Hello Friends!
Have you ever heard the adage “Your attitude determines your altitude”?
Today’s note is on how actors, performing artists, and anyone pursuing a life in the theatre can develop a success mindset.
While there are many factors at work that determine how successful you’ll be in this industry, one thing is for sure: If you don’t have the right mindset, your chances of having a sustainable career in theatre are slim to none. So, set yourself up for success now by developing the following three attributes:
Number One: Be GRATEFUL
Make the choice right now to be grateful. Not just grateful for things, but grateful in general – grateful for everything and in any circumstance. One you’ve made the choice to live in gratitude – no matter what – you’ll actually find yourself being grateful FOR a lot more.
For example, be grateful for the fascinating, dynamic, inspiring people you meet in the world of theatre. Every person you cross paths with can affect your life for the better. Be grateful that you get to meet them, to learn from them, to be inspired by them, even if that person got the role you wanted!
Likewise, you can still be grateful for the lessons you learn, even if they come the hard way. Gratitude helps you turn those stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
Gratitude can be a hard attribute to develop, but it’s worth every effort!
Number Two: Be HUMBLE
I’ve heard two definitions of humility that have helped me understand what being humble really means, and why it’s such an important attribute of a success mindset.
The first definition of humility is to be TEACHABLE. When you are humble, you realize that you don’t know everything, and that every circumstance you are placed in becomes a learning opportunity. Some of those learning opportunities are ones you signed up for, while others you get blindsided with in the school of hard knocks. EIther way, it’s important to ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?”
The second definition of humility is to UNDERSTAND THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE. What does that mean? It means – to quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet – that:
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
We need to realize that not everything revolves around us, and that there are many moving parts in a casting decision, or in life. If we land a lead role, just because the story is about our character, doesn’t mean we are more important than the other actors whose job it is to create the world in which our character lives out his or her story.
Likewise, if we land in the chorus, our job as storytellers and world-builders is just as critical as the protagonist’s.
And sometimes, if we don’t get a role at all, it often has less to do with our talent and skill, and more to do with whether or not we fit in with a particular director’s particular vision for the story. So don’t be hard on yourself!
So, be teachable, and always seek to understand things as they really are.
“Now hold on a minute,” you say. Even if you’re grateful in every circumstance, and are open to learning the lessons taught through difficult experiences, does that mean we shouldn’t try to change our circumstances and improve our experiences?
Of course not!
Number Three: Be INTENTIONAL
The Third component of a Success Mindset is to be INTENTIONAL.
Always remember – you are in control of your own growth as an actor or theatre practitioner. Just like every character should have objectives and tactics within a story, you need to be intentional about achieving your goals for improvement. The two questions you need to answer for yourself are:
- What skill do I need to learn next?
and
- How and when am I going to develop that skill?
The first question is usually answered by whatever acting challenge you’re up against at the moment. For example, “My director told me I need to plant my feet when delivering this monologue.” Or, “my character needs a Standard British accent,” or, “I need to strengthen my focus when acting with my scene partner.”
Great, you’ve identified a skill you can develop. Now ask, “How and when am I going to develop it?”
The answer to that second question can be simple, such as “practice my time step until it becomes second nature,” or it can be more complex and require the help of a director, teacher, or coach.
Either way, be intentional about it. Decide that “I’m going to learn this skill by this date, and I’m going to learn it by taking this action”
Don’t wait for something to happen to you; make a plan to make it happen for you. Practice in front of a mirror, take a class, work with a partner, ask for help. You are in control.
So, build your success mindset by developing these three attributes:
Be GRATEFUL.
Be HUMBLE.
Be INTENTIONAL.
If you can add these to your toolkit, your chances of success in theatre, and in every other area of life, just went way up.
Join the conversation by adding your thoughts below, and if you think this Note from the Director’s Chair will help or inspire someone else on their journey, go ahead and share it with them.
Until next time, stay positive and Break a Leg!