Be Relentless!
At the end of 2019, I chose a theme word for 2020: Relentless.
The idea was that if I was relentless with my marketing and my pursuit of what I wanted in my VO biz, I could create momentum and be Unstoppable. Well, it has been a landmark year for my business, where I've broken a record. And it's been the same for many of my voice actor friends, despite the pandemic, BLM events, our political climate, the state of our economy, and even personal setbacks.
We are in the last quarter of the year, and while some are ready to get into 2021, changing the date on the calendar doesn't mean much when it comes to goals and mindset. That's what I want to encourage you about today.
When I first got an assessment from Edge Studio in 2016, the person running that session, as well as my first VO coach there, both said that I did not have a commercial voice. Neither one of them could really see me booking commercial work. And even though I was already a life coach and understood how powerful self-talk can be, I let their opinions color my image of myself as a budding voice talent. And since I started by VO business in 2017, if I ever talked to others in the industry or did voiceover workout classes (audition practice), I always would always preface my performance by saying, "I'm not good at commercials" or "Commercials are not my strong suit." Now while I was clearly more naturally gifted in narration work out of the gate, it didn't mean I couldn't voice a commercial.
Fast-forward to this summer, when I took not 1, not 2, but 3 back-to-back voiceover coaching series and classes. My confidence as a vocal performer has never been better. I have learned to start trusting my choices as an actor, and with the coaches and teachers I had, I could practice in a safe space. In August, my new commercial demo was produced, and combined with my fierce email marketing ethic (30+ emails per day to prospects), I have been able to join multiple new production and agency rosters, which means more auditions and more work. (Sometimes when your demo is strong, an audition is not required— and so it went this summer.) As a matter of fact, I surpassed my VO income goal for the entire year in July!
If you can connect with two or three people who will commit to support you, like a mastermind group, will help so much when it comes to mental roadblocks and business concerns. Meeting with my girls in my mastermind group has done wonders for me in terms of advice and emotional support. When you're confident, you perform better, it shows, and you stay booked.
So what does this mean for you? It's time to address your:
self-doubt
thought blocks
fear of rejection
perfectionism
minimizing your talent (if you're already working) or your potential (if you're just starting out)
Are you frustrated because things don't seem to be lining up or haven't been moving that fast for you? While that may be true, what's in our heads is often the biggest thing that stands in our way. Are YOU holding yourself back? It's time to Get Out of Your Head! Be Relentless, and finish this year Strong.