September 12th, 2010
If you’re a beginner to voice acting, then you might think that there is a tremendous amount of work and practice that needs to be done before you can even get your budding career off the ground. And you’d be right — there IS a lot. So much so that the mountain of work might appear to block out the sunny skies of a successful future career.
I used to think that very way. I’d focus my attention and energy on all of the skills and techniques that I had yet to learn. It was heartbreaking. At times “giving it up” seemed so much better than “giving it a try”.
Then one day I changed my perspective, shifted my paradigm, and did away with the one thing that was sapping my motivation: the “To Do” list.
Let me be completely honest: To Do lists are depressing. Seriously. No matter how much you accomplish, you can always find more stuff that must get done. The mountain keeps getting bigger and bigger. And that IS depressing.
What?! Isn’t a “To Do” list vital to getting ahead? Well… no. And yes. I mean, it’s important to have a plan of action to get you to moving in the right direction: “The road to success requires a detailed map” and all of that self help mumbo-jumbo. But if all you do is focus on what still needs to be done, you’ll drain your energy and sap every ounce of motivation. The mountain will only appear to be getting bigger and bigger. And that’s not going to help you at all.
All done! The “Got It Done” list
What has helped me more than anything else to keep me motivated and focused is my “Got It Done” list. After a day of work and/or practice, I write down all my important accomplishments in this list. It is within the pages of this list that I can see how far I have actually progressed. Knowing that I have gained a new skill, mastered a difficult technique, or even just did some cold reading practice gives me a feeling of accomplishment.
Focusing all of my attention on what still needs to be done in my “To Do” list can really be a downer at times. All of those abstract, unattained, unmastered, and future “musts” weigh too heavily. But when I can sit back and take a look at all of the concrete, attained, mastered, and past accomplishments, I can then surge forward with even more motivation and energy. “See,” I say to myself. “I’ve really gone quite far on my journey as a voice actor. If I can get to this point, then the next point will be a cake walk.”
Your turn
If you’re feeling a little down or depressed at how much farther you need to go as a voice actor, then maybe you might want to try focusing your attention on your accomplishments instead of “what I still need to do”. Because the truth is, there will always be techniques that you need to practice or improve upon.
Becoming a voice actor is a never-ending journey. So, enjoy the journey. Look to your “To Do” list as a guide to where you need to move next, but focus on what you have already successfully accomplished. It’s those successes that make the trip fun!
PS:
“But David, isn’t the whole idea of a “Got It Done” list just a bunch of self help mumbo-jumbo, too?” You’re right. It is. Hey, I never said that self help mumbo-jumbo was bad, did I? 