Comparison is Killing You

We all do it. Voice actors included. Newbs and veterans alike.

We look to the left, and to the right, and we see our colleagues doing well. We see their wins. Their successes. Their triumphs.

And then that little green goblin of envy and jealously starts to rear its warped and ugly head.

We get insecure. We feel less than.

We start to believe that because we don’t have their successes and wins and triumphs that somehow that makes us less successful.

We compare ourselves to others. And it’s killing us.

“Quality Audio"? Who Cares.

As you can imagine, I talk to a lot of voice actors and follow several hundred on social media. As a result, I see a lot of messaging from voice-over talent.

One trend I see across social media is the strong tendency to wave a paper sword in their messaging.

Huh?

Laser Targeting voice-over Leads

Can Google be a good source of leads? Sure. It’s by far the world’s largest and best search engine. Stands to reason that if you’re searching for something on the Internet, Google is usually a good place to start.

Except it’s not. Because the thinking is backward.

business development, marketingPaul SchmidtFebruary 17, 2022leads, LinkedIn, Google Comments

My Chats with Almost 70 Voice Actors: A New Mission

My original hypothesis that people are getting stuck and quitting is very real. There is commonality around the frustrations and sticking points. The problem is definable.

Which means the solution is definable.

Confidence with No (or Little) Experience

One of the most common concerns for new voice actors as they begin their voice-over journeys is, “I don’t have any (or very few) credits to my name. I haven’t worked with anyone (or very many) clients yet. How do I still market myself and what do I do?”

It’s the classic college grad’s dilemma, right? “How will anyone hire me with no experience and if no one hires me how will I get any experience?”

What's Keeping You Stuck

We’re highly adept at blaming external circumstances and other people, and not so good at looking inward, analyzing our beliefs about ourselves and the world, and adopting… choosing… beliefs that free us and allow us to realize our potential.

True for humans. True for voice actors and freelancers.

But how do limiting beliefs show up in our psyches and businesses as voice actors? Here are some examples…

Committing 100%

“I’m having trouble consistently training 3 times a week, and once or twice makes no sense, and surely going more will be even more challenging, right?”

Wrong.

Enter, The 100% Rule.

The 100% Rule is a paradox. It says that 100% commitment is in reality easier than 98% commitment.

Motivation vs. Intention

Motivation is the emotion, the feeling, that drives your actions.

The problem with emotions is, as powerful as they can be, they’re fleeting. Temporary. Some than longer than others. They wax and wane. They’re inconsistent. And when what drives your actions is inconsistent, your actions themselves can’t help but be inconsistent.

personal development, professional developmentPaul SchmidtJanuary 13, 2022intention, motivation, habitsComment

Talking to Voice Actors: Their Biggest Frustrations and Fears (updated)

As I’ve written, I spent just about all last Fall talking to as many voice actors as I possibly could.

One of the things I was most curious about was what are the biggest frustrations voice actors face in today’s world. This was my way of trying to find out what’s holding people back, what do they find vexing, and what do they need help with.

The VO Pro Blog