Shawn Michaels Tells WWE NXT Talent This Is The Hardest Work They'll Do

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who has a key role behind the curtain in regard to the direction of the "NXT" brand, revealed a crucial piece of advice he provided to talent in the locker room.

"I try to tell the talent that the hardest work they're ever going to do is creatively," Michaels told Bleacher Report. "I think what made DX and the Attitude Era what they were was trying to think ahead of the times we were in. We just felt a change and a wave coming very different than what wrestling was. We wanted to take it from a traditional and purist standpoint into something more as sports entertainment."

Michaels, who serves WWE as Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, initially retired from the ring in 2010 after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 in a No Disqualification Streak vs. Career match. "The Heartbreak Kid" would lace up his boots one more time in 2018, teaming with D-Generation X tag team partner Paul "Triple H" Levesque against The Undertaker and Kane at that year's Crown Jewel premium live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following his final match, Michaels became a writer and producer for the "NXT" brand. His latest title as SVP of Talent Development Creative was assigned to him after Levesque took over the reins as Chief Content Officer following Vince McMahon's retirement. It has given Michaels a more hands-on role with "NXT" as he oversees the creative and development for the brand.