More than 10 Francis Marion University students gathered in the Lowrimore Auditorium on the evening of Nov. 5th as the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) hosted its final fall speaker broadcast.
Hosted by Devin Lasker, this broadcast followed the format of the other two broadcasts from earlier weeks– showcasing a celebrity and having them answer NSLS students’ questions in relation to leadership and achieving goals. This broadcast featured the well known actor, writer and director, Sylvester Stallone, and he helped to inspire and encourage students to chase their future endeavors.
Lasker kicked off the questionnaire by asking Stallone, “How can members develop the self awareness to give self constructive criticism?” Without skipping a beat, Stallone replied, and began to recall his writing process, and his methods of self critiquing.
“I welcome writer’s block, because that means I’m thinking about something,” he said. “I try not to beat myself up, I know it’s going to work out. Some things aren’t meant to go the way you expect.”
Lasker then told Stallone that a few students had sent in video questions for him to answer. The first question was from NSLS student Alecia Lopez. Lopez asked, “What advice would you give students who want to turn their passions into meaningful careers, but aren’t sure where to start?”
Stallone smiled before answering. “Find something that moves you, and don’t beat yourself up. Learn the craft—Picasso studied the masters, and then became a master himself.”
The second question was from NSLS student Dylan Young. Young asked, “What key principles of leadership have helped you push through, and how do you motivate others around you?”
Stallone reflected for a moment before responding. “You have to learn what makes you interesting,” he said. “You start to learn about yourself, get confident, and become unphased by rejection.” He then spoke about how he practices ‘mirror therapy’, which he describes as looking into the mirror and telling himself that difficult things will happen, but he will make it through.
Throughout the broadcast, Stallone reflected a lot about his writing process when it came to writing scripts, as well as his upcoming memoir, The Steps.
“Even if I only write one sentence, it’s one more sentence than yesterday. Every path of success has difficulty, and you must maintain the ‘I’m gonna make this’ mentality. I hung in there for 29 years and 11 months, and that’s what Rocky came from. Don’t stop pushing, and don’t be afraid to pivot.” said Stallone.
Closing up the broadcast, Lasker asked Stallone a final question. “Why do you believe it is important for students to develop leadership skills when it comes to being successful at becoming a leader?”
“It’s hard to lead; it’s a learned skill. You have to have an organized head. The brain is a muscle, the more you use it, the more it’s going to reward you,”said Stallone.
Ending the broadcast, Lasker presented Stallone with an honorary NSLS membership. “That means a lot to me,” said Stallone.
Stallone’s memoir, The Steps, hits shelves in May 2026. To see more of him, catch season 3 of “Tulsa King,” now streaming on Paramount Plus.