The Year of the Tiger
by Kevin Urban
Welcome to 2010! The year of the tiger. A new beginning. A chance to reflect, refocus and renew. Last year was a rough one due to the economy. It’s important to realize this and how it impacted the acting world. The fact that you weathered the storm is a major kudos to you. Due to the stress that was placed on our industry, our focus at The Savvy Actor this year, will be one of renewal. It’s now time to focus on the possibilities of the coming year and renew your investment in the things that drive you. And maybe even do things differently.
The new year brings with it a “blank page,” one that French Philosopher, Gaston Bachelard said ". . . gives us the right to dream." This is the time of year to dream about the big picture – that’s so exciting to me! It’s a time I get check in with my passion. A time to imagine and craft all of possibilities for the coming year into my new goals.
Before you start looking forward, take the time to reflect and think about what you did well last year. What worked? Why did it work? But also look at the mistakes you made. What did you learn from them? What could you have done differently? Starting here will help you figure out the strategies that brought you success and the ones that didn’t. For those strategies that didn’t work, it’s time to try something new.
In 2010, think outside the box, and commit to growth. Personal growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. Often times, the toughest lessons are the ones learned from mistakes. We like to shake things up for our clients to get them out of their comfort zone by offering new strategies and ways of doing things. For example, learning how to use their computer applications effectively. We believe it is empowering to be in charge of updating your resume and always have our clients create resumes and/or reformat their resumes in Microsoft Word. For some it’s a piece of cake, for others it’s hard work and takes time. We don’t assign this because it’s easy, we do it because they will learn a beneficial skill from trial and error. The more they practice the more efficient they will become and the less time they will have to focus on updating their resumes in the future.
As you start to strategize, I urge you to let your tiger out of the box. Implement and practice new business strategies. Let yourself feel a little uncomfortable and know that this is contributing to your growth as an actor and most importantly as a person. If you’re feeling stuck in your career its time to renew the way you apply your business strategies. Unleash your inner tiger in 2010 and as always we’re here to help if you need us!
