Do you doubt yourself as an actor?
Jan 01, 2022
Do you Doubt Yourself ?
One of the biggest problems actors face is self-doubt. They doubt themselves, their abilities, they doubt themselves on camera, doubt their potential, doubt so much in their lives.
What many of these actors do is try and use positive thinking to get out of this place. They try to override the self-doubt and tell themselves they ARE capable of things and they CAN do this or that and end up pushing harder and harder against the feelings of self doubt hoping they'll just go away when in fact what happens is they simply increase.
This is because your brain will continue to double down on that old habit because your brain is habit based and will only respond in that way because it doesn't know anything different..
A more effective way to get rid of self doubt for yourself is to challenge those beliefs and to clear them from your mind so they no longer exist or affect you so you can choose to focus your attention somewhere else.
So when you use the ETF, the eagle thinking formula to change your beliefs, the old pattern gets broken and new thoughts and feelings come flooding up and through you.
You develop new beliefs that empower you and lift you up, making you feel more alive and empowered by your true potential…
Can you imagine what people in your circle of friends and family will think and feel when they see you succeeding and having more fun on screen and on stage…
The ETF the Eagle Thinking Formula is a tiny part of pillar one of ACTivate the A List Actor Activation Method and if you'd like to learn how to use it for your own career come along to my ACTivate facebook group (free membership available right now)...
and if you'd like to know more about ACTivate 2021 you can jump on the waitlist here
https://www.nickdunning.com/activate-waitlist
How to Defeat Self-Doubt - Backstage
I started casting a new film this week. In the days leading up to it, I got extremely anxious. It happens every time I start a project. The loop in my head goes something like this: “I have no idea how to cast this film. They’re all going to find out I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Can you imagine? I’ve been casting for almost four decades and I still have self-doubt.
Once I start the project, within the first morning, I realize I actually do know what I’m doing and I’m very good at it. As the ball starts rolling I immediately recognize the familiar day-to-day back and forth of the casting process.
Since I’m an independent casting director, I don’t keep an office. Like a gypsy, I move to a new space each time I start a project. Perhaps that’s part of the issue; I can’t picture where I’m going to work or who I’m going to work with. Once I get relaxed into my new surroundings, I can marinate on my casting ideas and they start flowing. Like riding a bike, it all comes back very quickly.
Then why the anxiety and self-doubt? I’ve taken great pains to analyze this to try and nip it in the bud. As a perfectionist, I find that that quality can actually work against me sometimes. There are such huge expectations on me when I’m in charge of a project. I’m so swept up in doing everything right that I forget the big picture.
Renowned acting teacher Howard Fine wrote this about self-doubt and insecurity in terms of the acting community. I think it’s a great lesson for us all: “Let me explain the positive benefits of self-doubt. Those who question their talent work harder. The doubt translates to a work ethic. The insecure actor will not take anything for granted. To those of you who feel insecure about your talents, it is your very sensitivity toward life and toward your fellow human beings that is a core part of your talent. You must seek to find balance. It is OK and natural to question your talent. Do not think that this disqualifies you from having a wonderful life and career. In fact, you share the trait with many whose work you admire.”
READ: “Why Even Successful Actors May Dread Auditions”
I agree with Fine on many of his points. What I’ve learned to embrace is that this feeling keeps me humble and keeps me on my toes. I don’t rest on my laurels. I’m constantly pushing myself to be better at my job.
As an actor, you’ve got to exude confidence in your work. Even if you don’t feel it inside, you can act “as if” and it will telegraph. There’s nothing better than an actor who comes in to audition, who is comfortable in her own skin, and who’s there to “play”; it allows us to relax and feel like we’re in good hands. Confidence is sexy and it’s infectious.
Known for her work in film and television, producer and casting director Marci Liroff has worked with some of the most successful directors in the world such as Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Mark Waters, Christopher Nolan, Brad Bird, and Herbert Ross. While working at Fenton-Feinberg Casting, she, along with Mike Fenton, cast such films as “A Christmas Story,” “Poltergeist,” “E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” and “Blade Runner.” After establishing her own casting company in 1983, Liroff cast “Footloose,” “St. Elmo's Fire,” “Pretty in Pink,” “The Iron Giant,” “The Spitfire Grill," “Untamed Heart," “Freaky Friday,” “Mean Girls,” “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” “Vampire Academy,” and the upcoming “The Sublime and Beautiful,” which she produced as well.
Liroff is also an acting coach, and her three-night Audition Bootcamp has empowered actors to view the audition process in a new light. The class spawned an online course available at Udemy entitled "How To Audition For Film and Television: Audition Bootcamp."
Visit Liroff online at marciliroff.com, follow her on Twitter @marciliroff and Facebook, and watch her advice videos on YouTube. You can also read her blog.
How To Beat Self Doubt in 5 Seconds - Mel Robbins
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