So you want to be a professional actor… SO MANY THINGS TO DO! CAN’T FOCUS ON ANYTHING. NO PROGRESS. NO SUCCESS. What do you do to take a steps forward?

Create daily lists. Daily, Weekly and Yearly. Remember success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes one step at a time, and one of those steps is conquering your list.

The first step is the hardest part. Is figuring out who YOU are and what YOU want to do. If you could write one line that describes yourself, what would it be?  If being an actor isn’t one them… you may want to rethink the “actors list for success” and maybe do the “construction workers list to success” or whatever it is! DO YOU!

What you want to think about, is what you want to accomplish yearly. As a talent agent, one item on my list would be to book one of my actors in a continuous role on a TV series. Last year, my goal was to book one of my actors on all the shows in Canada. I actually accomplished this and knocked off one show at a time. Lucky my team is exceptional! These are just things to think about, but when you write it down it becomes more real (I also put places where I’d like to travel too; I haven’t taken an actual vacation in about 5 years!!)

When you outline your yearly goals, you can determine what you should be knocking off daily or weekly to achieve them.

I like to make the following schedule, which helps me stay on track:

Firstly, I outline the WEEKLY SCHEDULE. Then I put what my WEEKLY PRIORITIES are. APPOINTMENTS and then COMMITMENTS. Been really busy this week too, especially since my brother’s wedding is in a few days and of course, TIFF is coming up soon!

What are TODAY’S Priorities?

Make a list and check them off when you are done. Here is a sample:

Check in with Talent Agent

Check Casting workbook make sure resume and head shots are current

Check Breakdown make sure resume and head shots are current

Check to see if current Slate is up on breakdown

Look for student or indie films to take part of to add more to demo reel and to network (these are future producers and directors – many of my actors that participated in these got hired for future roles)

Send casting director a thank you note for the latest booking

Drink lots of water

Go to the gym

Take an hour to read and get offline. No phone! No computer!

Cuddle puppy/kitty

Do an improv show

Go to TIFF networking events

This is only an example, but imagine if you did this every day? You would get so much done, and be much more focused. Make those lists! Get those bookings!  Stay Focused!