|
We have limited time in our days, weeks, and months, right? As actors, we so often fill that time with work we are doing just to pay the bills to support our acting career. We only have 24 hours in a day-- which can sometimes feel like a lot, sometimes a little.
You have more control over your time than you may think. How are you spending yours? And how might you be able to make a shift to get more done and still find time to rest and recharge, so you are ready and confident to book more of the work you want? Here are 3 ways to make more out of your time. 1) Refine Your Daily & Weekly Actions Be sure that the actions you take in your career are actually worth your time and are not you throwing spaghetti against the wall. How can you tell the difference? Ask yourself: What is the current goal you are working towards? What are all the actions you need to take (building relationships, attending auditions, practicing mindset, creating marketing materials) to achieve that goal? Then eliminate the actions you are taking that are not working. If you’re still not sure, get another pair of eyes on your action plan. Consider working with a career coach or mentor who can help you get crystal clear on your goals and the actions you need to take to achieve them. I'd love for that person to be me, so if you'd like to work more closely together, enrollment in my ongoing coaching container - Momentum Club - is open now, for a limited time. 2) Find Your Ideal Actor Day Job You don’t HAVE to wait tables, temp or work another non-acting related job to support your acting career. If you’ve found a day job you love, well, then keep going and skip this section. 😉 But if you’re NOT in love with your day job, may I offer the day job that shifted everything for me? Narrating audiobooks! The audiobook industry continues to expand each year, and trained actors still have an edge on other newcomers to audiobook narration. What better way to put your craft to work on a daily basis? Through narrating audiobooks, I became the breadwinner in my family AND have a solid income source that I can turn up or down depending on the other acting work coming my way. 3) Schedule Focus, Flex & Free Time This is my jam for infusing my week with both rest and productivity. It’s scientifically proven that the human brain can only focus for a certain number of hours per day. That said, organize your schedule with 2 hour chunks of FOCUS time for the big rocks - the actions that require the most effort from you and will ultimately provide the biggest results. You may only be able to fit one or two of these blocks in per day. FLEX time is time where you are working but maybe your focus is not so intense-- checking emails, updating social media, errands for work, etc. FREE time is just that - time with no expectations. Set boundaries around daily free time so you don't forfeit that time for work or other obligations. Your body and mind need this time to rest and recharge so that you are ready to focus again when you head back on the clock. Which of these 3 ways to make more out of your time will you explore first? Let me know in the comments below!
2 Comments
However this finds you right now -
Or getting cozy with some warm cocoa… I’m motivated to drop into your inbox this weekend with another Mistake I see creatives make >>> that I really want you to AVOID in 2024! If you missed last week’s content - the first of this series– check it out here. I cover Shiny Object Syndrome - how to determine if you fall susceptible to it and what to do instead so that you’re less distracted + get more mileage out of the limited time and energy you have to give to your career. This week, I’m highlighting Another Mistake I saw a TON of creatives make this year: Subscribing to Other’s Limiting BeliefsI can’t count the amount of times I worked with a client this year who had had a family member, colleague or even COACH tell them their goal or long term vision was not possible OR that they should lower their expectations. Now, as a coach, I am both a motivator and practical strategist, but it is NOT my job to limit you, it’s my job to help you explore your highest potential and actually achieve it. You are receiving the results you’re currently receiving because of the the thoughts you are having and the situation that you’re in. Your situation includes your environment, including the people and perspectives you surround yourself with… The actions you taking… AND The thoughts you’re having. And of course there are many other reasons you may be where you’re at right now – including living in an inequitable world… I get it… some of these big things we cannot completely control or change singlehandedly… So what I’m talking about today is what’s within your control… The first step to moving towards your dream life and career, is making sure you’ve set up a thriving environment for yourself! ☀️ 🌟 An Environment where you have folks to turn to who actually believe in you… who hear your dreams and goals and encourage you forward… who are there for you when you’ve had a bad day... and who remind you that you are enough, you will be okay.
