Actors can find power and strength from unexpected sources. I know I do! I keep a list of acting mentors and find their traits help bolster my self-confidence and self-esteem as an actor.
I usually pick people I haven't met and imagine they are giving me advice in my career.
From these mentors you can also help bring your brand more clearly into focus.
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Thinking of paying for a mentor, but don't know if it really would work & would it get me closer to selling a script. I finished a feature & edited it last year, hate to keep posting it, if I failed at doing something.
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Since I am a coach/mentor, I'm a big fan of hiring coaches to help you achieve your goals because it just gets you where you want to go faster. Research, most coaches offer a free resource, trainings or session so that you can get a feel for what they can offer and if they are a fit for you.
Annette F Hummell I advocate finding a buddy more than hiring a mentor. The types of mentors I'm speaking of are more HEROS than mentors. They are people you want to emulate.
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Thank you Stephen for the advice. Will follow through.
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Where did this "pay for a mentor" thing come from? A mentor is someone you have a relationship with, someone who cares for you and for your future, someone who is invested in your success. You can't pay money for that, that's inherent in a close mutual relationship.
Now a "coach"? That's different. That's someone whom you've recognized as having skills you need and is willing to teach you. Just like any teacher/coach/trainer, they deserve to get paid.
But make no mistake - at the end of the day, when the coach cashes your check and goes home, they're not invested in you. Your success is still dependent solely on you.
IMO - you cannot "buy" a mentor.
John Ellis the point of MY exercise is to identify "mentors" or role modes for your career and to act like them. follow in their footsteps. I was addressing Annette F Hummell's question about paying for a mentor vs. a coach. I have NO troubles with hiring a coach as long as they are invested in your career, too!
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I love the topic you've inadvertently landed upon, John Ellis and Stephen - what IS the difference between a coach, a mentor, and a role model? I'll start that thread separately, but thanks for the idea!
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A coach is someone you pay, a mentor is someone who you look up to and a role model is someone you hope to catch up with. I would avoid all couches unless you are NOT a number to them!
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I dig your breakdown, Stephen Foster ! For me I would switch the role model as someone you look up to, but don't necessarily have contact with, and a mentor is someone you hope to catch up with. A friend once told me that every professional should seek a mentor two years ahead of you and ten years ahead of you.
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You imagine that dead, famous people are talking to you? Why not just act??
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Steve James it's only a tool for inspiration! telling actors to just act is like telling writers to just write. LOL