As Deacon Puts It All On the Line, Bold & Beautiful’s Sean Kanan Offers Him Life-Altering Advice

“He’s sitting on a secret that could blow everything up!” 

Everything’s coming up roses for Bold & Beautiful‘s Deacon these days. For the first time in years, he seems to be on the right track. After all, he’s the new owner of Il Giardino, he’s made daughter Hope and her mom, Brooke, proud. “Heck,” says portrayer Sean Kanan, “he even moved out of the broom closet! His new apartment may not be all that, but it’s a step up!”

Unfortunately, the rug could easily be ripped out from under the restauranteur… by his own doing! “He’s sitting on a secret that could blow everything up,” sighs Kanan, referring to his involvement with Sheila. “Nobody would be thrilled to find out she was staying with him for months!”

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There’s good news, however. Because as it happens, when Kanan’s not toiling on the set of the soap, he’s working as a success coach… which means he’s in the perfect position to offer his alter ego a bit of helpful advice. “This is sort of an abridged version of what I think is necessary for one to be successful, and it all starts with character.”

What does that mean? “Show up and be accountable,” he says firmly. “I’d tell Deacon to be scrupulous and diligent in maintaining his behavior. He needs to say what he means and mean what he says.”

Of course, that step alone could get the guy into a bit of trouble, given the secrets he’s keeping. But hopefully, Brooke, Hope and everyone else will employ Kanan’s second piece of advice if and when the truth comes outf: “Be compassionate. You never know what private war someone else is waging. For example, maybe you’re behind a little old lady at the drug store, and she’s taking a long time at the counter. You’re probably thinking a few thoughts that might get you arrested, but what you don’t realize is that maybe she’s deciding whether she can afford her husband’s heart medication or to put food on the table.”

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His final piece of advice? Hustle. “You can always be the first person to show up at work and the last one to leave,” he points out. (And Deacon does seem to be putting in a whole lot of effort at the restaurant. Especially if his never-ending quest to perfect those pizzas is any indication!)

Helpful as talent is, it’s not enough… a lesson Kanan admits he learned the hard way. “For many years, I believed that the talent God gave me was enough. So sometimes, I didn’t work as hard as I should have,” he reflects. “And I paid for that. But when you combine talent with hustle, it becomes an unstoppable combination.”

If reading this, you’re thinking to yourself, “Geez, this is exactly the kind of inspiration I need to motivate me” whether with regards to your job, diet or life in general, good news: Kanan has written two books (with a third on the way) which you can grab for yourself by clicking here. You can also arrange for a little one-on-one training with the actor, who loves that he gets to “help people be more meaningfully happy in their lives.”

Plus, he adds, it’s a two-way street. “I learn something from every single person I interact with. I love that after people read the books, they reach out to me and share their experiences. I go from teacher to student in those moments, and it gives me more information to help others down the line!”

Heaven knows if Kanan took on Deacon as a client, he’d have his work cut out. Why? Allow us to remind you — via the gallery below — of the guy’s very, very checkered past!