Are Success and Happiness the Same?
I don’t hear many actors talk specifically about happiness. I hear a lot of folks wanting success…but isn’t happiness what success is supposed to bring? Let’s take a good look at actors and happiness.
When you were young your parents taught you a lot. You had many conversations that shaped your upbringing, your values and beliefs. All parents want their children to be happy (of course!) but few parents actually talk about happiness or know how to teach it. Also, judging from our day to day conversations in our community with fellow actors on the set, in a class or workshop, at auditions, etc. it seems not many actors are “happy” with their career. This is even more true when speaking about your talent agent. Rarely do I hear how happy an actor is with their rep.
Their agent/manager isn’t getting them enough auditions; they didn’t get a call back; the director of the show picked someone else for the solo; the subway/bus/plane/traffic caused you to be late…and on and on and on.
“How are you?” we ask and are asked all day long when we greet one another. There could be 20 great things that happened to you that day and two “bad” things and yet what seems to get the air time? The complaints. It’s, dare I say it, normal. And that’s sad.
Even folks hoping to stay positive use phrases like “oh it could be worse”, “I’m still in it”, “okay”, “can’t complain” and the like. So what’s the point Lisa, you ask?
The point is this: You have the ability at every moment in time to have the words you use directly reflect AND shape your happiness. You were BORN to be happy. Happiness is natural. As a creative person, it suits you completely. You look good and you feel good when you allow your natural state of being to pour through you. Your step is light, your mind is free, and your spirit soars when you let happiness simply happen. The entire world responds to your happiness.
When you are truly happy you are radiant and highly functioning in life. And most of all you are loving, which is the essence of true happiness. You’re naturally kind, generous, open, warm, and friendly. The best part of BEING HAPPY is that there is no fear, no anxiety and no doubt. ALL things necessary for this career…and indeed your life!
When you’re happy you’re on point and on purpose. And you’re also very REAL. Authenticity is key for actors right? After all it’s impossible to be happy and play small, hide, or be defensive. It feels good. Happiness is also very attractive in that it literally attracts great things, people and projects to you! That’s the LAW of Attraction, one of my favorite subjects! (more on the LOA in future posts…)
What are your thoughts? Seem to good to be true? What’s your opinion around having your speaking creating your happiness? Or what about drawing aligned people and projects to you simply because you are happy? Feel free to respond and share.
Do you get to NYC often? Love to see you. Beverly Penberthy
Hi Beverly, of course I’ll be returning to the place where Act Outside the Box was created! However nothing is on the books at present. Rest assured I’ll let you know. I’d love to see you too!
I met you only once at Reproductions about 2007. Your articles are SO inspirational and spot on! These 2 articles on Happiness, I find especially good, and could only have been written by a truly happy person. Unfortunately, I find few performers who are truly happy today, especially with all the political and values “diversity”, which often results in “hostility”. I was born a happy child, and there is no substitute for genetics. The performers I have always found the happiest, are the musical theatre people, which is where I started my career at age 26. I am now 65. Strangely, the unhappiest people I have met in show business were among the most “successful” in terms of money and career–often jaded and cynical. Today, I find happiness very elusive , as I have been suffering with the effects of long term PTSD and sleep deprivation for about 2 months now. The result of a religious mind control cult experience in the 1980’s–very debilitating…. Hope I get to meet you again, once I am feeling better. Keep up the good work! P.S. Did you see “Sully”? About 40 minutes into the movie, I have a featured bit. looking out sliding glass doors at the plane as it clears the GW Bridge. It resulted in a very good close up–directed by Clint Eastwood! Now, there is a naturally happy guy!
Hi Darrell, you make so many great points of your own! And according to the folks I follow and admire, we are ALL born happy…then “unlearn” that happiness from there. It’s a complicated world indeed. I’ll have to go see Sully again as I loved it the first time. What an illumination of “perception” right? It all worked out and yet there will always be folks making mountains out of molehills. We’ll always have detractors so it truly is up to us to make ourselves happy. Keep on doing that good work.