Bernard Hiller, world-renowned Hollywood acting coach and success mentor, talks with Monaco Life about his unique approach to personal transformation, inner power and vulnerability. 

Recommended by Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson and Nadja Swarovski, Hiller is currently in Monaco, conducting a series of intensive workshops aimed at helping participants unlock their true potential and live authentically. He shares his insights on the importance of taking risks, the power of failure and how embracing your vulnerability can lead to extraordinary success in both life and business.

Monaco Life: Tell us a bit about your history.

Bernard Hiller: Well, I started as a performer, an actor, singer and dancer, in New York City, doing Broadway musicals. I was constantly acting and performing. At some point, I began teaching acting all over the world, creating exercises that helped people connect with their feelings, emotions, passion and inner power. About 20 years ago, businesspeople started contacting me because they needed help with communication, learning how to connect to their inner power and express their feelings and passion.

I teach people how to be successful, and one of the key principles I share is that if you have a dream that’s too logical, you’ll never achieve it. Only unrealistic dreams come true. It has to feel unrealistic. Goals and ideas change the world for the better.

Suddenly, I found myself teaching CEOs and business leaders around the globe how to communicate and manage better. I believe that the root of suffering lies in people who are not connected to their authentic selves.

A lady who lives in Monaco that I worked with asked me to share my knowledge with others here, saying they needed something that would uplift and inspire them.

You’ve worked with a wide range of actors. What are the key qualities that separate great performers from good ones?

The thing that holds people back is often themselves. The great performers are the ones who take risks, are vulnerable and remain hungry to learn. I work with Academy Award winners and those who aspire to win one, and what sets them apart is their willingness to listen, to learn, to change and to carry themselves with passion and style. I’ve developed a course, called ‘How to Live an Oscar-Winning Life’, based on the idea that we are all born to be stars. People who want to be amazing make a choice to be courageous and take action steps. I’m only teaching what has worked for me.

You’ve talked about authenticity and connecting to one’s inner power. Can you elaborate on that?

Authenticity stops when society imposes us to act. People are constantly acting based on how they think others want them to behave. I wrote a book called Stop Acting, Start Living, which emphasises that the day you stop acting is the day your authenticity has a chance to emerge. We’re all playing roles: journalist, parent, partner and so on. Authentic people have the courage to discover who they truly are and share that with the world. You know you’re being authentic when you make your soul visible to the world, when you’re happy and connected to your power, and stop seeking approval.

You encourage people to be incredibly vulnerable. How important is vulnerability?

Vulnerability is the most important factor in success. You can’t be successful at anything without it. In love, in business, in life—vulnerability is essential. During the Covid pandemic, we were all reminded of our vulnerability. I teach people something called “80% pain forever, or 20% temporarily”. If you don’t take risks and do what you really want, you’ll experience long-term pain. But if you do take a risk and face rejection or failure, the pain is temporary, and it will pass.

You say that successful people ask for help. Why do people struggle with that, and how can they overcome the fear of bothering others?

The first problem is that people are often living from their heads, trying to control everything. The mind doesn’t want you to be happy or successful. Asking for help is actually a sign of strength. Look at any successful person—they have coaches and mentors. Even top athletes like Messi and Federer have coaches. If you want to achieve something you’ve never achieved, you need to become someone you’ve never been, and the right mentor can help you find parts of yourself you didn’t even know existed.

What role does failure play in success, and how do you encourage your clients to deal with it?

Failure is just a matter of opinion. There’s no such thing as failure; there are only results you don’t like. Many successful products, like rubber or Viagra, were discovered by accident. Failure is just part of the journey to success. The key is to keep going until you get the results you want.

What’s your opinion on people who prefer to play the role of victim in life?

People often get something out of playing the victim—whether it’s attention or avoiding risk. Every action has a perceived benefit to the person doing it, even if it’s not a positive one. People who play the victim are often afraid of being vulnerable or taking risks. But the only way to live a happy, successful life is to embrace vulnerability.

How do you help people unlearn societal expectations and embrace their true selves?

We live in a world of “collective loneliness”, where social media disconnects us more than it connects us. When people come to my workshops, we focus on what they want to achieve, not what’s wrong with them. If you’re comparing yourself to others, make sure you’re comparing up, not down. Surround yourself with people who inspire you.

You’re hosting a workshop here in Monaco. Can you tell us about that?

Yes, I’m holding a three-day workshop here from 10th to 12th September at the Yacht Club de Monaco. It’s based on the idea that you can change quickly if you want to. Life is all about change, and if you don’t change, you risk becoming irrelevant. My workshop is for those who want to transform their lives and become the best version of themselves. To live a life based on purpose, meaning and joy.

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