By: Brian Gilleece
"Sometimes your best is not good enough, sometimes you have to do what is required." ~Winston Churchill
1st off let's set the level. Nobody asked for you to be here in town, in this business, we all volunteered. NONE of what I will be talking about today is an attack on anyones character or person, it is strictly business, the business of show, which is a very tough business indeed.
What is your best if not good enough? OMG, so many people will tell you till they are blue in the face "if you do your best, everything will work out" or "your best is good enough", but the truth is, sometimes, most times, it is not. This business is alot like baseball, your team can get you the uniform, put you in the line up and get you some at bats but if you cant put the ball in play.....That is all on you...... and if you have had more than a couple at bats and can't make contact........your best just may not be good enough. So what the hell Brian? Should I just pack up and leave town? No. unless thats how you really feel.......but, you do need to look at a few things and figure out how to recalibrate and make your best, better.
*TRAINING* - WERE DO YOU TRAIN? WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING IS IT? DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR WHAT YOU NEED?
*LOOK* - DOES YOUR LOOK MAKE SENSE FOR YOUR CASTING? DO YOU STAND OUT?
*MENTAL HEATH* - ARE YOU A PESSIMIST? DO YOU GIVE YOUR SELF A REAL SHOT TO WIN OR DO YOU CREATE EXCUSES ON WHY YOU WON'T?
*COMPANY* - DO YOU ASSOCIATE AND TRAIN WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THEN YOU? WHO PUSH YOU? WHO MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE? OR DO YOU COAST?
*FEEDBACK* - DO YOU WELCOME FEEDBACK, OR DO YOU DEFLECT TO FIND THE FEEDBACK THAT FEELS GOOD? DO YOU TAKE ACTION ON CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK? OR DO YOU FEEL OFFENDED?
MAKE YOUR CEILING YOUR FLOOR:
Every athlete goes through this at some point, were your ceiling becomes your floor. You take your training, skills, drive all to the next level and you are starting from a whole new stratosphere, standing on what was once something you had to reach for. Kristen Hetzel can tell you all about this. Kristen, if you follow her on Instagram, you will know what I mean, is a world class athlete and has always been but this past year, at her most senior age has said she feels like the best athlete she has ever been. She committed to taking her training, dedication and skills to the next level and is reaping the best results she has ever had in her sports career, even when she was already pretty dam good. #nextlevel
Sports analogies are easy (and a bit romantic too) to make in a business like this I know, but, it's because they are true. We are really only in the business of performing when performing is needed, hitting the ball when the pitch is thrown. That is it. That is what is REQUIRED, regardless if your current "best" can do it or not, that is the requirement.
SO WHAT NOW?
Best is trainable. Best is not a static thing that never changes or has the ability to grown or form or show its self. You may not be your own personal best for 20 years, But striving for it, that is what is required. Making the commitment to doing the right things when it is hard, when it is inconvenient, when it is a bummer is what is required. Jess, Sarah & Bay have seen it, have pushed actors to be better and grow and have seen it happen, seen actors who were not competitive become competitive in this very very VERY hard league through commitment to upping wha there "best" was to become what was required and competitive. It happens all the time. I have heard it on good authority from agents and executives at all the big places. Look at The Rock. Sucked, saw his performance, hatted it, stoped making movies, just trained for 2 years. Came back. Big F*ckin' Movie star and pretty dang strong actor.
WHAT IF I CAN HIT?
Cool. That is what is required, that is the floor, so how do you get to a new floor that is currently above you? Are you knocking it out of the park? Can you hit in pressure situations or do you just pad your stats? Are you pushing for more then what you can do just because of your given ability, look, casting? If you are not being your best, the absolute top of what YOU can do, you are doing your self a disservice and that is just as bad as not hitting the ball at all.
SO IN THE END...
Check your best, is it what's required? Have a great week, only one like it!
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