Ultimately I want to make a living as an actor. This is not an easy task by any means, though I know it can be done. What I recently realized is that I really needed to adjust my mindset for this to happen. There are so many factors to consider. For a long time I just considered them, over and over again. And I didn’t really do anything about any of it. But I did a lot of considering, which led to a lot of frustration. Eventually I decided to do something and I wrote down all of my major career/artistic goals. It was relatively easy from there to think about the little things that would need to be done in order to accomplish these goals. For example if I wanted to work regularly in Equity theatres, I would need to do excellent auditions, contact directors and casting directors about shows I’m in so they can see my work, etc. Then when I did get the opportunity to work on a high profile stage, I would need to do a good job which would facilitate me being hired again. Pretty simple stuff.


But what I didn’t connect until recently, is that in essence it’s still all about the craft. I’m not denying the need for actors to learn more about "the business". I know that I need to be proactive as far as self-promotion and acquire skills that are likely to lead to larger or more frequent paychecks even if they are not necessarily my number one passion (e.g. voiceovers, TV commercials). But ultimately it’s still about good acting. I realized that if I approached every audition not only as an audition but as an opportunity to act then I would be a lot happier, and probably more successful. As an actor, what I love to do is bring a script and a story to life, and I want the audience to enjoy that experience with me. But if I’m going in to an audition and my mindset is "I really really really want this part!!" then I disconnect myself from why I’m acting in the first place.


So what I’ve been doing recently is saying to myself "This is an opportunity to act! I already have the part. Perhaps I only have the part for a few minutes, but I have the part, and I get to act it. And if I move my audience (since this particular audience has the direct power to cast me in a project) there is a chance that I will be able to play the part again. Or if not this part, then maybe another part down the road." This mindset has helped me to feel more connected in my auditions, as if I’m actually acting and not just "auditioning". I still really really want the part (some parts more than others) but the mindset of "I’m playing the part for this audition" allows me to more fully step into the role. It’s also helped me to feel more positive about my career when I’m not actually in a play or film. All I have to do is continue submitting myself for auditions, preparing for the auditions and then acting. The more auditions I do, the more acting I do, the more experience I get, the more confidence I get, the better I act, the better my auditions go, the more I am cast, the more acting I do, the more experience I get . . .and it goes on. And if I’m focusing on doing excellent acting as the foundation of my career, then I will truly be ready when the big opportunities do come along.