Henry Winkler on His Secret to Success at 78: 'If You Stay at the Table Long Enough, the Chips Come to You'

"Don’t think about what you don’t have. Embrace and enjoy what’s in front of you," shares the 'Being Henry: The Fonz... and Beyond' author, who turned 78 on Monday

Henry Winkler knows what it takes to have staying power in Hollywood.

In the October/November issue of AARP Magazine, the Happy Days star  — who turned 78 on Monday — discussed landing the role of Gene Cousineau on the HBO dark comedy Barry, for which he won his first Emmy award in 2018 after several nominations.

“Barry is a miracle,” exclaims the actor, who went through periods in his career in which he struggled to find roles.

During his acceptance speech for the long-awaited award, he shared, “If you stay at the table long enough, the chips come to you.”

Related: Henry Winkler Pushes Back on His 'Nice Guy' Image and Says 'Gratitude' Brings Him Joy (Exclusive)

Winkler told AARP that he was grateful to take home the trophym despite other actors claiming to not need the recognition, saying, “Actors sometimes say, ‘I don’t really care about the winning.I have my Emmy or my whatever, and it’s a doorstop in the bathroom.’ They’re lying!”

Ahead of the release of his new memoir Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond, he said he has no plans to slow down.

“I have my work and writing,” he said. “When will the switch flip? When will the dial turn me down? I still have the energy.”

Related: Henry Winkler Celebrates 78th Birthday with a ‘Jump the Shark’ Cake on The View

Winkler is embracing his next chapter and advises fans to follow in his footsteps, saying, “Don’t think about what you don’t have. Embrace and enjoy what’s in front of you.”

The actor also opened up about his personal evolution, saying, “The old Henry got me here, but the new Henry is more fun.”

His attitude is also reflected in his home which is designed to be a gathering place for family including six grandchildren. He shares, “There are no plastic covers on our sofas. This house is meant for the lives of all of the children to be as free and as fun-filled as possible. And you know, if there’s a spot here, a spot there, big deal. The laughter, the squeals, the running, the food throwing, the toy playing is worth a spot or two.”

Related: Henry Winkler Opens Up About Rejecting Grease: 'I Spent Most of My Adult Life Being Frightened' (Exclusive)

Looking back on his four decades in showbiz, Winkler told PEOPLE earlier this month he realized he spent too many years holding himself back due to crippling self-doubt caused by his dyslexia, and extolled the importance of taking risks.

"You have to jump off the precipice and just trust you're going to fly," he said, remembering some lean years when the acting jobs weren't coming and he had a family to support and a mortgage to pay. That vulnerable place ultimately led him to tap into new opportunities in his career.

"What am I going to do?" he recalled wondering at the time. "And then somebody suggested I become a producer. I start off saying, 'I can't do it. I'm dyslexic. I have no idea what the business is. I can't do it.' And then finally you say, 'Oh, just shut up and try.'"

"So, I think shut up and try is the [lesson]," he continued. "It sounds simple, but it might be the most important lesson that I could pass on to somebody."

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Henry Winkler's memoir Being Henry: The Fonz .... and Beyond is available Tuesday wherever books are sold.

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