Happy New Year! We all make resolutions and goals at the beginning of the New Year. So why not make improving your acting and your career one of them? Here are some New Year

Be More Proactive

Follow up with casting directors and agents more often. Produce your own shows, showcases, or web series. Network with other actors and working professionals at every opportunity. Learn new monologues. Submit yourself for projects. Get yourself in front of casting directors and agents. Ask yourself every day what you could be doing towards your craft and your career.

Challenge Yourself 

Take a class exploring a method or genre that scares you. Not a classical actor? Take a Shakespeare or classics class. Afraid of thinking on your feet? Take an Level 1 improv class. Wish you had some dance skills? Check out Broadway Dance Center. Whatever you do will only help to make you a stronger performer.

Stay Fit

If you’re like me, you’ve let yourself indulge over the season. Don’t get upset about it! Just jump into getting fit. This means eating right as well. Your body is your instrument and you want it in its best working condition. You can always gain weight for a role if you need to. 

Stay Informed 

The business is always changing. What are the trends right now? How do you fit in? What directors are out there and what are they working on? What’s going on with the unions? All this should matter to you no matter where you are in your career. Publications like Backstage and Variety are a great place to start. 

Stay Positive

Pursuing acting can seem daunting and it’s very easy to give in. Try to see everything as a learning opportunity. Don’t dwell on an audition after you leave the room. Know that you’ve prepared and presented the best performance you could. Don’t listen to the negative; keep your mind on the positive.

Review Your Progress

The New Year is a great time to evaluate your past work and accomplishments. What did you do to get to this point and what would you change? Give yourself credit for the hard work you’ve done so far.  Then decide if it’s time to refocus and discover new tactics to achieve success.

Always keep your goal on your mind and every decision will be another step towards it. I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and successful New Year!