Conquer negativity and self-doubt.
Mar 23, 2018 1:18:29 GMT -8
James, Rebekah Amber Clark, and 4 more like this
Post by Lady Stardust ★ on Mar 23, 2018 1:18:29 GMT -8
We had a discussion on our Discord server tonight regarding impostor syndrome, focusing on negative comments, being hypercritical of oneself, and letting feelings of self-doubt affect one's drive and ability to perform.
For one to grow as a performer, a balance of feedback is needed. Feedback that is all positive can lead to an inflated sense of self-worth, ego, or feeling that one does not need to continue improving. However, negative feedback (even minor) can make someone start to doubt their abilities or even their own worth. "Negative" feedback is crucial to growing as an actor, but it should be constructive in nature rather than destructive. (Protip: YouTube and Twitter comments are rarely constructive.)
I also recommend reading this thread, but the purpose of this particular one will be to give you things to think about when negative thoughts creep into your head. Some of these were contributed by users on our server; others have been said by actors I've come into contact with, or even things I've thought myself. Please feel free to contribute if you have anything you'd like to share.
You are enough.
You wanted to be an actor, and now you're doing it. Maybe you're not where you want to be today, tomorrow, or even a year from now. But you are doing it, even in the smallest of steps.
Did you send out an audition? You're doing something. Even if you don't land the part, you had the courage to try, the discipline to open up your software and record. Do you know how many people say they'd love to do voice acting but don't even have the courage to get in front of a microphone?
YOU were chosen for the role. It's not just "dumb luck". You had something the director wanted. Something about your performance moved them to cast YOU out of all the people who auditioned. And if you were offered the role without auditioning, that means they were so confident that you were the person they wanted, that they didn't even need to hear anyone else read for it. Think about that.
If criticism isn't constructive or aimed at helping you improve, it doesn't matter. Trash it. Listen to feedback and honest opinions from people who matter, not Joe Schmoe from YouTube. A rude comment says more about the person making it than it does about you. Chances are they feel insecure about themselves and they're tearing you down to try to make themselves feel better. Their words don't matter. Remember, YOU were still chosen for the job. And if you got paid for it? Hey, the client liked you so much that they paid you money to do voice work for them, so whose opinion are you going to care about more?
You matter. Even if you think no one believes in you, you have supporters in your corner. They may be mostly silent supporters, but they're there. You're part of a community---a whole network of other actors. You have people rooting for you to succeed; people who will congratulate you when you get cast in a new role.
You are not a hack. Maybe your skills still need improving. So what? Everyone's talent could use improving, even people who have been working for decades. "I need refinement" and "I suck" are not the same thing, so get that voice that says "I suck" out of your head. It's not helping you. If you had a toxic "friend" who constantly insulted you, would you keep them around? Let's hope not! So why do you allow the voice in your head to do the same thing?
You deserve this. It's not about whether or not you think you're a good person, or whether or not you think your friend might have done a better job at the role you got, or whether not a whole lot of people auditioned. It doesn't matter. It's okay to tell yourself that you deserve what you have. If you want to do better, resolve to do better, but don't let it take away from what you've accomplished in the moment.
You're doing a lot better than you think. No, not everyone is doing better than you. Do you know how many people try to do this, and give up? You kept trying. You're still here. You're doing something, even if it's not as much as you'd like to be doing. That's important. Don't discount it.
Stop being afraid. Don't be afraid to make choices. Put yourself out there. Sometimes you'll get a yes, sometimes you'll get a no, many times it's nothing at all---but a "no" isn't the worst thing in the world. Do you know how many people out there were told "no", perhaps over and over, and later went on to do great things? Stop holding yourself back. Don't let YOU be the one telling yourself you can't do it. If you don't try, then your rate of success will be 0. So don't you have something to gain by at least getting out there and trying?
Failure is not the end of the world. It's a mere step back. Even if you make a mistake, or get recast for a major role, or have to take a hiatus and start all over again, there are very few instances in which you truly cannot recover. You've made it this far. Are you really going to let this stop you?
