Value vs. Money

“You want to be an actor? You’re gonna be poor.” 
my grandfather’s reaction to my career choice (paraphrased)
vs.
“Do what you love and the minute you stop loving it, stop doing it” 
my Dad’s take on the same subject.

Which one is your view?

Or think of it this way. The first time I saw Star Wars: A New Hope, it was free. I saw it on TV somewhere. The first time I saw Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, I paid $15 to see it on the screen, I think it was in IMAX. I paid nothing for a fantastic movie but, shelled out money and got Jar Jar Freakin’ Binks.

See, the thing is, we often confuse Value with Money. Now you can spend a lot of money on something that has a lot of value, like tickets to a great movie. Or you can spend the same amount or more on something that feels as valid as watching paint dry. So let’s separate the two concepts.

If you’re an actor or other creative artist, you probably need to work a survival job while you pursue your vocation with the remaining hours in your week. Personally, I work an admin job. Survival jobs are soul crushing. They can make you doubt your personal value. I have, at times been deeply depressed and felt completely worthless because it seems so easy to get work that I just don’t want. And why should I want it? At my current survival job, all they really do is provide services to people who are dealing in boatloads of money. But, when you back away from the deals, there is nothing of any value as far as my eye can see. They’re basically helping people with a lot of money, make a lot more money or get the outcome they can afford.

Contrast that with the experience you have in improv or on stage when you can feel the visceral reaction from an audience. Or think about when you’re on TV, even for a second and everybody and their mother is calling/texting/tweeting/posting. The excitement is palpable. You’re providing them with some kind of real value. From the temporary thrill of seeing a friend do work on the screen or stage to the deeper lessons conveyed when a talented group of artists produce great work, you are providing value to people.

As I’m currently working on my own projects I often reflect on what I want to say or what I want people to think or talk about?’. I’m not thinking how can I make a bazillion dollars. Maybe that’s my mistake? But, in my estimation, at one point money is too expensive. Value, on the other hand, is…well valuable.

The Dictionary Definition is: 1) the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. 2) a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.

If you want to boil it down to basics, no caveman ever painted dollar signs on cave walls. And while they weren’t dealing in dollars, they inherently seemed to know the value of the experience over a deal. If you walk away from art saying, “We got a great deal!” you probably missed the point. “Hey Guys, Liam Neeson was a real bargain in Taken! If he knew how much havoc he was going to wreak, he could’ve totally charged a lot more.”

If you’re an actor or singer or dancer or artist of any kind, you already know that you have a hard road. You’re hopefully doing this with a purpose.  What you’re doing transforms people’s lives, takes them away from the now and makes them think and feel and maybe even change something in their routine. That’s something I value.

When it gets hard, remember what is truly valuable. If you still love it, If you still find that importance, keep going.

Lucky for me, I’m my father’s child.

Brain Candy – Nick Hoffa’s “Eyeline” Podcast

Feed Your Head. It’s a hard business, being an actor, and you need to keep a steady stream of positive and useful information coming into your brain. You can spend your day on Facebook and go between people who are booking and #blessed and people who are struggling and trying (and sometimes succeeding) to lock it up while they can’t seem to get hit by a bus if they tried. Meanwhile you’re taking the emotional rollercoaster ride that goes along with that. Or you can actively seek out encouragement and perspective from working actors who are freely sharing their stories and potentially mapping out the roads you should explore. One of these options sounds far more productive to me.

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to virtually meet Nick Hoffa on Stage 32. Nick is an actor living in LA. He’s started a podcast called the Eyeline Podcast, that’s available on iTunes. Each Episode is about an hour worth of some really valuable conversation with other actors of all different stripes. These are people (some very accomplished) who can help you with the long view on a career that has more ups and downs than perhaps any other. Imagine being a fly on the wall as Virginia Madsen talks about her journey? Or what if you could get some real talk from Katie Lowes (Scandal) about how taking care of herself really helped her career? Well, now you can hear stories just like these on Eyeline.

It costs you nothing. It can be the thing you listen to on your commute. Certainly, if it came down to “Showtime” or the “Eyeline” on the 1 Train, I know that I’m going to be listening to Nick. If you have a desk job, you can listen to it on the website.

Sometimes when you’re on your journey, it’s easy to lose perspective. And if you have the chance to check in with Nick’s Podcast, I’d highly recommend it. I consider it a valuable resource and I hope you do too.

The Best Time to Plant a Tree…

As the saying goes, the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. (Jordan Ancel was the first person to quote that to me.) The second best time is now. If you have anything you’d like to do. If there are any personal goals that still are kicking around inside you, the ones that won’t let you go. I’d like to encourage you to go ahead and get on them.  Take that first step. If you don’t know what that first step is, ask.  Or better yet, think about where you want to go or be, then trace a line in your mind back from there to where you’re standing, now. You’ll be surprised at how clearly you see where you’re going. And then, you can go. Go now!

Let me warn you about looking back at opportunities that might have been or things that didn’t turn out how you would’ve liked. That’s a great way to waste time.  And you don’t have time. Don’t be lulled into thinking you do. Think of each day as a bank of moments (or better yet, opportunities) that you get (assuming you woke up) and you get to decide what to do with each moment.

Since I’m citing my friend, Jordan, I’d like to give him a plug. You can visit his Actor’s Business Academy to sign up if you’re interested. He offers an intelligent, focused program. He’s a really good person and intensely passionate. He will lovingly kick you in the ass and remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing.

I’ve worked with him in his program and since then, have tripled my auditions and doubled my bookings.  Better yet, I’ve never felt more in control of where I’m going.