Do you ever get that itch?
You know, the one when it’s mid-week, your inbox is empty, no casting calls you fit are up, and you feel like you’re Left On Read with agents? And, to top it off, your friends are posting about all the cool stuff they’re in that’s dropping this week.
Relief isn’t gonna show up at your doorstep—you gotta make your own by reconnecting with why you’re doing what you’re doing, getting in touch with yourself, not comparing yourself to others, and finding new ways to express your creativity.
To further prove these methods work, I went through one of the most difficult times in my life while writing this, took my own advice, and got back on track, so you can too!
Intrinsic Motivation
Why’re you doing this? No, seriously, are you insane? You’re signing yourself up for a lifetime of rejections, nos, awkward silences, and a distinct lack of feedback. Why would you do that?
The answer’s clear, right? Doing this brings you joy! (At least, it should). But where is that joy coming from? Is it from potential notoriety or imagined gains from things outside of your control, or does it come from your own desire to be curious and challenge yourself?
Certainly, your goals can be tangible things like bookings or engagements, but that can’t be the only thing driving you. Bookings are brief, fleeting, and transient. Plus, that kind of motivation doesn’t have a true payoff for accomplishing it; it feeds into wanting more and more of it, without being able to enjoy your labor and creativity.
A strong internal drive to push your understanding, to enjoy the process of voice acting itself, and not relying on external validation will last you through the many droughts that happen in this biz. Find happiness in tapping into a new emotion, a new sound, a deeper understanding of characterization. Let yourself be excited and curious as you dive into the minutiae of the process. Let your eyes shine when you see and hear phenomenal performances from others.
Release yourself from the want of validation. Believe me: doing the cool thing because you love it is much more satisfying. Your inner child will thank you and be in awe of just how legit you are.
Checking In
Inside of you are many parts. Parts that want to thrive. Parts that desire justice. Parts that wanna air people out to dry for what they’ve done to you or others.
But is that productive? Is that serving anyone? What are the underlying reasons why those thoughts are coming up? It could be frustration, fear, sadness, or another underlying factor that is trying to tell you something.
Find ways to re-channel that internal passion. Take the parts that want to thrive to a class. Take the parts that want to heal wounds and connect with the community and serve them. Take the parts that want to put people on blast on a mini vacation away from work. That way, you all can come back rested, recovered, and ready.
The Joy Thief
Even if you keep the blinders on, keep your head down, and keep at it, you’ll see, especially given how much we all are on social media, that others are moving forward in their careers simultaneously. Envy’s gonna rear its ugly head—this is a fact, it’s natural, and it’s fixable. All you gotta do is STOP.
Stop
Kneejerk reactions worsen things 99% of the time. Put a buffer between your thoughts and your actions. Your fingers might wanna write something out or say something. Don’t.
Time-Out
One of the best solutions to wanting to post is getting up and walking away. Put the phone down or push the keyboard away. If you can, go outside for a bit, get some fresh air, maybe take a little walk, or grab something to drink.
Observe
What’s going on in your body? Are your hands tense or closed? How’s your back and posture? What thoughts are running through your head? Make space for them simply to exist without judgment or attachment (remember: you’re not your thoughts). If things feel overwhelming: take a deep breath for six seconds, hold it for six seconds, then release it for six seconds. Repeat until you can actually hear yourself think.
Proceed
Once you feel more in control, understand what your thoughts and feelings are, and think about what you would hope to gain out of interacting with the thing that kicked this off. Is it rooted in kindness and compassion, both for you and the subject? What do you want to do, and will it make things better or worse?
The Waiting Game
Every industry has periods where no work is coming in or some external factor is stopping work from happening. That’s real, and what you do with yourself during those times matters.
Polish
What, you think you can afford to get rusty? Get to studying! Watch commercials, study shows and characters, practice sustaining voices for longer and longer (safely!). The simple act of reading and imagining what’s going on directly translates to your ability to set the scene in copy.
Change-Up
If voice-over itself is starting to lose its flavor, switch to another field! Give theatre or film a try! The skills you learn in those (like scene study, resonance with other actors, interpretation, and more) are cross-applicable and strengthen you in more ways than just voice. Don’t be afraid to push the limits of your creative comfort zone.
Recharge
All that said, burnout is real. There is no shame in taking a step back, decompressing, zoning out with a game or show without studying it. It’s okay to enjoy things just to enjoy them! We aren’t machines, so take a break and remind yourself what you’re working so hard to protect.
DIY
There’s a really bad idiom having to do with bootstraps and impossible tasks. But there’s one I prefer: if you want a thing but it doesn’t exist, then it’s on you to make it.
Have you always wanted to voice a femme fatale but the opportunity never comes up? Write your own script and voice it. Are you a natural at storytelling? Author a book for all the characters in your head to come out. Want to take on the Herculean labor of directing a project? Join a Game Jam and push yourself and your creative capacities.
Conclusion
Of course, applying all of these things is a work in progress. We all stumble, forget a step, and get caught up in the feels, but as long as we catch it and course-correct, we’ll be able to forge and maintain that intrinsic motivation we need to keep working.
You need to hear this: You’re amazing. You. I mean it. I want to see you shine with the light only you can provide this world. I believe in you.
Motivated? If yes, great! Get to it! If not, do it unsure/unenergetic/upset. It all starts with you.
P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry, sign up here!
