The Great Acting Blog: “Never Let Old Habits Put You Under Pressure”

The Great Acting Blog: “Never Let Old Habits Put You Under Pressure”

Change is a key factor in the actor’s life. Change within himself and change within his situation.

The change within his situation is to do with the transient, itinerant nature of the work. The situation is rarely stable. The work is project-to-project, the future is always uncertain. It’s not usual to be working in the same place with the same people over any lengthy time period. This continual state of flux can create enormous stress.

The changes within the actor himself, are to do with the impact that his work has upon him, but it’s also to do with the way the actor improves himself in order to compete in an over-crowded profession and cope with stress.

What’s important to note however, is that the actor may change himself effectively and so improve himself, but in moments of high pressure, he may regress and respond to the pressure in his old way, the way before he improved himself. This regression can have a demoralising effect, and create the impression that all of the effort to create change has been wasted. The point is, this regression is really just an old, habitual response to pressure. And the key is to not stake too much on it, not give it too much meaning. Acknowledge that it is simply an old habit rearing itself once again, allow the moment to pass, then re-focus on the work at hand.

See old habits for what they are, there is no need to let them increase the pressure.

Subscribe To The Great Acting Blog