The Decision to be an Actor

Decisions are the fuel for every dream you have.

It is that simple.  

You decide to pursue acting, with full knowledge of the life.  Or not.

Some people do 'fall into' acting.  Get discovered. Or someone in their family is in this world.  Or, a perceptive teacher steered them into this or that class.  

How you got here is not important.  

What is vital?  Why you stay.

Deciding to stay an actor. Knowing what you know about the business, and your emotional health in this world, is important.

In a marriage or partnership, you know the difference between staying because you are here already and it would take a lot of energy to change it... and choosing to stay because you like your reasons. You accept that every moment will not be ecstasy, nor every conversation a revelation.

Ask yourself: 

Am I happy in my work? Am I awakened? Am I energized? Am I deeply engaged?

If not, do I want to be?

We are not going to love every job every day. Please know this is human. 

And the part of our brains that screams...

We better not change anything, because we are safe here! If we change something We Could Die! 

...is not what we listen to when we are faced with a decision. Because this brain is the toddler who is driven by the primitive in us all. Stay in the cave. 

The cave could be

This job pays well.

Everyone knows this is a good job.

So many people would love to play this role.

This is what I worked for.

This is my 'type'.

I am lucky to have any job.

Isn't this what I wanted?

The cave is where our mind Justifies our decisions of inaction.

An active decision to stay could be:

I love this work and I want to expand into it as far as possible.

I am still learning.

I am discovering who I am in this role.

My family benefits from this income.

A decision to stay that comes from inaction could be:

It is hard to audition.

I don't know what my next job will be.

I don't have the energy to pursue another career, role, brand.

I don't know how.

I don't know what I want.

The best work we do can come from anywhere. We can feel the muse, be inspired, be too tired to offer our 'usual tricks', take a director's note to new heights, be propelled by the audience, become the character so deeply we don't know where we end and they begin. 

But that doesn't mean we still choose to be actors.

Decide you want this. Or know you want to explore other paths.

Decide you are staying in a relationship, not hiding in one.

Decide you are bringing new life to your acting, not revisiting the same work with less and less inspiration.

It takes work to decide again. It takes resilience.

Decide today. You want to do this. 

And let that thought give you the feeling that can fuel you when looking for work, when disappointed with a call back, when a role goes to someone else, when a director doesn't understand you, when an audience laughs one night and is silent the next, when you miss a wedding because you are working, when your partner wants more of you.

Decisions create energy. One of our three currencies (Time, Energy and Money) that We Can Renew with our Thoughts.

This is everything.

And if you can't decide, again, that you want this life. Know that. 

This is your one life. Today is your day. Decide what you want to do and who are are when you get there.

Decide you are an actor of excellence.

And go to work.