EMILY MATTHESON

12.3.19 – As I get back into the swing of things post-Turkey day, I’ve been thinking a lot about achievable versus non-achievable goals, and how I can harness the power of setting achievable daily goals to maintain a balanced and healthy attitude toward my VO career.

Since the average voiceover job is completed in about 2 hours (give or take depending on the size of the project), our job as VO actors consists mainly of, well…looking for jobs!  Of course, we all hope to get to a point where the work just flows in without our having to seek it, but in general, and especially starting out, we need to get cozy with the idea of a daily hustle for work.

Unfortunately, inherent in any audition, submission, job interview, etc is an answer, either YES or NO.  That’s the point that’s gotten me really hung up and frustrated in the past.  Man, I KILLED that VO audition and the casting director LOVED me!  Or, I just got an email saying I’m on a short list!  Yay!  Now what??  Now, we wait.  And that’s the tricky part.

This is how I’ve found myself looking into books about thinking positively and sending positive and affirmative energy into the universe.  I mean, there must be something I can do to tip the cosmic scales in my favor!  I have read books on it, done LOTS of manifesting meditations on YouTube, sunrise chanting, repetitive written and spoken mantras, you name it.  Unfortunately (and I am VERY willing to admit I could be doing it wrong), all that has generally done for me is create an air of expectation.  As good as it is to have positive thinking and visualization, it is still very much focused on the outcome.  And like it or not, outcome is something we really have no control over.

Let me be clear, I am NOT saying we cannot achieve these things! Otherwise, what is this all for?  What I’m saying is that we need to set our goals, and then LET GO of when and how they happen!  Then we are free to focus our energy on what we CAN control.  And what we CAN control is the actions we take toward that goal or dream that we have.  Those actions for the voice actor are things like submitting auditions, doing direct marketing, or updating casting directors or clients on a class you took or job you booked.  The key I’ve found is to LET GO of the seeds once they’re planted; no going back and peeking to see if it’s sprouted.  And the way I have found to do that is by setting achievable daily goals. 

Here is an example of an achievable goal:  Submit 15 VO Auditions 

I can totally do that!  And boy does it feel good to cross that off the to-do list when it’s done.

As opposed to this example of a non-achievable goal: Book a VO job today

Now I am NOT saying that may not happen, but it’s just not something that is within your control.  And if you set that as your intention for the day, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment if it doesn’t happen.  I know I have.

So, as I cross “write blog entry” off my daily to-do list, I leave you with this: VO, like any career, is a marathon, not a sprint.  The more ways we can find to be happy and fulfilled each and every day, regardless of what jobs we are booking, the longer and happier our careers will be!

Thanks for reading, and namaste 😉