In order to market effectively you need to be as specific as possible in who you are, what you want and how you are going to get there. If you know precisely, what you want and by when, you know what actions steps to take, and then it is just a matter of time. Success becomes inevitable.

Remember what you focus on is what you get. If you focus on not spilling something on your white shirt, you will most likely spill something on your white shirt. If one of your goals is "I don't want to be non-union anymore", well that goal is just reinforcing where you already are. Create in the positive and in the present tense. Focus on what you want, not what you don't want.

 

As actors many of us get tunnel vision, and it becomes all about our career. We will say in 6 months I want to be on Law & Order, and in 2 years I will be on Broadway and in 5 years I will have a contract role on a soap. All of that is wonderful, we want to be focused and specific, that is what the first exercise is all about. But what about everything else? What about life? What about nourishing your soul? What do you want to be, and do and have? I want to have a sailboat. I want to travel to Italy for two months. I want to be written about in theatre History books. I want to learn French. I want to be a mom. I want a Badgley Mischka dress. It is important to think big and discover what are things that you would love to be, do and have. Honor these parts of yourself.

 

Once you write down your goals and all that you want to be, do, and have, it is time to create your declaration, or your definiteness of purpose in life as Napoleon Hill says in THINK AND GROW RICH.

"Definiteness of purpose is the point from which one must begin. It is the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it. Knowing what you want is the first and, perhaps, the most important step towards the development of persistence. A strong motive forces you to surmount many difficulties."

It should be a statement that reflects what you want to achieve in your life and what you are going to give back to your fellow peers, your community, and even the world. " It is a powerful statement, no longer than a page, that will fuel your desire and keep you on track of your purpose in life. Click here to read Jodie's.

 

Look at your goals and pick 3 or 4 that you want to focus on now. Anymore than that will be a bit overwhelming to focus on. Work backwards. What actions do you have to take to achieve them? Daily, weekly, monthly, break it down as small as possible and be specific. Date everything. Setting a date to your goals is very powerful. For a few years I wanted my Equity card and it just wasn't happening. Finally I said by June 10th I would get my card. As March approached I got nervous, but I stuck to my intention and kept following my daily and weekly actions. I didn't know how it was going to happen, but I knew it would. The middle of March I booked an Off-Broadway show. It works.

 

Once you have done all the background work, I highly urge you to do this exercise. I procrastinated on this one for a while, but when I finally did it, it made all the difference. Create a vision board. Spend some time with google images and find photos that represent your goals and make a collage of everything you currently want to achieve and be and do and have. Keep it in a prominent place where you will always see it. I even took a picture of my vision board and made it my screen saver, and it is on the cover of my music book. I see it all the time. Visual is memorable. It is a great reminder to keep you on track.

 

Many of us don't realize how many negative thoughts go through our minds in a day. Unfortunately, most of them are geared towards ourselves. We are our own worst critics. But what if you flipped that around? Instead of telling yourself your stupid because you forgot to mail that headshot out. What if you told yourself every morning - "I am a brilliant business person with my acting career" or "I approach my auditions with confidence and ease" or 'I am an excellent manager of my money." Daily Declarations are a powerful tool. If you tell yourself something long enough your unconscious mind will eventually believe it is true. It is the unconscious mind that we must tap into.

There is a software program you can download directly on your computer, and it is wonderful. The software flashes subliminal message on your computer and comes preprogrammed for many different needs, i.e. losing weight, self esteem booster, release your past. You can click on the category you want or you can create your own messages to flash. How nice to be told everyday while you check your email--"You are a Broadway star"; "You always book jobs easily." "Your cold reading skills are incredible!". Click here to learn more about Subliminal Power.