So when you think about the long-term vision + goals or habits you're looking to develop in 2024, I want you to ask yourself: Do I believe this is possible? Am I receiving messaging that this isn't possible? From who? What are naysayers saying? How does it help them if I limit myself? How can I add more hopeful content and/or people into my life? And if you're not sure where to start, please know that I care about your dreams. And if you want to work together in 2024, I'd be honored to be your coach - to help you stay encouraged and in practical action. The world always benefits when creatives believe in themselves, shine brightly, have more resources and the healthy environment to thrive. So, today I want to remind you that: You are worthy. You are worthy of the goals you’ve set out for yourself. And if you don’t 100% believe they’re possible, take a look at your environment and make one change today to help you believe in yourself more and stay motivated so that you continue to take action expressing yourself as an artist today and every day. Please drop a note in the comments and let me know what you think - I’m curious to learn how this sits with you. If you'd like a resource to help identify a limiting belief and learn how to change this belief (or beliefs), I'd love to point you to Days 2 + 3 of my Dream Big, Plan Smart training which you can access for free for a limited time here. We are just 14 days away from calling it a wrap on 2023. So how does this find you? Are you: 🌟 Filled with energy to give it all you’ve got these last few weeks! 😩 Exhausted by the challenges that this year presented and ready to say goodbye and good riddance to this year? Or somewhere in between? 🤔 Wherever this finds you, I hope you can pause what you’re doing and give this content five minutes of your time. I write to you today to help you make the best use of these final days of the year so that you can make the first month of 2024 even better!  This is my favorite time of year to review and reflect, and I’m so grateful I planned for a slower December than previous years (PRO TIP: learn from past failures 🤣 crying laughing emoji). After taking over 300 creatives through my Dream Big, Plan Smart goal setting and business-planning framework last month, I identified a few key mistakes I see creatives making again and again. So I'm dedicating my final weeks of 2023 to identifying these mistakes -- and if you connect with these, I offer what to do instead so that you can experience more focus and flow in 2024. Without further ado, here's the first mistake... Mistake #1: Shiny Object SyndromeAre you signing up for more training and/or coaching than you can actually implement or trying to grow your social media following on too many platforms? Maybe you've seen events coming up in 2024 and you're feeling FOMO, like you'll only be successful if you attend ALL OF THEM? We only have so much bandwidth in a day, month, year, so this is NOT the time to pile too many things on. Including too many holiday events! (You know, you can give yourself permission to say "no" on the RSVP list from time to time. winking emoji) You'll know you are experiencing "shiny object syndrome" if you leave a class or coaching feeling more confused, because you are receiving too much conflicting advice and cannot run it through your own filter to determine what strategy is right for you at this moment in time. In regards to social media, if you are on a lot of platforms, but you don't actually feel connected to your messaging and/or contacts you have there... and are trying all the strategies... yet you're not consistent with one or two... you may also be suffering from "shiny object syndrome".  So, What is the problem with Shiny object Syndrome?How it makes you feel... And the way it affects your energy... You might like the frantic energy... or even find comfort in anxiety that can come from being busy... (I know that might feel weird to read, but I've been there, I know there can be pride in being busy), but this energy is holding you back from your highest potential. Your current + future collaborators take in your energy in first meetings, when you work on a project together, in reachouts and at networking events. So do you want to lead with: 1.) anxiety and frantic energy or 2.) would you like to glow with confidence and trust in yourself? I promise #2 will be more delightful for you and your fellow collaborators. So let's set you up for success in the remainder of December. If you're experiencing "Shiny Object Syndrome", here are some strategies I suggest: Take a look at what’s on your plate as far as courses, coaches and trainings you’ve already invested in. Make a plan to lean into those resources that you know help you feel confident and glowing, or are stretching you in all the right ways and STOP signing up for new things just because you have FOMO or think that next class will be the magical ticket to change your life. Let go of the things on your schedule that no longer serve you. You are the magic ticket to change your life. Period. And if you actually get quiet and still and reflect on the year, you likely already have the answers for what you need to do next within you. So to recap: ❓ How do you want to feel about your 2024? In other words, what are your core feelings? ❓ Which past trainings have helped you feel this way? Great, do more of these! ❓ Which ones haven’t made you experience your core feelings? Time to let them go! ❓Where have you invested