Sometimes in this career, you may feel like you are stuck in the mud. When you stop progressing and are craving forward movement in your acting endeavors, I encourage you to try out the suggestions on this list! They just may be the right thing and the right time to help you get your creativity thriving again…

1. Do a one on one coaching appt.

One on one support from an acting coach is one of the first things I suggest for actors who are experiencing booking dry spells.  Sometimes we become blind to habits and patterns that keep us stuck. Working during private sessions with a reputable coach is a great way to burst through any plateaus that have kept you stagnant.  We’ve just added private coaching sessions with Casting Director and expert acting coach, Blaine Johnston!  Check out his open appointments HERE.

2. Take a Class With A New Teacher– and be the WORST student.

If you have trained under one teacher for a long time, sometimes experiencing a new style of teaching can work wonders!  Don’t be afraid to check out a brand new teacher! Now for this next part, hear me out! This isn’t what you think it might be!

Learning in scenarios where you are the best student in the room aren’t ideal. If you want quicker growth, get in rooms where you are the weakest student and you’ll learn so much more from everyone around you. It will also force you to up level as fast as you can to keep pace with your classmates.  Now this is a careful art– aim for a class that is challenging without being overwhelming. You want it to encourage you to WORK and not paralyze you.

3. Take Up a New Activity- Just for you!

Agents and Casting Directors share this advice ALL THE TIME!  Sometimes actors overload themselves with too much career focused information and activity that they forget they have one life to live and there are other parts to it! You need to be functioning as a WHOLE human being to be successful in life and avoid burnout.

Think about other interests you might have and start exploring them!  Take up pickleball, swimming, ballroom dance, woodworking, pastels– get out and do something new to express yourself and experience life!  Discovering the other things that bring you joy will encourage new ideas and inject fresh energy to your work.  Keep building up your arsenal of new experiences and don’t ever stop!

4. Lean into a brand new career friendship.

In this business, we are always meeting new people in classes, on set or on stage. Pick someone you have met and lean into building a deeper friendship. Meet for coffee and share career tips. Support each other’s projects! Be open to developing friendships with adjacent careers like writers and directors! Bringing new and successful people into your circle is a great way to find new inspiration and learn.

5. Connect with a mentor

Mentors have a wealth of experience that you can leverage without the trial and error they experienced. Connect with someone you admire and come to them with a few specific questions to get their advice on career advancement and finding opportunities. Take special care to take action on their advice when appropriate and be sure to let them know you are grateful for their time and thoughts!

6. Use Your Skills as a Volunteer

Your talents are a gift! A great way for a dose of happiness is to take some of your talent and lend it to a local non-profit organization that you care about. Find a way to give back to your community with your skills and remember that the world is bigger than the next acting job. We all need to do our best to contribute to making our piece of the planet better.

7. Happy File

This is a concept our friend and Agent, Albert Bramante shares often. Keep a running list of your wins and happy thoughts. During moments when you feel sad, frustrated or uninspired, pull out your list and re-read them. Remember and celebrate how far you have come!

We hope these tips will help you get moving this Fall, feeling great and hitting your stride in this exciting career path! If you need more individual guidance, please email colleen@actorsconnection.com for a free 15 minute consultation so we can help you find more satisfaction in your acting journey.

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Written by Colleen Kahl, President, ActorsConnection.com