Acting : Embracing the Beauty of Imperfect Action by Anne Alexander-Sieder

I read a quote by Shawn Coyne who wrote the book, "The War of Art" that really got me thinking...

"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands resistance. Have you ever brought home a treadmill and let it gather dust in the attic? Ever quit a diet, a course of yoga, a meditation practice? Late at night, have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the realized being you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn't write, a painter who doesn't paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what resistance is."

Shawn is a writer, and while his book was originally written to inspire other writers, I think a lot of what he says can just as easily be applied to us actors, or anyone with a (seemingly) impossible dream.

At this point, I've had hundreds of conversations with other actors and there are several themes that keep coming up, but today I want to get you thinking about the most dangerous one - the one that will leave you on your deathbed with regrets, wondering what if I had only really tried...

Failure to launch.

Sorry to be so morbid, but it's the truth and I don't want it to happen to you.

The why behind this is varied. Some people have a fear of failure itself, while others are perfectionists whose incredibly high standards don't give them the room they need to make mistakes.

Others grapple with imposter syndrome or self-doubt. They don't believe they have what it takes to really succeed.

Another high hurdle to jump is a lack of self-confidence. These people let the tiniest setbacks (rejections, not booking, or even a lack of a response from a casting director) throw them off their track.

Honestly, there are probably as many reasons as there are people but today I want to encourage you to set aside your fears. Accept that they never really go away and take imperfect action. Imperfect action is better than no action at all. Don't listen to that harsh inner critic, listen to the part of you that has a dream, that wants something bigger and more beautiful.

The very act of taking steps toward what you want will create momentum and give you the confidence you need to know that you're not going to let yourself down.

Don't let the resistance hold you back. Embrace your imperfections, take bold steps, and keep your dream alive. Your unique talent deserves to shine, and with every imperfect action, you're one step closer to making it a reality.