By Jessica Sitomer
In For Love of the Game, Kevin Costner, plays Billy Chapel, a legendary Detroit Tigers pitcher. Due to age, injury, and attitude, his career and love life are in the balance. A wonderful movie about dreams, dedication, and the perfect game.
Sometimes, the entertainment industry can make you feel like “your season” or worse “your career” is ending. Constantly, people around you are talking your ear off about all that is wrong with the industry in which you are working so hard to succeed. You start to doubt yourself and your future, even the future of the industry. There never seems to be enough time or money, and worst of all, opportunities to perform the job you love.
The industry is always changing but it is NOT going away, not collapsing, despite what others may fret about. Here are 3 tips to keep you and your passion on track:
1. Find “Your People”: I’m giving you permission to stop hanging out with or talking to or reading Facebook posts from Debbie and Dick Downer! Instead, find people who are optimistic, problem solvers, and action takers. You are deeply affected by the people you spend time with, so it’s imperative that you spend your time with people who believe in themselves, you, and the industry!
2. Time Management: Take out your calendar and start scheduling. Here’s what I do: I put all of my yoga and gym classes in (recurring weekly) and revolve my schedule around them. This tells me that I’m putting myself first. (I can’t help others if I don’t take care of myself.) Then, I schedule 2 hours for my new R+F business, 1 hour for Greenlight, and 1 hour for my 3rd business, daily M-F. That’s it! I can then take it day by day; see friends, spend time with family, go to the beach, spend extra time on one of my businesses. I CHOOSE! And so can you.
3. Stay Passionate My Friend: The most interesting man in the world tells you to “Stay Thirsty,” I’m telling you to stay passionate! The best way to do that is to remember your “Why.” Why did you get into this business? Why do you care about it so much? Why do you want to succeed? I’d love to know your “Why” Please share it in the comment section!
And Action!
1. Go through your friends and decide who needs to be eliminated from your “space” because of their negativity.
2. Make a list of people with whom you’d like to spend more time because of their positivity.
3. What can you schedule repeatedly FIRST so you know you’re taking care of yourself?
4. If you haven’t done it in a while, write down your “Whys” to reconnect with your passion.
People who try to scare you that the industry is changing and there’s no room for “people like you” are simply saying, “There’s no room for people like them.” Stay passionate my friend, and keep the faith.
