This is a marathon not a race

“I always tell my kids if you lay down, people will step over you. But if you keep scrambling, if you keep going someone will always, always give you a hand. Always. But you gotta keep dancing, you gotta keep your feet moving.” Morgan Freeman.

I discovered this quote a few days ago and realized that it perfectly describes my world of acting. I have friends in the business who found instant success and have since moved on to other careers. I have some who have been presented with obstacles along the way and were either swallowed up by them eventually or continued to walk over and through them no matter what. All are great examples of what this business can and does look like. At times you feel as if everything is working in your favor and then in the same instance you can feel despondent because you simply cannot get the job or any job.

What many do not realize is that you are never told why or why not. No one ever sits you down after a failed audition to say, “If only you had done X. Y, and Z we would have definitely hired you or the casting director/director thought you were amazing but you were too  tall…” And since no one says anything, the voice of doubt and despair will fill in the words for you.  And trust me, the words are not always so kind.

It is during this time that you have to keep dancing just like the quote says. You have to keep seeking representation, you have to keep auditioning, you have to keep self-submitting yourself, you have to keep singing, keep acting, and keep striving towards each and every goal. The universe will provide all the obstacles and negative energy, but when you refuse to lay down and give up, you will begin to see the roads of opportunity open up. The challenge is getting up every morning to face the day and being able to do it again and again no matter what. You have to be willing to remove anyone and anything out of your environment that does not fully support you.

Just the other day, I had a last minute audition appointment in NYC.  I walked out of a doctor’s appointment, missed two trains and end up finally driving into town with my 13 year old in tow. The role was nothing life changing, but it was vitally important that I showed up because none of us get work from our couch.

“Once you’ve gotten the job, there’s nothing to it. If you’re an actor, you’re an actor. Doing it is not the hard part. The hard part is getting to do it.”(Morgan Freeman) So if you do not run to the opportunity even if it’s simply a single line or small role, then you will continue to never know and ask, “What if?”