in something and just need to actually complete and implement? Prioritize these programs, events and social media platforms only if they’re in alignment with what you’re going after in 2024. Here’s why: We have limited energy and time. When we fill our time and brains up with what’s not working, not only do we not get that time back, BUT we also miss out on personal insights that we can only tune into when we allow our selves the time and space to get quiet and tune in. So what do you think? Share a comment and let me know any takeaways you have on this topic… And stay tuned for next week’s post where I’ll reveal the second mistake I see creatives take when it comes to action planning! Have you completed a year-end review yet? I'd love to offer you the one I teach (for free) here: bit.ly/dreambigplansmart  As 2021 draws to a close, I’m drawn to a period of rest, reflection and celebration -- and I hope you are, too. ✨ I also must acknowledge that there’s a bit of holiday stress determining how to safely gather with COVID-19 ever looming. Wherever and however this message finds you today, I have three wishes for you this holiday season. I wish you an abundance of rest. Whether you have a day off or a week off, I wish you some time to just be and recuperate from all the busyness of this year, this month and this holiday season. One of my favorite gifts I’ve received this season is a set of shower steamers, thank you Amy Russ!! They’re like bath bombs… a shower steamer combined with some chill music is pure relaxation to me. Other favorite ways to rest are cuddling with my pup, catching up on the newest TV series and movies and catching up with friends. How might you carve out at least a few hours to fill your cup with self-care in the coming days? What are some of your favorite ways to rest and restore? Rest is vital to your success and all you are manifesting for 2022.  I wish you a moment of reflection and light. Whether you are with others during this time or by yourself, I invite you to light a candle and think back on the year. How did you feel this year? What are you proud of? What got in your way? Invite in more of the good from this year. If nothing got in your way next year, what would your successes of this year naturally lead to? If you wanna take this reflection a step further to manifest more for next year, you’re invited to our #GlobalActor Vision Board Party on Wednesday, December 29th at 3p ET / Noon PT. Click here to join us in Momentum Club for the party and extra career support in the New Year.  I wish you celebration, lots of it!
We can only build upon the success we acknowledge… and you have a lot to acknowledge. Truly, being alive right now, during a global pandemic is a success, so let’s start there! What actions did you take to move you further to your goals this year? Any new bookings or relationships you want to celebrate? We’re all about celebrating here at The Global Actor. In fact, did you know we have a weekly celebration room in Clubhouse? You’re invited to celebrate with us tonight (and every Friday), at 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT inside the Global Actor Lounge on Clubhouse. Here’s a link to tonight’s event. Cheers to you, whether this year looked like you thought it would or not, you are worthy of more of what you want, and it’s possible for you. I believe in you. I look forward to celebrating you this week and in all that’s ahead for you in 2022. With Love, Light + Abundance, Elise  Oh man, how much do I not want to address this topic. But I NEED to. Over the past several years in my work coaching actors, I have encountered time and time again the desire for immediate results, and I get it. This career can be so difficult at times, but dare I remind you that “this career is a marathon, not a sprint”. Let’s be honest, it can feel like a FREAKING Iron Man at times, am I right?! But I bet you can look back on a moment (from earlier in your journey) to stay inspired, and I ask you to do that, right now, take stock in how far you’ve come from when you first decided to pursue this work. You are obviously called to this work, and I’m guessing you are reading this because you want to feel more joy in the process of growing in your acting career. So as you submit, audition and hopefully book work you may (or may not) deem “dream work” this week, remember your why. Why are you still acting? So many have given up on the dream. But you are still here. You have a dream, so why not you?! I want to encourage you to stay on your path this week. Think of me as cheering you on in mile 7 of your race (a marathon is 26.2), so stay steady and consistent from here on out. You have milestones behind you and likely the best is yet to come, but can you enjoy where you are today, here in this moment? As you scroll through social media today, how about celebrating a past achievement? Leave yours here, and use #celebratingachievement in your post so we can find you and celebrate. Please don’t beat yourself, or anyone else, up for the lack of bigger results. There are so many reasons why the stars may not have aligned for you yet, but that does not mean it’s time to sit around and wait. No, no, my friend, when’s the last time you saw a runner waiting in the middle of a marathon? There may be many reasons for your lack of results. And the first one may be that you are wanting an Oscar when you haven’t even booked a film yet, wanting an Audie before you’ve even narrated your first