Actors and Procrastination

Oh, here it is...

The one you haven't been waiting for.

What we do when we aren't doing the things we think we want to do. Should do. Ought to do.  Have told ourselves repeatedly we need to do.  

And yet. 

Somehow. Aren't doing.

First:

Actors aren't alone in this, of course.  We have the whole of humanity who, given free will, will trot briskly back into the cave in order to conserve energy, avoid pain, and seek a little (OK, let's make that a LOT) of pleasure.  

You may have noticed a pattern in your work life.  If you book a job, you start working hard to 'be ready' for the rehearsals, the shoot, the requirements of the role.

Or. 

You use the lack of work as evidence of lack of opportunity. 

You stop working to be ready, because a clear vision, a specific job, a notable audition, isn't in your calendar, beckoning you toward greatness.

Let's examine the framing of the word, 'lack'. 

The state of being without, or not having enough of something.

So, sure.  When you're not working in a production, there is a 'lack' of work. 

But, there may be an abundance of time to take action towards work.  Or to ready your mind or body toward work you desire.   

There may be a 'lack' of money when you aren't in production.  

Similarly, there is a great opportunity to get ready for the compensation you want. 

Get your number.  (More on this with Actors and Abundance work) 

Decide on your values and priorities for giving.

Time. Money. Energy.  ALL are currencies.  We all have time.  We all have the same amount of time in a week.  Money can be created with that time and energy. Energy can be cultivated. 

There is never a lack of All Three Currencies.  Find the one you can spend now.  

The 'lack of work and money' can mean more time to focus on relationships.

So much is available to you, at every stage of work.

What do you want to do, that you aren't doing?

Procrastination is a catch all we tend to use.  It dampens your outlook and weakens your relationship with yourself.  

If you aren't doing something (finding a new agent, working on scene work, speech, accent work, business models, your network, your social presence, your brand, your goal outlines), make sure you like your reasons.  

Let's take a common example.

You procrastinate uploading your self tape.  

The reasons are myriad.  

You don't think you'll get cast.  You have acne on your face.  You partner is being noisy.  You had other plans today.  It can wait until tomorrow, the next day, until 30 minutes before your agent wants it.

You don't want to.

You don't like the scene, you have submitted so many anyway.

Procrastination is a little 'quit'.  And we humans like to quit.  Because it gives our primitive brain the littlest hit of relief.  And relief feels nice.  For a few minutes.  Maybe a day.

Watching netflix would be so much nicer.  Our cave brain tells us.

But then, our judgement kicks in.  

I didn't care enough.  Now I have to rush.  I knew I had to do this and I didn't.  Now my shirt isn't clean and I had all day yesterday.  Excuse Numbers 1-10.

So, instead of having a slightly negative feeling, perhaps 'Here goes nothing, with another self tape audition', and Doing It Anyway...

We've added a layer of judgement about ourselves...

'I waited too long.  Other's have been viewed already by casting.  I wasn't ready and now I can't be ready.  Now I have to rush...'

...onto the slightly negative feeling which gives us

a hearty full bodied negative feeling. 

Procrastination makes the negative worse.  

You have the power, with a gentle mind shift, to interrupt this thought 'I don't have to do this now', by knowing why it's better to get it done.

This isn't to say that great work can't arise from procrastination.  It can and does.  

But do you want to live your life with sooooo much time devoted to thinking about reasons you don't have to do things now that you end up doing later anyway? 

It's simple.  Just decide.

Here's a tool:

The next time your brain tells you, 'I need to/want to do this thing, but I don't want to do it now'.

Just decide, in that moment, Exactly When You Will Do It.  And calendar it.  Right then.

If you have a tape due on Monday at 5:00, and you get the sides Friday at noon.  Just decide right then when you will upload it.  Then back up from there (There is a self tape timing sheet to figure this out) and calendar when it happens.

Then.  Your brain can move on.  You will experience a different kind of relief - knowing you are getting it done, without the slight hit of guilt of not doing it right now.

Then.

Here's the grown up part.

Honor your calendar.  Build the integrity in your relationship to yourself, as much as you would meeting a respected colleague at a specific time.  

Really.  To change your plan with yourself should involve bleeding or screaming, generally both.  

Keep your date with yourself!

Practice doing this once a week.  Make a plan to get something done you don't like to do.  We all have ideas, dreams, or mundane tasks we don't want to sit down and work on (or stand up and go to, or pick up the phone to make the call, or you fill in what it is you don't do..).

It could be calling your mother.  Or fixing something in your house or apartment.  Or making a doctor's appointment you don't want to go to.

Think of all the time you'll get back when you aren't thinking AGAIN that 'I still have to get this done'.  

It will just.

Be done.

Relief.

Do something today.

Really.

Go.