Negative Thoughts

It's common to have negative thoughts as an actor, but you need to be in control of them and not let them control you.

1. I feel lonely as an actor.
   1. Talk to your family about how you feel. That's called being vulnerable and it makes life way easier. If you're not willing to do that, create a group of close acting friends or hire a marketing consultant like me to help you get through. If you decide to hire me, know that I am there to both challenge and support you and hold you to a higher standard so you reach your goals faster. I'll always be there to pick you up, but I won't let you sabotage yourself if things start getting difficult. Feel free to email me to set up a free consultation to see if we'd be a right fit for one another.
2. I try to stop myself from worrying but sometimes fear still grips me.
   1. That's only natural. Whenever things go wrong, I use a simple, 5 step process to immediately feel better and get out of my slump: Step 1: Change your state. Jump up and down a few times and force yourself to smile. Or do a few pushups! Step 2: Ask yourself... "What's great about this?" Step 3: Ask, "What's not perfect yet?" Step 4: Go to, "What am I willing to do to make it perfect?" Step 5: Ask, "What am I not willing to do to make it perfect?" If you actually spend the time to come up with 3-5 answers for each question, you'll get right back on track in no time. Sometimes you can change your entire life by asking these questions when the time is right. Seriously!
3. I sometimes wish I could talk to my family or people close to me about my deepest worries as an actor, but it's embarrassing.
   1. You can. Being vulnerable is the best way to get someone to connect with you at the deepest level and might be exactly what you need if you want to break through in your acting career to the next level. See my answer to Question 5 for more details.
4. I need someone to talk to to clear my head.
   1. Talk to a friend! Or talk to me and I'll help you come up with a solution! Email me here. Or you can hire a therapist or life coach. There are always people to talk to.
5. I have deep challenges in my acting career but I'm afraid of how I'll be perceived by others if I actually ask for help with some of these things - especially things that might be embarrassing for me.
   1. Everyone only cares about themselves, so there is no real point in worrying about how people will perceive you. Why? Because when it comes down to it, by telling others about the ways you've screwed up or thew things you're scared of, it actually makes them feel better about themselves and happier, and they will like you more (as strange as that sounds). The more you embarrass yourself, the more other people will feel for you and want to help.
6. I don’t want to see my friends because they are successful in their careers. I don’t want to talk about how well they’re doing and how bad I’m doing.
   1. This is the opposite mindset of what you need. Ever heard the saying: "You are the average of the five people with whom you surround yourself most?" If you spend time with people who are unsuccessful, you'll stay unsuccessful. Connect with people who are very successful! Just to hang out with them you'll have to hold yourself to a higher standard and move your career forward in the process!
7. I wish I had a partnership group to help keep me accountable.
   1. Put one together - you can easily get a small group of your actor peers together and start meeting every week online or in-person. Or join the Actor Mastermind Group, which is just $100 per month. Email me and I'll answer any questions you have about it!
8. I worry I may have missed my opportunity as an actor.
   1. I hate to sound harsh, but in reality that's a lie you're telling yourself. There are successful actors at all ages, so don't use that excuse to not keep pushing!
9. Why would a filmmaker or agent want to help me? What do I have to offer them?
   1. If you're a good actor, there are people out there looking for YOU, I promise. YOU have something unique to offer even if you don't realize it. Go check out the page on branding and finding your type to see what unique traits you have to offer. If you're not a good actor on the other hand, then yes, you probably have nothing to offer them. Yet. So start training!
10. The only people who get ahead in the acting industry are the ones who got lucky - and what if I never get lucky?
    1. That's another lie you're telling yourself. There are successful lucky actors and there are successful actors who worked smart and hard without luck. Note - I didn't say just say "worked hard." There is a difference between "working hard" and "working hard and smart."
11. Sometimes I almost feel ready to throw in the towel. How will I ever make it as an actor?
    1. Just read all the answers to the questions on this site. If you're still feeling stuck and want to throw some money at the problem, email me and I guarantee I'll get you unstuck (or I'll refund you).
12. ​I feel depressed because of all the rejection and inability to know why.
    1. You need something positive to put your energy into. Most actors are creative people and if you don't have anything positive and creative you're doing on the side that's giving you positive reinforcement, you'll start to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and depressed. I recommend starting your own creative project, whether that be making your own short film, writing, helping others by starting a freelance business, or even putting on your own show. Feel free to try anything to stay creative in-between auditions.
13. I feel disappointed frequently when I don't get jobs.
    1. Most actors do, it's natural. Just don't stay there. Move on. Read my answer to Question 11.
14. I feel like my talent is going to waste because no one will give me a chance.
    1. If you're actually talented, your talent IS going to waste. That means you need to learn how to market yourself better by connecting with people. Read through the Networking section and Next Level sections of all these questions for help. Reach out to me for a free consultation and my guarantee is you WILL reach your goal or I'll refund you everything you paid. I don't consult with people willy-nilly. We pick something and go after it with everything we've got - and if we fail, you don't pay me.