Fueled By Anger

We often don't account for how much "grey area" there is in life. In western culture in particular we tend to think things are unequivocally right or wrong - black or white.

The truth is, the nuances of life leave plenty of room for doubt and different interpretation. As one of my friends likes to say, "Two opposing views can be equally true."

I think anger gets a lot of negative airplay. It's an emotion most believe we ought to get rid of. But I disagree.

Anger can be a helpful emotion so long as it does not consume you and is channelled in a productive and positive way.

The American Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Arab Spring were all byproducts of some form of anger used effectively. 

And as an artist you can use it to fuel your drive, creativity, and determination to reject the status quo.

So be angry towards mediocrity, laziness, griping, not taking initiative, self-pity, and your industry's limited thinking. 

THEN

Use that has fuel to surround yourself with like-minded and positive people who support your vision. 

Use it to nudge you to not wait for the phone to ring and instead create your own films, monologues, plays, murals, songs, books, screenplays, and choreography.

Use it to push you to start something of value.

Don't Waste Time Complaining

Everyone knows making a living as an artist is hard...very hard. I've discovered there are a few ways of approaching this realization:

A. You can complain.

B. You can move forward undaunted and create your own opportunities. 

I worked very hard as an actor, but also quietly, (and sometimes not so quietly) grumbled about the "injustice" of the industry and how unfair it was. Looking back, I wasted so much energy and time not turning my frustration into initiative.

We all know the arts is not a meritocracy - the best man or woman seldom wins on their merits alone. 

So what? Now What? 

Refuse to accept the status quo. Be bold. Be a mover. Be a shaker. Create your own content and thus opportunities. People will take notice.

And whatever you do, DON'T WASTE ANY MORE TIME.