Are You Lying to Yourself?

A couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with my own life/career coach who challenged me to stop “beating around the bush” with you and really challenge you to either get serious about your career or “go home.”

So my question to you is this: Are you lying to yourself about how serious and committed you are to your career? Truth be told, I have no doubt that you think you want to be an actor. However, when it comes to the actual work involved in pursuing your career, I’m going to challenge you to be honest with yourself about how much you really want this.

Why do I say this? Because based on what I’ve experienced in working with my coaching clients over the past five years, as well as the five years I spent as a Hollywood agent, ninety-percent of them [actors] say they want this, but only ten-percent of them actually get down to business and do the work they need to do to make things happen.

If you are someone who calls yourself an actor but has nothing to show for it, here are just a few ways you may be sabotaging your career:

1) You don’t market yourself on a daily basis
2) You don’t take any acting classes
3) You don’t network with other actors
4) You don’t attend any industry events
5) You don’t go on any auditions
6) You don’t read the trades
7) You don’t have current headshots
8) You don’t have a professionally formatted resume
9) You don’t use Facebook

If you want to succeed in this business, you need to get serious about your career … Otherwise, go home and do something else with your life.

Now I’m sure I really ticked some of you off by that last sentence. But let’s get real: you HAVE to be doing all of the things I’ve listed above if you expect to have any success in this business. Here’s why:

1) Sending out headshots every couple of weeks isn’t going to cut it in this business. You need to be marketing yourself on a daily basis, otherwise you’re living in a dream world if you think one headshot submission is going to get you the audition or the job.

2) In order to be honing your craft, you need to be in class on a regular basis. It may take you a while to find the right class for you (i.e. the one you “click” with), but even celebrities go back to class on a regular basis just to tune up their skills.

3) Taking class will also enable you to network with other actors, and quite honestly, this business is less about how talented you are and more about whom you know.

4) Along those lines, you need to be attending industry events (like Actor Fest) on a regular basis. Join organizations like Women in Film so you can get out there and meet people. Again, this business is all about whom you know!

5) Go on auditions! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen actors pass on audition, thinking that they should just be offered the part. However, unless you’re a very well known actor, or one with celebrity status, you need to be auditioning on a regular basis. Not only does it give you the chance to showcase your talent but you also never know what other projects a casting director is working on, for which you may be right.

6) The next thing you need to do is read the trades on a regular basis, because this is where you’ll be able to find our what projects are coming up, what shows have been canceled and the like. Reading the trades is the best way for you to know what’s really happening in the industry.

7) My next question for you is this: How current are your headshots? Honestly, there’s nothing that ticks a casting director off more than an actor who walks into an audition looking nothing like their picture!

8) Your next responsibility is to make sure that your resume is formatted to industry standards, and that you have one resume for theatre and one for film and television. The thing to remember here is that a professionally done resume makes you look like the professional that you profess to be, not an amateur with stars in their eyes.

9) Finally, get on Facebook and utilize it to let people know what you’re up to! Thank God for social media, as it’s a great way to connect with other industry professionals that you can’t meet in person. Casting Directors, Studio and Network executives, agents and managers are all on Facebook, so do yourself a favor and start utilizing this great tool!


Food for Thought: Pursuing a career in the entertainment industry involves a lot of hard work. Remember, this is a business and as such, you need to treat it that way. So, unless your commitment level is 200%, I would encourage you to be honest with yourself about how much you really want to do this. Honestly, it’s okay to quit this business if your heart really isn’t in it. I can’t tell you the number of actors I’ve worked with who, once they were honest with themselves, discovered that the happiness and fulfillment they thought they would get from being an actor was just not there, and so they left the business to pursue different careers and they couldn’t be happier!

Remember: Life is short, so make every moment of yours count!


P.S. Based on all of the requests I’ve received asking for help with the marketing piece of pursuing an acting career, I’ve decided to put together a very affordable program ($9.97/month) to help you, so stay tuned because I’ll be telling you more about it in the very near future!

Copyright © 2010 Sharon Moist, The Industry Coach. All Rights Reserved.

