Bring It

Years ago when I was in theater school there was a kid I admired a couple years above me. He had a great work ethic and was a fully committed student and actor. On more than one occasion I'd ask him for advice about a project I was working on and how to best navigate through the challenges of school.

A few weeks into his final year he was the lead in his class's thesis project. I couldn't believe the production value and the extraordinary work he'd put into his character. As a result, my heart sank when I sat in that virtually empty theater. It seemed no one had gotten the memo on great the play was.

I asked him afterwards how he coped with putting so much effort into something only to see an empty house.

"You just have to bring it like it's packed," he said without hesitation. "You always do your best."

This advice would serve me as I got older. Like many people, I found myself getting hung up on numbers. How many people came to a play, the number of people who watched a particular program I might have been on, and on and on. For some reason, I thought quantity meant value.

The truth is you have to dig deep within and trust that YOUR belief in your message will be enough. If there are hundreds, thousands, possibly even millions who end up reading your message and being influenced that's an amazing byproduct, but not the end goal.

Focus on giving value first. And no matter the audience, take a note from the Ancient Greeks who believed their words held up the pillars of the universe when they were on stage. If they did not speak with enough vigor, conviction, and passion the foundation would fall and the universe would collapse. 

No matter where you are remember to bring it.

There's Nothing Wrong with You

When I was a young actor in drama school there was NOTHING I could see myself doing other than telling stories the rest of my life. I was convinced I'd change the world over with a compelling monologue or screen performance.

As I got older, I began to feel a sense of doubt, a shift in what I valued. I still loved acting, but it occurred to me there were also passions, pursuits, and people worth my time that had nothing to do with a camera or stage.

Of course, at first this was alarming. I felt as though my heart and conscience had betrayed me. I'd spent years and years honing a craft, reading hundreds of plays and screenplays, and carved out a nice little identity as a "serious actor." What would happen to those efforts? That sense of being? If I wasn't an actor then who was I exactly?

What I discovered is that we are all many things. Being an actor didn't define me. I was also a son, a brother, a friend, a traveler, and citizen of the world. And I didn't have to abandon my love of acting just because it may not always be my sole focal point. 

As a result, I allowed other opportunities to come into my life, which infused my being with a deeper understanding of self and even made me a better actor.

Don't freak out if the things you want change over time. There's nothing wrong with you. Promise.

You're growing and allowing yourself to flow with the inevitable force known as change rather than resisting it and the possibilities it may bring.

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.