Encouragement is something we all need. I have written on this subject in the past, but it amazes me how much we need encouragement on a daily bias. If you have found something that you love to do, you probably need little encouragement to regularly practice or participate in your favorite activity. However, if you’re like me and working on perfecting your voiceover (VO) business and performance, encouragement becomes essential to current and continued success. Here are my tips to maintaining your VO support.
Network: It Works
You may be the only person in your circle that is a VO talent. Members of the VO community live virtually all over the world. But it’s common to feel a sense of isolation in the trials and successes of the business. Spending hours upon hours working in a booth or your home recording area can lead you to wonder if anyone is out there. When that happens, it’s time to get connected.
One of the quickest ways to get connected is via the Web. Make it a point to check social media sites daily. Read quality articles or watch YouTube videos from members of the VO community. Once you start reading and viewing the many comments on social media, you’ll realize that you are not alone. Many talents have experienced the same performance frustrations, little or no pay gigs, insecurity issues, and other VO challenges. Remember, it can take years to reach your performance goals. All the great ones have been where you are and have lived to tell their story.
Think Well
Don’t spend too much of your time micro-analyzing your challenges. Encourage yourself by noting your positive strives like practicing, auditioning, goal setting, and other steps you’ve made toward your VO success. Recall and recount your accomplishments often. You are in a business that I relate to becoming a brain surgeon; you’re becoming a VO professional!
Balance You
Take time to exercise and take a walk. Visit friends and new places; participate in other activities that connect you with others. Interactions with the right people, via phone or in person, will fuel your spirit and hope as you return to your VO business refreshed and renewed. No man is an island, so don’t try to be the first VO one.
Feel free let me know how you keep going through encouragement and how you encourage others. Now go “break a lip.”