When talking with other actors who speak your language, it’s easy to explain the ups and downs of the entertainment business.
But when you’re home for the holidays and family starts asking about your acting career, chances are they’ll have no idea how the industry works. Even if they’re asking casually, it’s easy for career questions to trigger your emotions and expectations for perfection.
You may find yourself sitting at the dinner table feeling the need to explain yourself and your acting career more than ever.
Of course that’s easy to do when you’re working. It’s fun to share what you’ve been in lately or where they can tune in to catch you next.
But what about those times where you don’t feel you have anything to show for your efforts? When this is the headspace you’re in, inquiries about your actor life can often set off frustration, self-doubt, or even sadness.
Even though it may feel like inquiries about your acting career sting, the real issue is that you’ve come to the table already labeling yourself as a failure or fraud if you:
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Haven’t booked anything in awhile.
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Aren’t making a living acting.
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Have siblings with “real jobs” who are thriving.
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Insert whatever story you tell yourself of why you’re not enough.
It’s your own shame, blame, fear, frustration, and harsh judgment that other people’s questions are most likely stirring up within you.
READ: “How to Silence Your Inner Critic”
So, since conversations like these are often inevitable during the holidays when you’re surrounded by friends and family who want to catch up and hear how you’ve been, here are five tips on how to answer questions about your acting career over the next few festive week:
1. Take a moment before you sit down at any holiday gathering to quiet your mind and make peace within you.
2. Soften your own judgment about where you are or the feeling that you should be further along right now.
3. Don’t use questions as an opportunity to defend yourself. Rather, share your vulnerability. If someone asks how your acting career is going, simply reply with, “I’m enjoying the journey and excited for what’s ahead.” If they follow up wanting to know what’s ahead, be honest: “I have no idea, but that’s what makes it so exciting.”
4. Don’t take anything personally. Answer from the heart (which loves), not from the mind (which labels).
5. If you’re really not up for explaining your career choices, keep your answers brief and respond with questions. People love to talk about themselves.
Many people outside the industry are well-meaning, but don’t know the types of questions to ask an actor. And while you may encounter some critics who will find fault with your choices, remember that pursuing an acting career takes courage, effort, determination, perseverance, patience, and vulnerability.
Know that no matter how many new credits you added to your resume this year, you are among the bold, the brave, and the few who are in the arena, daring greatly each and every day.
Ultimately, you’ll never really know what’s going on in the minds of other people, but when you quiet your own, you’ll discover that who you are right now is more than enough.
To help you begin the New Year rocking every single audition, download my free guided meditation for actors, “Success In The Audition Room.” This powerful audio will help you turn audition anxiety and self-doubt into confidence and ease in under five minutes.
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The views expressed in this article are solely that of the individual(s) providing them,
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Backstage or its staff.
