A Faster Way to Realize Your Dreams

Here’s a little “to do” that if you actually DO it, will help you get what you want much faster!  But of course, you have to know what it is you want for this to work.  I have found in my coaching sessions that not distinguishing what EXACTLY my client wants is the biggest obstacle to a successful acting career that dreams are made of.  “I just want to make my living as an actor” is not a goal…at least one that can have a strategic plan with actions that will bring you that manifestation.  

So what do YOU want?

WRITE down your big dream, short term desire (a 90 day goal) and a supportive belief.  What do I mean by that?  Here’s an example:

Big Dream:  I have just been nominated for my first Oscar and am about to appear on a hit late night talk show.  

Short Term Desire:  I have just been cast in my first leading role for PAY in an independent film.

Supportive Belief:  Because of my strong acting skills and fabulous network, I believe my determination and natural likability will make it easy for me to get cast in the kind of projects that I want to act in.

Give yourself the gift of this 15 minute exercise and I can absolutely guarantee a HUGE difference will be seen in 90 days. Why, because what you FOCUS on expands.  Attention to your dreams and goals (a dream with a deadline) is what speeds up any process!

Why 90 days?  Because some scientist or genius figured out that anything done for this amount of time eventually becomes habitual.  And creating the habit of focusing on exactly what you want will have it come to you faster.

For more assistance I’ve put together the 90 Kick Butt Kick Start Program workbook for you if you’re feeling like this would be helpful to you. Give it a try!

Also, I’d love to hear about some of your big dreams and short term desires in the comments below!

14 Ways to Get INSANELY Motivated!

No matter the season, the weather, or even what the day of the week it is, we can always use a little motivation to lift our spirits.  I thought it appropriate to give some ways that I guarantee will make you immediately feel more successful (what ever that means to you!) for today and beyond.

Here are 14 quick strategies to get and keep yourself insanely motivated:

1. Condition your mind. Train yourself to think positive thoughts while avoiding negative thoughts.

2. Condition your body. It takes physical energy to take action.  Get your food and exercise plan in place and follow it just like your business plan.  I just started back at the gym again, yay!

3. Avoid negative people. They drain your energy and waste your time, so hanging with them is like shooting yourself in the foot…or worse. Learn and practice the word NO!

4. Seek out the similarly motivated. This is why the Act Outside the Box community exists.  The positive energy of like-minded, pro-active actors will rub off on you and you can model their success strategies.  Wanna join us?  Check out The Gold Standard mentoring program.

5. Have big goals–but remain flexible. No creative biz plan should be cast in concrete, lest it become more important than achieving the goal.  Know that every plan will alter.

6. Act with a higher purpose.  I love this one.  Any activity or action that doesn’t serve your higher goal is wasted effort–and should be avoided at all costs.  Really “check in” with your gut…it never lies.

7. Take responsibility for your own results. If you blame (or credit) luck, fate or divine intervention, you’ll always have an excuse.

8. Stretch past your limits on a daily basis. Walking the old, familiar paths is how you grow old. Stretching makes you grow and evolve.  I do something called “never dones”.  Basically I take on, at least once a week, something I’ve never done before.  It’s VERY exciting.

9. Don’t wait for perfection; do it now! Perfectionists are the losers in the game of life.  I know this because I’m a recovering perfectionist!  Strive for excellence instead.

10. Celebrate your failures. Your most important lessons in life will come from what you don’t achieve. Take time to understand where you fell short, then correct and continue.

11. Don’t make success your highest priority…make it happiness. Success is a feeling, not a thing or a circumstance.  It is a place to come from, not to get to.  Laugh and enjoy every moment of the inspired actions you’re taking toward your goals.  If you can achieve that during the process, you ARE successful.

12. Avoid weak goals.  Goals are the soul of achievement, so never begin them with “I’ll try…”  Always start with “I will” or “I can.”  Big dreams with short term attainable goals are the way to go.  Remember, if you shoot for the moon and miss, you’ll still fall amongst the stars! (quote by Les Brown)

13. Treat inaction as the only real failure.  If you don’t take action, you fail by default and can’t even learn from the experience.  ACT Outside the Box.

