Hustle Hard.
Performers - Let's Get Real for a Second.
Our culture is one of getting ahead, taking every job that's offered to you, getting the promotion, working full time hours and then some, and so on. You are taught to hustle hard when you're a performer because you don’t know when your next gig is coming.
I want to blow your mind for a second - it's okay to say no. Especially when something doesn’t align with your goals or dreams for yourself and your career.
When I first started out in this business, I was so eager to get started and add credits to my resume that I took anything and everything offered to me. I don’t regret that, because I got to work in a lot of different scenarios and learned so much from my experiences. Now, almost a decade into my career, I am starting to learn the art of being picky when it comes to saying yes. I have very specific goals for myself at this point in my career, and now it’s more about the quality of the work and how it aligns with my goals rather than just taking anything that comes my way.
The work is still as unsure as it’s ever been, but there is a peace in turning down something that you just aren’t feeling 100% about and leaving that space open for something that you ARE sure of. Listen to your gut - if it’s unsure, give attention to that.
I am such a firm believer of a healthy life/work balance. If the balance starts getting out of whack because you have no time to take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually, then how can you bring your best work into the rehearsal or performance space? Being an artist is hard, and I can admit that it often does not pay well enough to thrive, most often it is more about surviving. But what if we could start thriving more often, and have every area of our lives fulfilled so that we could find more of a balance and less of a hustle hard lifestyle?
I believe this starts with making space by saying “no”. Be brave enough to say no to the things that aren’t serving you or your career. You might just be surprised at how it opens the doors for other things to come into your life.
Alyssa