Why is it that when an agent says, “Just go in there and have fun with it!” right before a big Pilot audition, you want to claw their eyes out? “This is life and death for me,” you think. “How the hell am I supposed to just have fun with it?” And it feels like life and death because you care so much. You want to book a pilot this Pilot Season so badly. And yet, every actor has a story about booking the job that they didn’t really care about. Why? Because you cared about the work but didn’t obsess. And when you didn’t obsess, you were able to be present. That’s the secret. When the audition matters too much, when there’s so much on the line, your mind steps in and tries to control the outcome. But then you’re not present and you’re not trusting your talent. But, of course, talent is what books work.

So, then how do you not care about the Pilot Audition you do care about?

And how can you give yourself that space this Pilot Season?

Of course you care. You can’t not care. But when you cross the line from caring to obsessing, bad things happen. That shift is a shift from care and love for your work to fear that you may get it wrong and not achieve your intended goal. That shift takes you from being present in each moment to being in your head, trying to control the outcome. And that’s where artistry dies. Affecting someone on an emotional level only happens when you’re present in your work, experiencing the scene in real time. Controlling it makes people feel manipulated. From that place, success won‘t happen.

So, how do you care just enough but not too much?

Here are 3 ways to audition better this Pilot Season:

1. Smart Preparation.

There’s so much joy to be found in preparing for a scene, so much to discover from the bold, unique choices you make and how you’re affected by the scene. If you lose yourself in the mystery and discovery of your preparation, it can let you focus on the work itself and not the outcome. Trusting that you’ll discover moments in the audition leaves room for the work to unfold and can prevent obsessing.

2. Get A Life.

When you’ve crafted a well-rounded, healthy life, you stop looking for the validation of the pilot audition to make you whole. When you take responsibility for your own happiness, it takes the pressure off the audition and you’re able to do your work without obsessing. So get out there and live. Volunteer, start a business, travel, do it all. Live a full life and your audition won’t define you. It can be a glorious extension of your life.  

3. Get your Mind Right.

You’ll have doubts and fears. Old narratives will come back and try to limit you. Your inner critic will say all the things that undermine your potential. But none of it is real. It’s all bullshit your head creates because being present isn’t easy.

You have to practice deep self-awareness and have a crystal clear sense of the nature of your mind so that when that inner critic talks smack (and it will) you have the awareness of it talking, you know it’s not you and you know that you can choose to move forward in spite of it. When you manage your mind, you’re able to care but not obsess.

Want to care less and do better work this Pilot Season? Find joy in preparation, get a life, and get your mind right. To book work this Pilot Season you have to be present, to be there. And thankfully presence is a practice. So start practicing!

At The BGB Studio, we are committed to your success. Join us for classes.

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