I’ve been dealing with some stuff in my personal life for a couple months now. Something that came very unexpectedly, and something that’s challenged me in ways I’ve never before been challenged.
Thinking Never Stops
By my very nature, I’m a problem solver. I’m the guy that will lock himself in a room and refuse to leave until I’ve got whatever the solution is I seek. I can think circles around the greatest thinkers that have ever thunk! It’s why I’m an insomniac. My brain tends to do its best thinking in the middle of the night. When I want to be sleeping.
I can think circles around the greatest thinkers that have ever thunk!
With this particular problem I’ve been dealing with, I’ve thought myself into submission. Literally. I thought and pondered and contemplated until it was physically impossible for me to think, ponder or contemplate any longer.
This was the problem that brought me to my knees before God. I had to admit that, this time, I couldn’t do it on my own.
I had no choice but to stop trying to hard. To relax and rest in Him.
I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. ~ Psalm 62:1
While I haven’t found the answers yet, I have found something else. Peace. For now, that’s good enough or me!
When The Well Runs Dry
Once upon a time, I felt like I owned a particular voice casting site. My audition to booking ratio was ridiculously high. It was because of this particular site that I first started considering the notion of going into voice over full time. I was booking work consistently enough that it seemed realistic.
Recently, that well had seem to run dry.
Granted, the issues I’ve been dealing with in my personal life, and the amount of time I’ve been devoting to understanding, learning, growing, and healing, have been a factor. My drive hasn’t been the same and my stress, to me, was noticeable in some of my auditions.
This was another problem I couldn’t seem to solve.
Back To Square One
In an attempt to jumpstart my success on this site again, I went right back to the very basics. I listened to old auditions from jobs I had previously booked. I read old proposals I had submitted with auditions. I re-evaluated the approach I took to every script. I went over my profile with a fine-tooth comb.
The more I tried to break things down, the more I tried to do things differently, the more I seemed to be getting shut out from any bookings.
It made me think about my personal life.
Stop Trying So Hard
In my personal life I realized that I needed to stop trying so hard. Someone who is much wiser than me gave me incredibly simple, yet profound advice.
“Marc,” he said in his gentle caring baritone, “you need to relax.”
He was right!
The last two weeks all that success that had eluded me for months on this particular voice over site has suddenly come back. I’m booking jobs on the site almost daily. Good jobs! With great clients!
I didn’t change my demos. I didn’t change my voice. I didn’t change my reads.
All I did was stop trying so hard.
