He has no social media, he only works ten weeks a year, lives on 38 square meters and is one of the country’s most popular comedians. But in recent years have Mikael Thornwing cut back on TV jobs and have chosen to only do Jeopardy and Kompani Svan.
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When he visited Look Schultz in Swedens radio he told us a bit about why he chose to go the way he did and live the way he does today.
Mikael Thornwing. Image source: TT/Nyhetsbyrån
– When the kids moved out to do military service and so on. Then one day I realized that I didn’t move more than the kitchen and the bedroom and I didn’t use the rest of the apartment. Then I thought I was being worked way too much. I thought that you should really have more time to relax and spend time with people you like, he told me then.
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– Winning a hundred kroner on the lottery… that might not be the optimal plan. So I started cutting back on my expenses, sold the apartment and moved to a much smaller one. And this lifestyle has given me a great deal of freedom… because the minimalist thing also means that the money you earn is not used up as quickly.
Mikael Tornving asked for a lower salary
When Mikael guested on the Framgångspodden with Alexander Pärleros Alexander was also curious about Tornving’s financial thinking. Among other things, he wondered how it came about that he once in his life asked for a lower salary.
You got a job where you asked for a lower salary, how come?
– My boss offered me a salary. And I lost at least SEK 10,000… Then of course he asked why I did it? But it was like this… this was a consulting company and I knew that I would be measured on what I pulled in. Then I wanted to work alone for six months because I guessed that it would take between six months and a year before I had any kind of income to talk about, he says and continues:
“I lost at least SEK 10,000”. Image source: Stella Pictures
– The less I cost this company during the apprenticeship period, the safer I can be in the learning process when you have to build a network and other things that take time. So I also had the opportunity to take a lower salary as I lived cheaply, could go to work and so on. But for me it’s important not to feel the stress of having to deliver at a high level NOW. But you can sneak up there when the numbers have gone up.
Alexander asked Mikael if it was all about confidence. But that was not the case.
– It’s not about doubting that you can do it damn well. But until such time as I can prove to you with my income how well I am doing, I want a lower salary so that you will leave me alone, concluded Mikael.