The life of an actor can be exhausting. Auditions, classes, rehearsals, performances, day jobs, relationships, families, pets…sometimes it can be overwhelming. It’s natural that sometimes, we all have thoughts of quitting the business. Gina D’Ercoli offers some insight for those times when you feel like quitting.
When You Feel Like Quitting
by Gina D’Ercoli
Quit for awhile. See if you miss it. See if you don’t.
Quitting isn’t the end of the world. Acting will be there when you get back, whether that’s two months or twenty years from now. Sometimes a departure is exactly what a person may need to find inspiration.
Remember that your choice to be an actor need not be all or nothing.
Your commitment can and will vary throughout your career as you change along with your circumstances. Sometimes we feel pushed to draw a hard line when the rejection wears on us, or there are lack of opportunities available for our type, maybe we have a bad experience in a show; any number of things can trigger an emotional reaction that leads us to think, “I simply cannot do this anymore.” That’s okay. Take a step back and do what you need to do to feel secure in your life. Whether that means finding a stable day job, focusing on personal relationships, taking up tennis, or maybe reading some plays in an effort to remember why you’re passionate about this craft to begin with.
You can keep as many toes in or out of the water as you like.
I see so many students come back to us after a long break spent having children, fulfilling obligations, or focused on other careers and it’s really nice to see the spark renewed in them. They are often some of our most committed and excited students. Acting should be fun and if it isn’t, I am all about going away until it becomes fun again.
I have gone away many times and those are often the times I learn the most about myself.
I have worked in healthcare, radio, events, banking, agriculture, marketing… There were times it felt lonesome to work alongside people with whom I didn’t feel I had much in common, and vulnerable to start from scratch in a new industry time after time, however those were also the character defining and confidence building moments that I would never trade. As an artist, the risks you take in life and love will inform your work so I believe it’s of the utmost importance to go out and learn other things, get along with people we perceive as different from ourselves, and simply listen.
Your talent will not go away while you’re gone.
Quitting or taking a break can be a really good thing. In fact, switching your focus for awhile may enrich your work. Nurturing your own relationships might enlighten your relationships on stage and the distance might even make your heart grow fonder.
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