ACTORS - Why Failure Is Your Fortune
How to Achieve Exponential Actor Growth
It's ironic that actors do such a brave thing, only to fear failure so much.
It is said that at a funeral, there are more people who would rather be in the casket, than give the eulogy.
So anyone who has the nerve to get up on stage in front of 20, 50...hundreds of people has truly got something special. A special ability to tell a story through a chracter's actions, to make people laugh, to make them cry.
Yet what do actors fear most?
Failure, rejection.
It is this very fear that is the actor's major stumbling block.
But you must understand something. You must, before you live another day as an actor. (I won't say "aspiring actor," because no matter how "new" you are at it, you must think of yourself as an Actor.)
You must understand that in order to GROW, you must LEARN.
The best learning comes from your mistakes.
You Must Know that Hidden Inside Every Mistake is A Jewel.
"Tom...What do you mean?"
I am telling you that when you dig inside the mistake you made, you'll find the very thing you must tackle next.
Inside the Failure Lies Your Fortune
When you make that mistake, when you experience that failure, don't run from it, don't ignore it, don't waste time blaming...
Embrace it!
For inside that very experience lies Your Next Step Up.
Ignoring your failure dooms you to repeat it. And it usually hurts twice as bad.
So when you mess up in the audition "Can I start again?"
...when you mess up in the rehearsal "I can't respond the right way if he's not going to cross when he should"
...when you mess up in performance "It was horrible--I didn't know what was going to come out of my mouth next"
don't move away from it and bury it, but examine it. Back-track and SEE what you could have done to prevent it...
And deliberately apply it
(read those last 3 words again)
to the current or next production you're working on.
On closing night, look back at your triumphs during the run. Then, examine those things that could have been better, and take the deliberate step (there's that word again) of applying better practices to the next role.
Do this and I assure you that you will grow exponentially as an actor. And this growth will resonate pleasantly into other areas of your life.
Go for it!
Here's to Your Empowerment!
About the Author
A professional actor for over 25 years, and member of Actors' Equity Association, Tom Brooks is also a professional director and actor coach. In 2006, Tom founded The Empowered Actor Initiative (http://www.EmpoweredActor.com) out of the drive to provide ongoing support for actors after workshops, to help ensure new skills were carried out after the high of the seminar was over. This effort lead Tom to the create an array of actor support and development materials such as eZines, eBooks, Teleclasses, Podcasts, CD Programs, Webinars, Video Instruction, as well as new live seminars and one-on-one coaching programs.
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