As we head into the final stretch of 2010, I — like most folks — have been doing a little reflecting. One of the things that has gotten very clear to me in 2010 is the overarching theme in much of my work with actors. It’s what I write about here each week, it’s what Self-Management for Actors is about, it’s what we do in my weekly seminars: Creating a paradigm shift among actors so that they’re approaching this business from a position of power, rather than a position of need.

So many actors arrive in Los Angeles and immediately begin the hustle to get headshots, sign with an agent, join the unions, get indie credits, do plays, put together a demo reel… hustle, hustle, hustle. Hey, hustle is great and hitting town with a plan for being proactive is a wonderful thing. Especially if you’ve shown up with research in your back pocket, you’re going to find that hustle effective and hopefully fun!

But at some point, most actors hit a wall and start looking for that edge. They up the stakes by training with a master, they take CD workshops, they join The Actors’ Network, they hit networking events all over town. Some will take up the challenge and produce their own content, providing a showcase for themselves doing their best work. Whatever path actors choose at this point, what is common among them, usually, is a feeling of powerlessness.

And that’s what I want to fix. Here comes bossy-pants Bon. Ready?

Stop thinking about this industry in terms of what jobs you want, who you need to meet, which agents should sign you, and what stands between you and your success. Stop it. Now.

Make your life less about submitting on everything, mass mailing to everyone, and promoting the hell out of a one-liner in hopes it’ll get you your two-liner. Make your life more about coming from a position of power.

How? It’s simple. It’s not easy, by any means. It’s certainly not a small amount of work. But it’s so much more dang powerful than “the other way” that I’d like you to try it out. Empowerment feels good.

So many actors like to try and be everything. Have range. Change up something in order to get the gig. (This happens a lot with the whole, “‘We didn’t cast you because you’re not in SAG,’ ‘Oh, wait! Let me find a way to Taft-Hartley myself. Okay. Now I’m in SAG,’ and then they come up with another reason they didn’t cast you” dance.) Stop changing things up. Sure, sometimes you may need new headshots, but don’t think the headshots you currently have are the reason you’re not getting out and reshoot every few months. Stop going into auditions trying to figure out what they want you to be. Go in as you and trust — when “you” are what they’re looking for — you’ll get the gig.

Shift your focus to being very clear about who you are and what you offer. Research the buyers of that. And then make sure you know how to get on the radar of the people who consistently need exactly what you already are. Stay correctly branded and findable. And be ridiculously talented when you get into the room.

Once you know who you are at your most castable, learn who consistently needs to cast exactly that, get in front of those people so that when they need you they can bring you in, and then — when they do — perform on-brand and at maximum talent, you will have a career.

But as long as you’re focused on anything other than your power, you’re staring at the business end of a much harder road than is necessary. And why make this harder than it needs to be?

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/001276.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.