Actions that Get You MORE Auditions

Here’s the Thing: Prioritization is Key

I get it. We’re all juggling a million things—whether you’re a full-time actor or balancing acting with a day job, family, or side gigs. So, how do we find the time to fit in everything we need to do to thrive in our careers?

Here’s the truth: you have to make the time, and then treat that time as sacred. Think about it like going to the gym. If you go once a month, you’re not going to see results. Even if you go three times a week, you’ll see improvements, but the magic happens when you’re consistent—like going five times a week. Your acting career is no different. If you don’t dedicate time consistently, how can you expect to see growth?

Hard vs. Soft Activities: The Two Wings of Your Acting Career

Now, let’s break down the difference between hard activities and soft activities. One will get you results, and the other will support your overall well-being. Both are important but the first one is infinitely more effective.

Think of your career like a bird with two wings. One wing is your skill, talent, and everything that makes you the actor you are—your unicorn factors. The activities that contribute to this include things like acting classes, workshops, journaling, yoga, and yes, even research on Netflix. But none of those activities directly lead to an audition.

The other wing is the business of being an actor—your mindset, branding, marketing, networking, and community. This is where the hard activities come in. These are the actions that directly create opportunities for you to get in the room and audition. Both wings are essential for a thriving career, but without the business wing, you’ll never be able to soar.

Flip the 80/20 Rule

Here’s where most actors go wrong. 80% of your time is probably spent on soft activities, and only 20% on the hard stuff that actually generates results. We need to flip that. I want you to focus 80% of your time on hard activities—things like branding, pitching yourself, marketing, and networking—and only 20% of your time on soft activities like classes or research.

If you’ve heard of the Pareto Principle, this will sound familiar. 20% of your work will yield 80% of your outcome. So, what we need to do is make sure you’re spending the bulk of your time on the actions that are going to lead to those big results.

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Let’s face it: growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. The things that will move your career forward—networking, pitching, cold outreach, asking for auditions—are going to make you feel uncomfortable. But that’s where the magic happens. You need to get comfortable being uncomfortable if you want to grow.

One of the biggest benefits of consistently putting yourself out there is that rejection becomes less scary. Rejection is just a fact of this industry, but when you’re always creating new opportunities, a “no” doesn’t sting as much. You’ll know that another chance is just around the corner.

Taking Stock of Your Career: Action Steps

Now, I want you to take stock of your career. Grab a piece of paper and make two lists: one for your hard activities and one for your soft activities.

1. Hard Activities: How clear is your branding? How strong is your pitch? Are you consistently networking? Are you putting yourself in front of the right people? This is where the rubber meets the road.

2. Soft Activities: These are things like acting classes, meditating, journaling, or watching shows for “research.” All of this is important, but you need to be honest with yourself: Are you spending too much time here?

Once you’ve made your lists, be radically honest with yourself. If you’re spending most of your time on soft activities, it’s time to flip the ratio. Start spending 80% of your time on hard activities that will create opportunities for auditions.

Here’s What You Can Do Today:

1. Get Clear on Your Branding: Make a list of what you bring to the table that nobody else does. What sets you apart from other actors in your category? If you’re not clear on this, get clear today.

2. Craft Your Pitch: Practice different pitches—hard and soft. A hard pitch is direct, like when you’re submitting to an agent or asking for an audition. A soft pitch is more subtle, like when you’re networking or updating a casting director without directly asking for something.

3. Push Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone: This week, commit to doing at least one activity that makes you uncomfortable. Maybe it’s cold emailing a casting director, pitching yourself to an agent, or attending a networking event.

4. Stay Consistent: Don’t underestimate the power of small, consistent steps. Like the tortoise and the hare, it’s the steady pace that wins. Keep plodding along, and you’ll cross your own finish line.

5. Set Boundaries for Your Career Time: Treat your career time as sacred. Block out chunks of time for your hard activities and make sure nothing interferes with that.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the takeaway: You need to be radically honest with yourself about how you’re spending your time. Are you doing the things that will actually move your career forward? If not, it’s time to flip that script. Focus on your hard activities, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and stay consistent.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into how you can apply these strategies to your acting career, book a free discovery call. I can help you develop a plan that works specifically for you.

Until next time, you stay your bold and beautiful self.

Anne