Committing to the Process
by Leslie Becker
Author of The Organized Actor®
http://organizedactor.com/
Creator of The ACTion PACK™
http://organizedactor.com/actionpack/index.html

You've probably often uttered the words "I want to be on Broadway" or "I want to be on a sitcom" or "I want to book a national commercial." Of course, as an actor, those are all understandable wants and desires. They are also totally POSSIBLE wants and desires. In fact, I truly believe that if you decide you want something, believe it's possible, and go out and actually do it, that you can get just about everything you desire.

But what does it really take to get all of those things? Some answers that may come to mind include "talent" "perserverance" "versatility". And sure, it takes all of those things. But in this industry there are thousands of people incredibly talented, perservant and versatile. So how can you make sure that you rise to the top?

I call it making the non-negotiable commitment to the process. Committing to the baby steps. Those seemingly mundane tasks that may not seem very exciting in the moment, but that truly make up the very core of your success. This business, like anything else in life, is a process. The true understanding of that will allow you to sustain in this career.

I could give you an enormous list of things you could do to further your career. Or I'm sure you could come up with a list on your own. But this list is not the important thing. The important thing is to actually DO THE THINGS ON YOUR LIST. Not just once. Not just two times. But daily. Weekly. Consistently. It is your consistency and commitment to the process that make a career in this business.

If you're a singer, you know that you should vocalize everyday. But do you? If you're a musician you know that you should practice everyday. But do you? I guarantee that the people who are starring in Broadway shows or on sitcoms are absolutely without question doing something to further their careers, every single day.

While every person has their own path, and certain steps are more successful for some than others, here are some of the non-negotiable daily tasks that have given me great success in this business.

1. Send out resumes, postcards and/or announcements to your mailing list every single day. Total up the number of people you have on your list and divide it by 30 (30 days in a month). If you have 300 people on your list you'll be doing 10 per day. If you've got 1000, you'll be doing about 35 a day. Do it everyday. Non-negotiable.

2. Depending on your area of focus, work on it daily. If you're a singer, vocalize. If you're a dancer, go to class. If you're a voiceover artist, work on copy. If you're a commercial actor, practice copy on-camera. Committing to improving every single day is crucial. Do it everyday. Non-negotiable.

3. Spend some time everyday looking over the industry publications and websites to see what's up in the industry. Be informed. Listen. Take action on what you hear. Everyday. Non-negotiable.

4. Don't rely on your agent to get you appointments. Trust me, they are working hard for you, but sometimes, by no fault of theirs, they are not able to get you an appointment. Make their job easier by going to auditions as often as possible. Auditioning is a skill of its own. The more you go on, the better you get! Go on auditions. Non-negotiable.

5. Continue studying. I don't care how far along in your career you are, you've got to continue your training in some form. Whether its a dance class, acting class, commercial class or private voiceover lessons you've got to continue your studying. Work on your craft everyday. Non-negotiable.

Making the commitment to all of these tasks or even just one could make a huge difference in your career. Commit to the process. Pick at least one of these and do it everyday. Non-negotiable. And just watch what your commitment can create.