The Great Acting Blog: ‘”Become The Architect Of Your Career”

The Great Acting Blog: ‘”Become The Architect Of Your Career”

One of the toughest aspects of being an actor is worrying about the future, worrying about whether you’ll work, whether you’ll survive. The situation is compounded by the feeling that you lack control over your career and that you’re impotent to influence events. Ironically however, many actors find solace in hopelessness;  “it’s supposed to be this way” they say, “it’s supposed to be difficult and insecure”.

Well, yes. But only up to a point.

The thing to avoid is making the difficulty and insecurity a self-fulfilling prophecy; “it’s supposed to be difficult and insecure, if it isn’t then I’m not doing it right (so I’ll make so).” This of course, can become an excuse for never ever working. It might lack excitement, but not working, once accepted, becomes easy and comfortable – the difficulty of the whole thing becomes a sort of get out clause, and the net result is waste and under-achievement.

Seizing control of your career is frightening, thrilling and productive. Frightening because you remove all the excuses, thrilling because you unlock so many possibilities and productive because you will accomplish so much more.

You’ve got to construct, for yourself, each phase of your career, as oppose to waiting around and hoping that something will happen.

What does that mean? Working-out precisely what you want, then figuring out how to get it, and taking action. It requires imagination, ambition, self-belief, patience, honesty and will.  This is very different to sitting at home with your fingers crossed, hoping that the right casting will come in through the door, willing somebody to do you a favour. Do yourself a favour, become the architect of your career.

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