14. Think before you speak.  This should actually have been #1…but it’s a GREAT thing to leave you with.  Keep silent rather than express something that doesn’t serve your purpose.

The above is based on a conversation with Omar Periu, one of the world’s best (and best known) motivational speakers.

And what is one of YOUR ways to get and stay motivated?  Please share with your fellow acting community by commenting.  Thanks!

Creating New Industry Relationships – a “How To” Guide

You’ve got to meet, listen to, work with, and hang out with people at the next level and you will get to the next level.  No exceptions.

When I first started out I did background work like a lot of actors do.  I spent my days on set counting the hours until lunch and reading magazines.  Sometimes I’d be upset when getting called to the set. I was in the middle of something important…like a card game with another actor.

Yes, you read that correctly. I didn’t pay attention to the crew and learn their names, but I sure knew I’d like to be in the union and get the better food and more money. Oh yeah, and I thought that if I looked really sweet at the director he might give me a line. I was such a novice back then and I really needed someone to tell me what to do to have my career work out.  Now I’m the one that does that for a living.  Full circle, right?  And that’s why I do this…to pass on what I’ve learned the hard way through lots and lots of experience so it doesn’t have to be as hard for you my friend.  Read on please…

Actors who’ve created an enviable career have a knack for understanding how to make every experience a small step on the ladder to where they want to go. (Goal) They observe others, pay attention and they can undoubtedly share a lot of lessons they’ve learned along the way (many of which they probably learned the hard way too). 

So here’s are a question to ask yourself if you intend to expand your network of influence by forming some new stellar relationships in service of the forward progress of your career:

1. How many casting directors know your work?

You know the old saying “It’s who you know” that will help you get ahead in this biz?  It’s actually our tag line at Actors Connection. Well honestly, I think that’s only half true. 

My take on it is “it’s who knows you”.

For every agent meeting you take, you will be asked, “How many casting directors know your work?”  Before you interview, my recommendation is that you have at least a list of 10 or don’t go! And when you have an agent, they will want you to continue to grow your list on your own in addition to the auditions they send you on.

So how do you create a network of influential people like those top casting directors that know you, like your acting work and are in your court?  

Let’s look at 5 ways to do just that:

  1. Mail or email your headshot and resume to the 20 top casting directors in your area of focus every quarter, without fail, letting them know that you’re available and what else is going on in your career. Ex. new class, skill acquired, call back or booking.
  2. Identify which CD’s you’d like to show your talent to in person and book a meeting with them at a casting director workshop establishment like Actors Connection in New York or Ace Studios in Los Angeles.  If you’re not in either of those two cities, check for local opportunities or submit a reel for critique on ActorsInsite.com.
  3. Attend a networking party, brunch, assistant’s night, screening or other event where casting directors and other industry professionals will be in attendance. Introduce yourself as an actor and be interested in them and what they do before you offer a headshot and resume.
  4. Volunteer at or attend a charity event frequented by the entertainment community.  Animal rescue and health awareness causes always draw actors, agents and casting directors alike.  Do your research on your top picks to see what they stand for and if you get behind the same cause, you have commonality.
  5. Follow or friend them on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.  Today casting directors use the web to offer advice, post auditions and offer feedback on many things hoping to help the actors they will meet someday in an audition room.

It’s time you understood that without a HUGE network of people that have you on their radar, the chances of having the BREAKTHROUGH, kick-butt, acting career of your dreams are pretty much dead in the water.  Talent is not enough…people have to know you’re talented, like you, and have you be on their list in order for you to be able to act for a living. There are many people in the showbiz world who are ready and waiting for you to get connected and STAY connected.  You never know which one of them will be key in your forward movement. 

I’d love to hear some of your thoughts on meeting new people…how you do it, why you do it and most importantly, how you keep in touch!