how to be a working actor | Marketing 4 Actors

How will you reach your goal?

I know you want to be an actor. What is your specific goal as an actor? Is it to be a series regular on a TV show, to work with Steven Spielberg or to star in a Broadway musical? Maybe you dream of all of these… but what will you aim at first?

Now that we know what you are aiming for let’s talk about the small steps that will get you there. You must set a series of attainable, focused short term goals that will add up to your long term vision for yourself as an actor.

Sounds easy right! Well… It is easy to get started but most of us are good for 2 days, maybe a week or maybe even a month and then we slip back into our old habits. If you truly want to be an actor think about what stepping stones on your path are missing right now. Do you need new headshots? A reel? An awesome acting coach? Some more experience? An agent? Pick one- this is your new short term goal!

Let’s go with headshots…

Find what’s keeping you from this goal? They are too expensive! Ah ha! That’s easy. Set a series of short term goals that will help correct this. Pick up an extra shift a week at work or stop drinking that $4 Starbucks drink every day. There’s your $$. There are your headshots! Check it off the list!

Move onto short term goal #2 on the path to acting success!

See how this works! I made you a nifty diagram to keep you on track below. $$ is usually the big reason we don’t do something for our acting careers. Carry around a small notepad for a few weeks and write down EVERYTHING you spend money on. I mean everything… if it’s $0.50 or $50.00! Then look over your spending and make a list of the ‘extras’ in your life. These are things you do regularly (Starbucks, going out to lunch, extra shopping, drinks with friends, expensive cable tv, etc) that seem insignificant but by months end can end up equaling $100s or even $1000s of dollars. You’ll find that acting class with that awesome teacher, your reel or those new headshots that were always too expensive are a lot more attainable than you thought!

The best way for me to reach my goals is to visualize my progress. I put reminder notes around the house or I make to-do lists everyday to make sure I am staying on track. I also use this great motivational app called Chains (as in ‘don’t break the chain’). You can get it from the itunes app store or find out more info HERE. It helps you set up daily short term goals that will eventually help you achieve your larger long term goal. Chains even has an online community that can help you stick to you goal. Your main motivation is to not ‘break the chain’ of small goals. You can set reminders for each goal and even customize the look of your different chains on the app so it makes it personal and fun! If you’re the kind of person that needs reminders every day to stay on track check this out!

Achieve your first short term goal, your second, your third, etc and eventually you will reach that long-term goal. Just don’t break the chain! We get busy, lazy, and tired- don’t let that keep you from your goal. Let me know what small goals you make for yourself in the comments below and keep me posted on your progress! I can’t wait to see you reach those big goals!

Remember “A Goal without a plan is just a wish!” Stop dreaming about becoming an actor and start doing things EVERYDAY that will make you a successful actor!

Until soon,