My Most HONEST, BLUNT ADVICE for Voice Actors (& Grown Ups)

We need to talk.

Whenever a conversation starts with that sentence, you know it’s going to be uncomfortable. But you need to hear this and I need to say it. I say it with love and kindness, but it’s going to be real, honest, and direct. Blunt, even.

Voice actors, I talk to dozens of you every week. I ask you straight up what’s holding you back in your voice over career.

Here are the Top 5 most common answers I get: Procrastination. Time management. Shiny object syndrome. Perfectionism. Distraction.

Sense a theme? I do.

They’re all different ways to say, “I can’t (or don’t) manage my own time and attention properly.”

Well, are you a grown up? Because that’s what grown ups do. They manage their time and attention.

I told you this would be uncomfortable.

First, let me just say I get it. I fully understand that life is full. Work, kids, errands, chores, projects, community, faith, all the grown-up stuff we have to deal with, not to mention more entertainment and escape options than any other generation has ever known and it’s not even close.

We carry around devices in our pockets that are designed with one purpose in mind – to redirect our attention. And when that one doesn’t work, there’s one on our desk, and one on our wall.

You are a voice actor and the two most valuable assets you have are your time and attention. How you spend your time, what you prioritize, and what and to whom you choose to give your attention are the two biggest factors in the quality of your life and the success of your business.

How you spend your time and attention make ALL the difference.

Then why do I constantly hear: Procrastination. Time management. Shiny object syndrome. Perfectionism. Distraction.

You need to wake the fuck up.

This is not a drill. It’s not a dress rehearsal. This is your life. This is your business. This is your family and the quality of your life we’re talking about.

We live in a world designed to reward you for instant gratification. Press the bar, get the cookie. Press the bar again, get another cookie. And before you know it, your long-term dreams have been replaced by short-term dopamine spikes, constant lethargy, and temporary relief of slight discomfort.

We treat our lives and our careers and sometimes even our relationships like we’re a passenger on some runaway train and we’re frantically waiting for the conductor to show up and save us. You ARE the conductor! Get back in the engine car! Take control.

No one is coming to save you. No one is coming through that door to manage your priorities. No one is going to hand you your schedule. No one is going to tell you to turn off Bridgerton or put down Resident Evil 4 and do your marketing work.

No one is going to get you up at 5:00 to take care of your body so that you can be healthier for your family, better at your job, and more confident in yourself. No one is going to stop you from scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling.

No one is going to put in the time to build relationships for you. No one is going to discover you. No agent is going to make you their personal mission.

There are no big breaks.

Success is a long series of small breaks you create for yourself (yes, with some help from others) by putting in the work consistently over a long period of time.

This is Coach Nick Saban, one of the greatest coaches of all time in any sport…

You know, these guys sort of don't… they all think they have this illusion of choice like, “I can do whatever I want to do,” and we kind of have a younger generation now that doesn't always get told no. They don't always get told this is exactly how you need to do it so they have this illusion that they have all these choices. But the fact of the matter is, if you want to be good, you really don't have a lot of choices because it takes what it takes. You have to do what you have to do to be successful. So, you have to make the choices and decisions to have the discipline and the focus to the process of what you need to do to accomplish your goals. And all these guys that think they have a lot of choices are really, you know, sort of sadly mistaken.

It takes what it takes. If you want to be good, very good, great, or elite, then it takes what it takes to get there.

But it’s hard. Yeah. It is. Accept it. Embrace it. Be grateful for it. The hard is what’s going to week out 80% of the competition alone.

Honestly, we live in a world where if you have even just a little discipline, if you’re even just a little bit of a beast about your time and attention, you can leapfrog 90% of all the people out there.

Stop making excuses. Stop wasting your time on shit that doesn’t matter. Stop putting money in the pockets of corporations that suck your time and attention away and leave you fat, sedated, poor, and sick.

Make the most out of your time, attention, career, relationships, and health. Stop sleepwalking and stop saying, “I will, tomorrow.” Tomorrow never comes! Yesterday doesn’t matter. Today is all you have.

Be a grown up. Write your priorities and beliefs large. Plan your week, plan your day. Stick to your plan and when you fall down, get the fuck back up. Denzel Washington famously said, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

You have a beast inside you. Why do you not let them out? You have no idea what you’re capable of because you’ve never bothered to find out.

Make mortal enemies of procrastination, lack of time management, shiny object syndrome, perfectionism and distraction.

People say, “I would do anything for my family.” Would you? Would you get up 2 hours earlier every day? Would you give up beer league softball to spend more time on your business? Would you stop scrolling Instagram and be present with your family? Would you turn off Game of Thrones and reach out to 100 prospects?

“I don’t have time to market my business.” You’ve got time for Wordle, Wheel of Fortune, and TikTok. You’re ODing on mind candy. Give up the sugar and eat your vegetables.

“I’m so tired at the end of the day after my day job.” Fine. Get up an hour or two early before your day job and do what you have to do while you’re fresh. Go to bed on time and get your proper rest. Jimmy Fallon won’t notice I promise.

I’m not suggesting you quit all distraction and entertainment. You need to rest, recover and recharge regularly. But if you’re complaining about time management, it’s because you’re not managing your time. You’re just floating along with no intention around your attention.

When you get intentional about and manage your time and attention, in line with your beliefs values, and priorities, you’re able to enjoy your time so much more with family, friends, relaxing, having fun, and spending time with the people you love because you know you’ve handled your business for the day or the week. You know you’ve put your time and attention where they needed to be, when they needed to be there.

You’re sitting there physically but mentally lost in all the things you should be doing because you didn’t do them when you had the chance.

You only got one shot at your life. Get your shit together. Make the choice to see through the illusion of choice.

Go to VOPro.pro to get my Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors every Thursday, for more information on the VOPro community, and the VO Freedom Master Plan.

If you found value from this video then help us spread the word to other voice actors by subscribing to the channel and sharing this video.

Thanks for the conversations we have here on YouTube, on the blog, in the VO Pro Community and the VO community at large. The more we talk, the more we listen, the more we exchange ideas and information, the better, stronger voiceover industry we can have.

We’ll see ya again here soon. Thanks for reading/watching.