No Industry Like It

"Being an artist is the only line of work where you're considered a quitter if you move on to something else," I heard a friend say. "If you're a lawyer and then decide to teach, nobody says anything. You just switched careers."

I thought about his words for quite a while after our conversation. He had a point. Not only does walking away from being an artist often entail a stigma, but far more difficult, the loss of identity. "If I'm not an actor then who am I?"

All I've learned is the more you build up who you are as a person, broaden your understanding of the world, and clarify the role you hope to play in it, you'll slowly evolve into a person who refuses to be defined by just one thing. 

When you take comfort in the knowing you're a three-dimensional person with skills, stories, and gifts to offer beyond your art form, you'll take greater comfort in your hiatus from your first love, however long that may be.

10 % Learning 90 % Activity Knowledge

I recently heard someone use the term, "over-motivated underachiever" to describe the type of person who listens, reads, and invests in all kinds of personal growth resources but fails to apply any of the lessons he's learned. As a result, you've amassed a huge amount of theory but taken no action.

I've discovered that motivation is a byproduct of starting. In other words, you have to begin the task at hand to activate and build momentum.

Learn by doing.  

Invest

Yesterday afternoon, I interviewed an old friend for the, To the Prospective Artist: Lessons from an Unknown Actor podcast. 

https://soundcloud.com/hy9btjy0cxsu/to-the-prospective-artist-interview-with-a-young-actor-reynaldo-piniella

I'd known Reynaldo since he was just a kid at 19 years old. Yet, he always exuded a poise that was not common among most of his colleagues. I certainly didn't possess it when I was his age.

I wanted listeners to gather insights and apply the lessons he'd learned during his journey as an actor over the past 8 years. What I realized while listening to Reynaldo's wise insights and discoveries was he got to where he is by investing in his education. 

He spoke about how building community, pursuing hobbies outside of acting, and traveling had played important roles in his development as a person and not surprisingly as a more compelling storyteller. The student had truly become the teacher. 

Invest in your education then pass on what you know.