Stop making excuses for why you can't do something. There is always at least one step, no matter how small, that you can take. Regardless of age, or location, or finances, or experience. Stop focusing on what you CAN'T do right now and focus on what you CAN do right now.
You can do this.
For one to grow as a performer, a balance of feedback is needed. Feedback that is all positive can lead to an inflated sense of self-worth, ego, or feeling that one does not need to continue improving. However, negative feedback (even minor) can make someone start to doubt their abilities or even their own worth. "Negative" feedback is crucial to growing as an actor, but it should be constructive in nature rather than destructive. (Protip: YouTube and Twitter comments are rarely constructive.)
I also recommend reading this thread, but the purpose of this particular one will be to give you things to think about when negative thoughts creep into your head. Some of these were contributed by users on our server; others have been said by actors I've come into contact with, or even things I've thought myself. Please feel free to contribute if you have anything you'd like to share.
You are enough.
You wanted to be an actor, and now you're doing it. Maybe you're not where you want to be today, tomorrow, or even a year from now. But you are doing it, even in the smallest of steps.
Did you send out an audition? You're doing something. Even if you don't land the part, you had the courage to try, the discipline to open up your software and record. Do you know how many people say they'd love to do voice acting but don't even have the courage to get in front of a microphone?
YOU were chosen for the role. It's not just "dumb luck". You had something the director wanted. Something about your performance moved them to cast YOU out of all the people who auditioned. And if you were offered the role without auditioning, that means they were so confident that you were the person they wanted, that they didn't even need to hear anyone else read for it. Think about that.
If criticism isn't constructive or aimed at helping you improve, it doesn't matter. Trash it. Listen to feedback and honest opinions from people who matter, not Joe Schmoe from YouTube. A rude comment says more about the person making it than it does about you. Chances are they feel insecure about themselves and they're tearing you down to try to make themselves feel better. Their words don't matter. Remember, YOU were still chosen for the job. And if you got paid for it? Hey, the client liked you so much that they paid you money to do voice work for them, so whose opinion are you going to care about more?
You matter. Even if you think no one believes in you, you have supporters in your corner. They may be mostly silent supporters, but they're there. You're part of a community---a whole network of other actors. You have people rooting for you to succeed; people who will congratulate you when you get cast in a new role.
You are not a hack. Maybe your skills still need improving. So what? Everyone's talent could use improving, even people who have been working for decades. "I need refinement" and "I suck" are not the same thing, so get that voice that says "I suck" out of your head. It's not helping you. If you had a toxic "friend" who constantly insulted you, would you keep them around? Let's hope not! So why do you allow the voice in your head to do the same thing?
You deserve this. It's not about whether or not you think you're a good person, or whether or not you think your friend might have done a better job at the role you got, or whether not a whole lot of people auditioned. It doesn't matter. It's okay to tell yourself that you deserve what you have. If you want to do better, resolve to do better, but don't let it take away from what you've accomplished in the moment.
You're doing a lot better than you think. No, not everyone is doing better than you. Do you know how many people try to do this, and give up? You kept trying. You're still here. You're doing something, even if it's not as much as you'd like to be doing. That's important. Don't discount it.
Stop being afraid. Don't be afraid to make choices. Put yourself out there. Sometimes you'll get a yes, sometimes you'll get a no, many times it's nothing at all---but a "no" isn't the worst thing in the world. Do you know how many people out there were told "no", perhaps over and over, and later went on to do great things? Stop holding yourself back. Don't let YOU be the one telling yourself you can't do it. If you don't try, then your rate of success will be 0. So don't you have something to gain by at least getting out there and trying?
Failure is not the end of the world. It's a mere step back. Even if you make a mistake, or get recast for a major role, or have to take a hiatus and start all over again, there are very few instances in which you truly cannot recover. You've made it this far. Are you really going to let this stop you?
Stop making excuses for why you can't do something. There is always at least one step, no matter how small, that you can take. Regardless of age, or location, or finances, or experience. Stop focusing on what you CAN'T do right now and focus on what you CAN do right now.
You can do this.