A new year always brings a rush of motivation: New goals, new gear, new plans to finally do everything right. In voice-over, that energy can be helpful, but it can also distract from what actually moves the needle. Growth in this industry rarely comes from adding more. Often, it comes from removing what gets in the way.
A ton of voice actors do good work and still struggle to book consistently. It’s not because their voice is wrong or they lack talent, but because small habits quietly undermine their efforts. These habits feel normal, and some even feel productive. Over time, they create friction that clients notice even if they never say it out loud.
The start of a new year is the ideal time to take inventory of these things, so here are a few voice-over habits worth eliminating if you want cleaner reads, stronger relationships, and a clear, sustainable path forward.
Starting Every Read at Full Energy
One of the most common habits in voice-over is beginning every script at maximum intensity. It usually comes from a good place: You want to sound engaged, show your range, and as you’ve heard time and time again, you only have 3-5 seconds to catch the listener’s ear.
The problem is that most real-world copy does not start at the emotional peak. Commercials, narration, and political messaging are usually built to rise. When everything starts at the top, there is nowhere to go.
Clients respond to control. They want to feel that you understand pacing, intention, and know how to build their story. When you allow the story to breathe instead of blasting out of the gate, your performance feels more confident and more professional.
Cleaner takes come from trusting the copy and letting the moment develop. Energy is a tool, but not the only one.
Over-directing Yourself Mid-Take
Self-direction is essential, but constant correction while recording can sabotage a read. Many voice actors stop and restart repeatedly, adjusting tone, emphasis, or pacing every few words. This habit breaks your flow and creates tension that can be heard in the performance.
Strong reads often happen when you stay present long enough to let the thought finish. This is why I teach cold reading so heavily. Even if the take is not perfect, it usually contains moments that feel real that you can build upon. Those moments are hard to manufacture when you are policing yourself line by line.
A better approach is to commit to the read, finish the thought, and then evaluate. Give yourself space to sound human. Direction works best between takes, not during them.
Treating Your Demo Like a Trophy
Demos are often treated as a finish line: once they are produced, they get placed on a website and mentally checked off the list. Months (or years) pass, meanwhile, the market continues to shift.
Your demo is not a trophy: it is a living, malleable business tool. As your skills sharpen, your lane clarifies, and your goals evolve. Your demo should reflect that growth and change with you. Holding on to outdated material can quietly cost you opportunities. Casting and production professionals are listening for relevance. If your demo no longer represents the work you want to book, it may be working against you.
A healthier habit is to review your demos regularly and ask one simple question. Does this sound like the work I want to be hired for right now?
Auditioning Without Strategy
Auditioning feels productive. It creates the sense that you are doing the work. But volume alone does not mean progress.
Many voice actors audition for everything they can access, regardless of fit. Over time, this leads to burnout, frustration, and a scattered brand.
Strategic auditioning means understanding your voice, your strengths, and the lanes where you are most competitive. It also means recognizing when an opportunity does not align with your goals or talents.
Clients respond to clarity. When your auditions consistently reflect a specific tone, style, or point of view, you become easier to remember and easier to trust. Saying no to auditions that don’t fit you creates room to show up fully for the ones that do – plus, it fights burnout.
Sloppy Client-Facing Habits
Talent gets clients, but professionalism keeps clients coming back.
Small details matter more than many voice actors realize: File naming, clean edits, clear communication, showing up early and ready, on-time delivery, courteous follow-up; none of these things are glamorous, but they do shape the client experience. When your process feels smooth and reliable, clients relax. When they have to chase files or clarify basics, confidence is shaken.
Repeat work often has less to do with the read and more to do with how easy you are to work with. Eliminating sloppy habits on the business side is one of the fastest ways to improve your booking consistency.
Waiting for Confidence Before Acting
It is a well-known cliche that “if you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will either.” I often tell students to step to the mic every time with the voice actor equivalent of “athletic arrogance.” Believe in your talent and training, and approach it like the job is already yours. Confidence is often treated as a prerequisite.
Many voice actors wait until they feel ready before marketing, reaching out, or positioning themselves for higher-level work. The truth is that confidence usually follows action, not the other way around.
Growth happens through repetition, feedback, and experience. Each step forward is proof that you belong. Waiting to feel confident can keep you stuck in “preparation mode” indefinitely.
A healthier habit is to take measured action, learn from the response, and adjust. Confidence grows quietly through momentum.
Measuring Progress the Wrong Way
Bookings matter, but they are not the only measure of progress. When success is defined solely by wins, the work between them can feel unimportant.
Voice-over careers are built in layers: skill development, relationship building, market understanding, and brand clarity.
If you only track outcomes, you may miss the signs that you are moving in the right direction: Cleaner reads, faster turnaround times, better feedback, and stronger connections.
Eliminating the habit of narrow measurement helps you stay grounded and consistent, even during slower cycles. Above all, don’t judge your progress by comparing yourself to others.
Confusing Activity With Advancement
It is easy to stay busy in voice-over with social media, new classes, new gear, and new platforms – sometimes activity can feel like advancement, but it does not always translate into results. Without intention, it becomes noise.
Progress comes from focused effort aligned with clear goals. Knowing why you are doing something is just as important as doing it. Reducing unnecessary activity creates space for deeper work and better decisions.
Habits Worth Keeping
Eliminating bad habits does not mean stripping the work of joy. Some habits are worth protecting.
Consistency matters. Showing up regularly builds trust with yourself and with others.
Curiosity keeps your work fresh. Listening, learning, and adapting prevent stagnation. Don’t be afraid to try a different method or area of VO. You just might surprise yourself, and even if it’s not something you go forward in, that doesn’t mean there isn’t something to be learned there.
Relationships are the foundation of long-term success. Treat every interaction as part of a larger story. Our craft deserves respect. Investing in your skills is never a wasted venture.
Closing Thoughts
The new year does not require a reinvention – it invites refinement.
Cleaner takes come from informed choices. Better careers grow from fewer distractions. When you remove habits that no longer serve you, your work has room to breathe.
Voice-over is not about doing more than everyone else. It is about doing the right things well, consistently, and with intention.
This year, consider what you are ready to let go of. The clearer space you create may be exactly what your voice needs to shine.
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!
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