than One Way to Create

Tom Cruise. Image Source: David Jon/Getty

That becomes even clearer when he explains what he enjoys about being on set.

“I’m not interested in going to my trailer. I like being with the crew. I like being with everyone.”

For Cruise, being in the middle of the creative process is valuable, as it is a place where he can experience the work as it unfolds around him. He is not simply participating in the craft. He observes the craft of others, absorbing their creativity and letting their perspectives teach him.

“It’s everything. The fun of that, to have that opportunity, if I’m directing, I don’t get to do that. I don’t have that experience,” Cruise said. “That’s kind of the way that I think about things.”

Perhaps that is the part worth paying attention to.

In an industry where versatility is often celebrated, there can be an unspoken expectation to keep adding titles to our names. The actor becomes the director. The director becomes the producer. The producer becomes the writer. Before long, doing more can become confused with becoming more. Cruise’s perspective offers another way of looking at it. Sometimes growth does not require us to occupy every available position. Sometimes it means becoming more deeply immersed in the position where we already know we belong.

There Is Wisdom in Remaining a Student

Cruise also spoke about what he gains from watching other artists work.

“That’s what I feel about directors. I want to help them. The cinematographers, the actors, and I want to learn,” he explained. “I like seeing their point of view on things, and I like mixing it up.”

There is an intellectual curiosity in that. Cruise wants to see how cinematographers think, how actors approach their work, and how directors see the story. He wants to mix it up, learn from others, and continue expanding his understanding of the art form. In some ways, not directing allows him to remain a student. And there is nothing less than that.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

He is at home in the position where he currently operates. This is where he finds his center and, perhaps, his peace. This is the soil in which he grows. That does not mean Cruise will never direct. Time changes people, and people change with time. His perspective could look entirely different somewhere down the road. For now, however, Cruise knows what he wants, understands what drives him, and is not invested in exploring a different path simply because it is available to him. There is wisdom in that.

Sometimes we spend so much time trying to prove what we are capable of doing that we forget that capability and calling are not always the same thing. Being able to do something does not mean we are required to do it. Not every door needs to be opened because we have the ability to walk through it. Sometimes knowing where you do not belong is just as valuable as knowing where you do. And sometimes the greatest form of self-knowledge is recognizing the soil that allows you to flourish and having the courage to stay there.