audiobook. So, sign up for that 5K before you train for the marathon -- do you get what I’m saying? Know that we all have our own level of drive. We all have our own definition of success. And you may or may not know the actions you need to take to hit your actual next goal-- you may not even be clear on that. You don’t know what you don’t know, am I right? Don’t let that delay you though. Figure out how you need to switch gears to continue your move forward. Does your drive match where you want to be, and have you taken steps to course correct as needed? Finally, at the end of the day if you don’t feel good about what you’re pursuing, what is the point? Which brings me to JOY. How can you bring joy back into your process and find it while you’re pursuing some of the bigger goals that can take more time? Three things I’d like to offer:
1. Be open to finding joy in surprising acting opportunities Some of the most fulfilling acting work I’ve had has been in audiobook narration, non-traditional voice work, standardized patient work and live-action performances at museums or other public spaces. If you haven’t booked a big job in awhile and could use a boost of confidence, why not get your actor brain active and flexible again AND make money too? 2. Make time for Self-Care I’m still working on this myself, but are you getting at least 7 hrs of sleep a night, drinking half your weight in ounces of water each day and moving as often as possible? These basics will set you up for success as you continue along this “marathon” -- don’t worry I’m still talking about your acting career -- you are NOT required to run, though, I mean a marathon can be it’s own crazy experience if you’re looking for that kind of a rush! 3. Stay Focused and Accountable Don’t lose track of why you are at this in the first place. Tap into your community of fellow actors, hire a coach, and just keep going, taking breaks as needed. So what is your why? Leave it in the comments, and put it front & center this week. We have limited time in our days, weeks, and months, right? As actors so often that time is filled with work we are doing just to pay the bills to support our acting career. We have 24 hours in a day-- which can sometimes feel like a lot, sometimes a little. You have more control over your time than you may think. How are you spending yours and how might you be able to make a shift to get more done and find time to rest and recharge so you are ready and confident to book more of the work you want? Below are three ways to Make More out of the Time You have.  Daily & Weekly Actions
Be sure that the actions you take in your career are actually worth your time and are not you throwing spaghetti against the wall. How can you tell the difference? What is the current goal you are working towards? What are all the actions you need to take (building relationships, attending auditions, practicing mindset, creating marketing materials) to achieve that goal? Eliminate the actions you are taking that are not working. If you’re not sure, get another pair of eyes on your action plan. Consider working with a career coach or mentor - enrollment for the #GlobalActor Power Groups opens up soon - who can help you get crystal clear on your goals and the actions you need to take to achieve them. Find Your Ideal Actor Day Job You don’t HAVE to wait tables, temp or work another non-acting related job to support your acting career. If you’ve found a day job you love, well, then keep going, skip this section :) But if you’re NOT in love with your day job, may I offer the day job that shifted everything for me? Narrating audiobooks! The audiobook industry is EXPLODING right now and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. What better way to put your craft to work on a daily basis? Through narrating audiobooks I’ve become the breadwinner in my family AND have a solid income source that I can turn up or down depending on the other acting work coming my way. Focus, Flex & Free Time This is my jam for infusing my week with both rest and productivity. It’s scientifically proven that the human brain can only focus for a certain # of hours per day. That said, organize your schedule with 2 hour chunks of FOCUS time for the big rocks, the actions that require the most effort from you and will ultimately provide the biggest results. You may only be able to fit one or two of these blocks in per day. Flex time is time where you are working but maybe your focus is not so intense-- checking emails, updating social media, errands for work, etc. Free time is just that. Put boundaries around daily free time so that your body and mind have time to rest and recharge so that you are ready to focus again when it’s time. Which of the 3 above will you explore this week? Let me know in the comments below!  I hope you take a moment today to acknowledge and celebrate all the hard work you put in this week. It’s been a crazy busy week in my neck of the woods, so rather than brand new content, I wanted to share a #FlashbackFriday interview that I don’t believe I ever shared on the blog. This interview hosted by my good friend and fellow working actress Ava Gaudet (RENT, The Society, NCIS) first aired on GoLocalProv. We’re fellow Rhode Islanders ⚓️ Click on the video below to discover:
So what was your biggest takeaway? Leave it in the comments below and then be sure to head on over the join the conversation in one of the most vibrant, free communities on the web, the #GlobalActors FB group.
