The Great Acting Blog: “Pick The Right Goals”
What are your goals?
When you accomplished one of your goals, how did it feel?
Was it worth the trade-offs we have to make as actors?
And if it wasn’t worth it, why not?
If it wasn’t worth the trade-offs then the goal didn’t fulfil you, it wasn’t what you hoped it would be. The work you did compared to the effort you put in to get that work just didn’t stack up. It disappointed. This is dangerous because lack of fulfilment in our work can be more bone-crushing than not working at all. After all, one of the main reasons we go into acting in the first place is to do something which is meaningful to us. If that meaning is taken away, what’s left?
For me, the acting challenge embedded in the work needs to be difficult. That’s what makes it worth it for me. If the acting challenge is not hard enough, then I feel empty.
So, in order to thrive, we need to pick the right goals for ourselves. How can we do that? Through experience, through trial and error and making mistakes. That’s how we learn about ourselves and come to understand exactly what it is we want.
talya2312/ 06.08.2013
That is how I learn. I have to do the work. And I love doing the work. I really am attracting to roles that scare me. Because if something scares me it is a challenge for me to get over that fear and find out what it is that gives me fear. And I strive for that.
James Devereaux actor/ 06.08.2013
yes, totally agree. If I know I can already do something comfortably, then it’s very difficult to get energised to for it.