Your Career MINDSET – Set up? Or Up-set?

I’ve used the term “Success” in a few of my recent posts.  I’d like to clarify what I mean by success.  To me, success is in your THINKING.

While most people look at their bank accounts, homes, clothes, awards and acknowledgements, having an agent or other “outward” symbols or signs that show they are a success, I have a personal experience of success defined by the way I feel on a daily and on-going basis.

I know many people, actors and others, who have an abundance of the aforementioned things in their lives, who are extremely unhappy, have struggles in their relationships and are on Prozac or other anit-depressants.  Conversely, I also know folks who live paycheck to paycheck, share an apartment with 4 other people, no car, no savings, no agent, no visible “stuff” to be admired and yet they are happy and know and believe that what they are working on or towards is inevitable.  Hummmmm.

Success is in your thinking.  And what you think is what informs how you feel.

It’s my humble opinion that the outward signs of success (that “stuff” again) are wanted only for the simple reason that once they are obtained, you’ll FEEL good!  And that feeling is success.  Hummmmm?

Well here’s the good news.  You can feel successful right NOW, without the stuff… and you know what?  Once you’ve figured out how to do that, the “stuff” will come faster!  How’s that for a mind-bender?

Here’s my list of the 7 Habits of Highly Successful Actors…and in my next several posts, I hope you’ll continue to read more and take a closer look with me into how your mindset will make or break you in this biz.

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS NEVER STOP MARKETING

Be consistent and mechanical = no stop and start
(Out of site out of mind…it’s TRUE)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE ALWAYS NETWORKING

Hang out with other enthusiastic actors, participate in positivity
(Get out of your house, move away from the computer!)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE ALWAYS IN AN ACTING CLASS

Have a continued appreciation for the craft and other actor’s work
(If you’re not growing, you’re dying – there’s no in between)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS DO THEIR HOMEWORK

Study, research and KNOW who the players are in this industry
(Names of people and projects, box office gross, deals and more)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS KEEP A POSITIVE MINDSET

Speak and think WELL of yourself and others ALWAYS
(Kill off the negative little voice in your head)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE ORGANIZED, ON TIME, AND RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS

Have integrity in EVERYTHING you do
(Not the moral kind, the NOT cutting corners kind)

SUCCESSFUL ACTORS HAVE BOTH ARTISTIC AND FINANCIAL GOALS

Have a PLAN for your day, week, month, and year in advance
– with room for adjustments, but committing to accomplishing them
(Most actors don’t plan to fail – they fail to plan)

If some of the above sounds repetitive, GOOD!  It’s meant to be.  I’ll keep on saying the same things over and over and over and over again until it sinks in.  If it’s already in, then it’s time to apply it.  If you’ve already applied it, it’s time to keep consistent with what works.  And rinse and repeat and never give up!

I’d love to hear your comments on what success means to you!