Q. Elise, I am currently pursuing theatre, film, commercials and voiceover. How do I know where I should be putting my energy on any given day considering I’m pursuing several different things. Help! - Multi-passionate Actor A. Multi-passionate Actor, you are NOT alone! Most actors work or desire to work in multiple mediums - or as I like to call them “tracks”. It IS tricky to move multiple tracks forward at the same time and almost impossible to do so without a gameplan. SO, let’s start by checking in on your long-term vision. More on that here! Get Clear on Your Long Term Plan What are the different tracks that you see in your long-term vision? What if you were to narrow them down to one or two, or at most three? In your long-term vision define the kinds of jobs that bring you joy and income (if that’s important to you, let’s get real!) -- if you’re not sure, do some research and dip your toe into these areas before deciding. Don’t know where to start? Check out this video for more. Reverse-Engineer or Work Backwards from the Bigger Picture Say you know you want to work in voiceover and TV mainly, start with that long-term vision and work your way backwards. Which tracks have you already seen success in? Which have you not even tapped into yet? If you are almost to a big goal in one area, keep going until you reach it, so you can feel success there and then switch gears to the other track and apply some of that success to a new area.  Get in Action on One “Track”
For instance, when I created my long-term vision several years ago I knew that voiceover could provide me with a solid foundation for income and I saw my long-term vision including voiceover, TV and theatre. At the time, I had reached a big goal in theatre (joining AEA) and was looking for a next big goal to conquer. I had virtually no experience (outside of a gig or two) in voiceover, so it was clear to me that now would be a good time to start, so I set a short term goal in that area. When you are focused and get clear on an action plan for that track, it will be your main focus. It does not mean you must turn down opportunities in the other mediums... that wouldn’t make sense if you enjoy the work in multiple mediums, but that you are taking consistent, daily actions in one area until you hit that goal. Sometimes opportunities in other areas will surprise you. For instance, I have had clients working on a VO goal and an exciting next-level film opportunity came up. Always say YES to the “Hell, Yes!” opportunities. Not sure whether it’s a “Hell, Yes!” or not? Click here to find out. Success in any area of acting is awesome! Don’t overthink it. Isn’t working on exciting acting projects that pay well really what we’re all after? So, Multi-Passionate Artist, what do you think? I’m sure you may still have some questions, as this can be a complicated issue, so if you do, no sweat. For more training on this, check out this Q+A video with me. Are you lit up by the company you keep? Do your friends inspire you? How often do you push each other to go after what you really want? “Surround yourself with people whose eyes light up when they see you” - Andre DeShields Have you heard that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with? The idea is that if you are not reaching the goals and living the life that you want, it may be time to look at who you’re surrounding yourself with. How are you spending your free time with others? Are those you choose to hang with encouraging of your acting goals and dreams or do they bring you down? How do they go about pursuing their dreams? I began writing this post to you a few weeks back. I was on a plane headed back to the East Coast after an incredible weekend in Portland, with my mentor, the amazingly gifted Dallas Travers, and several other coaches who’ve made it their mission to help others via an abundance mindset. She has been my business coach for both my acting and coaching businesses since 2014.  With Dallas Travers and Fellow Coaches on a Mission, Portland, OR - Course Catapult Retreat I must echo my friend and colleague, Ajarae Coleman who put it so perfectly in her recent Instagram post “@dallastravers changed the whole landscape of business coaching for actors, encouraging thousands of us to question fear-based norms in the entertainment industry. 👏🏾😎 I’m honored to stand among this fantastic cohort of coaches she now mentors. We carry the torch and help actors with... everything.”
I, too, am so honored to be a part of this cohort! The weekend spent with others who care so deeply about helping people transform themselves through coaching was incredible. I got to hang with friends I usually only connect with virtually, and the power we had to all light each other up left me feeling motivated, empowered, confident and ready to take on the world (i.e. create a kickass course to help actors leave their dayjobs!). Truly! It got me thinking about you, and wondering if you have similar inspirational friends in your life. If you could use a few new ones, and aren't sure where to start, tap into the conversation happening over in the free #GlobalActors FB community. Please know I’m not suggesting you ditch all your friends, or any really. Just check in on how you’re spending your limited social time, after your day job AND after checking off all of your acting to-dos for the day. Do you feel inspired, loved and motivated? Are there acquaintances on your periphery who inspire you? Might you deepen those relationships? As you shift your free time spending more of it with positive people who are similarly pursuing their passions, I’m curious to know what you notice. Take a quick inventory on how you feel about this, and let me know in the comments how this resonates. Then join me for a FB LIVE to take things a step further on Saturday, August 24 at 3pm ET inside the #GlobalActors FB group. I booked a BIG job last week which made me realize that my long-term vision is coming to fruition.
Why am I telling you? Because it was all made possible when I got super clear on what I really wanted and set a crystal-clear, vivid vision in place. AND guess what? I know that whatever your long-term vision is... it's possible for you! Whether you know your vision or not, dive into this FB LIVE recently shared inside the #GlobalActors FB group for inspiration and actionable steps on creating and moving towards the just-right vision for you. I break down the actions I took so that YOU can put your plan in place for what YOU truly want. Bonus: Also included in this video are some additional Q & A on the topics of agent/actor relationships, self-submitting and more. Want to catch the next FB LIVE? Be sure to join us inside the FREE #GlobalActors FB Group! |
the global actor Notes
Archives
December 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed