Success as an actor doesn't just fall into your lap, while you passively pocket the pay cheques. Even the most gifted actors have to work at it. And to work at it, you need to be motivated. But how do you get motivated?
The leadership writer, John Adair tells us that half our motivation comes from within us and half from our environment. He calls it the 50-50 rule. In other words, you may be a naturally driven person and hugely ambitious, but unless you're in a highly motivating environment, you're unlikely to see those ambitions fulfilled. So you need to choose carefully the place where you want to work and make sure you get there.
Take drama schools for example. Several of my students at Guildhall got in on their second, third or even fourth attempt. That means they risked up to four years of their lives to get into what they believed was the best and most motivating environment in which to become an actor. It's not just Guildhall: other top drama schools will tell you the same story.
The same goes for theatre companies. Have you ever found yourself in the cast of a play where nobody cared much or believed in the project? How long did your enthusiasm last? Equally, you may be lucky enough to have a director who keeps everyone inspired and motivated, and as a result, rehearsals are buzzing with energy.
There's one other thing you can do, and this is vital: surround yourself with motivated people. Avoid the emotional vampires. Instead, hang around with the people who have even more enthusiasm than you. In that environment you'll feel challenged, energised and inspired to achieve your highest potential.
But to be fully motivated, you must find half of that within yourself. That's your responsibility. And like so many things in life this parallels the acting process itself. The passive actor will say to the director: "What's my motivation in this scene?" This means they haven't done their homework and the scene is unlikely to take off.
The Outstanding Actor – available on Amazon