Leave the Audition in the Room

If there's one technique that has likely put years back on my life it's learning to leave the audition in the room.

As a young actor, I'd spend hours and hours working on a pair of sides in preparation for an audition. It didn't matter if the role was for a series regular or an under-5, I wanted to be the best prepared actor to walk in the room.

And though I'm still a huge advocate of working diligently, one must also have the flexibility to not carry the audition with you for the rest of the day.

If the audition didn't go what Robert DeNiro calls, "bedroom perfect," meaning the way I'd prepped at home, then I'd ruminate for hours on ways I could have done it differently. My "Monday morning quarterbacking" wasn't only frustrating but totally unproductive.

Instead, I learned to give it my all once I was in the room and completely relinquish control once I left. There was a freedom in making this decision - in surrendering to the many variables out of my control. All I concerned myself with was my attitude and work ethic.

I later discovered as a casting reader that actors who focus on these two components and have other important interests in their life are appealing to work with. It's like saying, "I would absolutely love to book the role, but if I don't, I'll be just fine. Some other lucky casting director will surely scoop me up."