As I write this, I am making lists of things to pack for ten days in three (much colder) cities, doing free SAG Foundation events and conducting Self-Management for Actors Seminars in Chicago, New York, and Toronto. Whew! I’m exhausted just thinking about it. But also filled with thrilled. 😉

See, that’s because one of the components of my work with actors is finding out what their goals and blocks might be, before we start in on the principles of SMFA. That means I’ve been getting a lot of emails from actors in these other markets, sharing. A lot.

And here’s what I’ve learned, quickly: We’re not so different from one another, we creatives. We all wonder if we’re doing it right. We all get caught up in the mind taffy of it all sometimes. We occasionally champion the struggle for some dang reason. And we all want to contribute to the storytelling process, wherever we live.

Every time I tour around, working with actors, I learn more about myself than I thought I needed to learn. I learn about our ability to touch others through our creative output. I sit in airports and listen to civilians talking about how much they love “that guy in that commercial,” and I remember from “that guy’s” recent tweet how he’s feeling like poop over not booking that last guest star on which he went to producers.

The perspective this whole roadshow thing gives me is some of the best career fuel I ingest. And it reminds me that I should remind y’all to appreciate the greater community of which we’re all a part. Like I’ve said before:

Once you realize that everyone has doubts and fears, leading them to believe they aren’t talented enough to deserve success or that they couldn’t handle fame if it came to them, you begin to enjoy that you are a part of the collective artist community and that it is from those fears and doubts that you build characters and emote realistically as another person in your acting. No one artist is alone simply by virtue of the fact that every artist feels alone. That’s a large fraternity of creative types; all certain they’re on their own. Ironic, isn’t it?

Oh, I love this business and its inhabitants. We are so lucky to have such a well of awesomeosity from which to drink. As my brilliant friend Colleen Wainwright said, about her journey to help raise over $135,000 in 50 days for our favorite LA-based non-profit, WriteGirl, “Are you SURE it’s impossible?” To which I say, indeed, Unless you’re SURE it’s impossible, every little dream you hear whispering to you is absolutely, totally attainable.

Let’s go get it!

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001401.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.