Quote for the Day

"Only by coming to grips with difficulty can you realize your full potential."
-- Charles de Gaulle, president of France

Dare to be Yourself

I recently received an email from a business colleague that really annoyed me. The problem wasn't that he sent me an email. The problem was that his email was "pitching" a seminar that he was attending, and he hadn't even written the email himself - someone else wrote it! (The reason I knew that is because I received duplicate copies of the same email from other business colleagues who travel in the same business circle.)

When I asked him about it, he told me that he just wanted to let me know what he was doing with his business. The problem with that is that the email he sent me had absolutely no personalization in it whatsoever. The opening line said "Hey There!" (as opposed to Hi Sharon, Dear Sharon, etc.), and after that it was nothing more than a generic sales pitch, with a personalized link that I could use to register for a seminar (from which he would then earn a commission).

In life, people seem to fall into two categories: leaders and followers. Leaders dare to be different and pave the way for change. Followers don't make waves; maintain the status quo and support the leaders whose visions they subscribe to. You can't have one without the other. However, there are also times when leaders need to maintain the status quo and followers need to make waves. The challenge often comes in discerning which time is which.

Each one of us was born with our own unique gifts and talents, so why are we so eager to be like everyone else?

When it comes to your career, there are times when you do need to conform to industry standards. For example: your headshot and resume need to be 8x10; you need to look like your picture and your website needs to be very easy for casting directors, agents and others to navigate. Beyond that, however, your look is your look, your audition is your audition; your talent is your talent; and so on and so on.

As I said earlier, the fact that this gentleman sent me an email wasn't the issue. The issue was that there wasn't one ounce of him in it!

For the next week, I would like to offer you a challenge, and my challenge is this: I dare you to be yourself every single day, no matter what! Are you up for it? I hope so!

And, for those of you who take me up on my challenge, drop me a note and let me know how it goes!

Quote for Today

"The successful man is the one who had the chance and took it."
-- Roger Babson

Quote of the Day

"My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition."
-- Indira Gandhi, Indian prime minister

Acting Success Tip

101 Tips for Actors:
Secrets for Success Every Actor Must Know

Designed to provide you with practical information for pursuing your acting career, 101 Tips for Actors gives you an insider's look at how to be successful in this business. To learn more, go to: 101 Tips For Actors


Tip #43. Less Isn't Always More

Have you ever gone on an audition and watched the casting director dig through a pile of headshots as you walk in, before looking up at you and asking you if you have an extra headshot and resume with you?

All of a sudden, your heart stops and you find yourself with a lump in your throat as you shake your head "no," and lose all of your focus before you even say your first line.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, a casting director ends up not having your headshot in front of them before you audition. It's not the ideal situation, but it does happen and it could even happen to you.

That doesn't mean that you don't have a chance to get cast in the part. It just means that during your particular audition, both you and the casting director are at a disadvantage because he or she cannot refer to your resume if a question arises. And if they take notes, they cannot put them on the back of your picture for future reference.

Your goal as an actor is to give yourself every advantage you possibly can and to be prepared at all times. This means always taking 2 or 3 extra headshots and resumes with you to every meeting or audition ... no matter what!

BREAKDOWN: Remember to always take 2 or 3 extra headshots and resumes with you to every meeting or audition, no matter what. You'll feel good in knowing that you're prepared!

Lucille Ball Quote

"One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself."

-- Lucille Ball, actress

Cate Blanchett Quote

"Someone might have a germ of talent, but 90% of it is discipline and how you practice it, what you do with it. Instinct won't carry you through the entire journey. It's what you do in the moments between inspiration."

-- Cate Blanchett, actress

Rooney Mara Casting

Good news for every unknown actor waiting for their big break ... Dreams do come true! http://tinyurl.com/RMooneyCasting

Inspirational Quotes

Our fears establish the limits of our life.
~ Erwin McManus

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
~ Walt Disney

Chance favors those in motion.
~ James H. Austin

Our fears establish the limits of our life.
~ Erwin McManus

Find a way - or MAKE one.
~ Mary Kay Ash

Do one thing everyday that scares you.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Amateurs hope. Professionals make it happen.
~ Garson Kanin

The biggest gap in the world is between "I should" and "I did."
~ H. Jackson Brown

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in
my tenacity.
~ Louis Pasteur

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
~ Joseph Chilton Pierce

Have come to realize that the power of forgiveness is an amazing gift we can give to others. Who do you need to forgive today?

Good News ... The Teamster Strike has been Averted! (http://tinyurl.com/DV072510)

Congrats to Francie Calfo on your new gig as President of Imagine TV ... You Go, Girl! (http://tinyurl.com/DV072210)

Lessons from George Steinbrenner

The first time I met George Steinbrenner was on the Chapel steps at my high school in Indiana. During the course of our conversation, he told me that if I ever needed help with my career I should call him, as he'd be more than happy to help me in whatever way he could.

At that point in time I really had no understanding of who he was in the business world, let alone the world of sports. However, his offer made a huge impression on me, and I've kept in touch with him ever since that meeting.

I realize that George Steinbrenner wasn't perfect (actually none of us are), and that he seemingly had a great number of enemies, based on his reputation as "the boss." However, I want to tell you about the man behind the mask. You see the man I knew was a father, a grandfather and a great humanitarian.

Here are three things I learned from Mr. Steinbrenner over the last 23 years that I'd like to share with you:

Live With Passion. Do you live your life with passion? Or, is everyday just another day on the calendar?

George Steinbrenner did, and his three biggest passions were sports, his family and the New York Yankees (although not necessarily in that order).

One of the things about which he and I communicated was his grandchildren, as one in particular is a very talented performer in their own right and is pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. After this grandchild performed at Radio City Music Hall, George was very excited to see what opportunities might lay ahead for them in the future.

You see, aside from being an astute - and sometimes tough - business man, George Steinbrenner was also a family man. He was a father, and a grandfather, who was extremely proud of his children, and his grandchildren, and he loved them passionately.

Set High Standards. When you wake up in the morning, do you expect the best day possible? Or do you expect the sky to cave in?

If you follow sports at all, then I'm sure you know that Mr. Steinbrenner shelled out a lot of money to get the best players in baseball for his Yankee team. However, when he brought these players onboard, he also let them know that he had very high expectations of them; not only around their playing skills, but also around the issue of their personal appearance and their personal character.

Each member of that team, and in that organization, was/is a New York Yankee and, as such, Mr. Steinbrenner expected them to act in a way that would bring pride to both themselves and the Yankees. As a result, his team has the championships to show for it.

Give Back to Your Community. Are you a "giver" or a "taker" in life? How would your friends describe you?

One of Mr. Steinbrenner's greatest attributes was that he was a big humanitarian who quietly gave back to both the community and the world-at-large.

He put kids he didn't even know through high school, college and graduate school; he gave millions of dollars to schools so that the students attending them would receive the best possible education, and he quietly went about meeting the unmet needs of others, about whom we will probably never hear, because he wanted to give back to others; not because he had to.

Food for Thought: Whether or not you're a fan of George Steinbrenner, or the New York Yankees, is not important at this point in time. Instead, the important thing to remember here is that if we're open to it, we can always learn something from the lives and experiences of others, which, more often than not, we can apply to our own lives if we're willing to do so.

P.S. Want more inspiration like this? Then sign up for my free newsletter, the Industry News Digest today!

"We cannot do great deeds unless we're willing to do the small things that make up the sum of greatness." (Theodore Roosevelt)

Are you a fan of the Sony-produced TV show "Damages?" If so, you can now see it on DirecTV, where it's been picked up for two more years!

Hoping this doesn't happen, but definitely understanding the viewpoint of the Teamsters ...
(http://tinyurl.com/TransStrike)

"Everybody thinks of changing humanity, and nobody thinks of changing himself." (Leo Tolstoy)

"Skill and confidence are an unconquered army." (George Herbert, Priest)

"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises." (Demosthenes, statesman)