The #1 Cause Of Suffering For Actors + How To Remedy It

The number #1 cause of suffering for actors?  Attachment…wanting the role, the money, the job, the callback, the agent etc.

Any time you are truly detached from needing something to happen, you are actually allowing it to materialize much faster + easier.

Or as Deepak Chopra wisely explains….

As the year begins to wind down, it’s easy to feel like you “need” certain things to happen to feel good about yourself, to feel good about 2014, how you look to others, your worthiness + value. The great news is that the more you can let go of your attachments to any of it, the more likely you are to manifest miracles.

If things haven’t been showing up in your acting career (or your life) in the way you’d like them to, it is possible that there is a part of you that is too attached to the outcome.
 
 What happens to your body when you are attached at an audition or a meeting?   You become tense, nervous + fearful.

In fact, this state is often the actor’s default mode of operating, which I call, “Need It” Mode.
 
 You walk in the room needing the job or the agent + everyone can feel your neediness.

Why?
  
Need It Mode creates stress within you, since part of you actually fears you wont get it.   The more this needy part of you is activated, the more you actually push away the thing that you want.

When you are attached to a certain outcome to bring you happiness, you are actually cultivating a form of poverty consciousness, which stems from a deeper disconnection to the Universe (or whatever you like to call your “trusted guide”).  It’s the ego’s way of trying to make you feel secure + in control, but all this fear + worry about getting the result actually keep you from being in the present moment, where all of your creativity + authenticity lie.

Ironically, it works the other way around, in that the closer you are in alignment with what you want, the calmer it feels.
 
 When you practice the art of trust + detachment, you let go of needing a certain result, ignite your creativity + cultivate the freedom to manifest the life + career you desire.

“In order to acquire anything in the physical universe, you have to relinquish your attachment to it.
This doesn’t mean you give up your intention to create your desire…and you don’t give up the desire.
You give up your attachment to the result.”

~Deepak Chopra

The more you can trust +detach, the more you’ll begin to calm the fearful or doubtful part of you.  Over time you will strengthen a powerful trust in the Universe’s ability to provide you with everything you need + want.  As you repeat this practice + cultivate this knowing, more manifestations will begin to appear.

When you can surrender and let go of trying to make your acting career happen, you allow the Universe can actually help you.
 
  This doesn’t mean you sit in a lotus pose all day, just content with everything and do nothing.

You still have to take action.


The difference is that now you take actions from a place of being inspired, believing in the possibilities + having faith that what you want WILL happen.   This energy allows the Universe to completely support your manifestation, because you are letting go of trying to control the “when and how” it will all unfold.

When you free yourself and let go of your attachments, you also free the energy within you that was holding on to them so tightly.  You literally + figuratively free your what your hands + mind are holding on to and are now you create more space + open up your ability to RECEIVE!

“Attachment leads to suffering.” ~Buddha

When you have a desire + back it up with trust + detachment, there is no such thing as impossible.

Here are 3 of my favorite mantras to help you detach at auditions:

1. This or something even better (My favorite for reminding myself that good things are always lining up for me, so it doesn’t need to be this.)
2. I am divinely guided (Another good one to remind yourself that things are always working out for you, even when you may not feel like it.)
3. F@%K IT!  (When all else fails, try shouting this in your car 10 times out loud (or somewhere no one can hear you).  It actually helps release some nerves + sends a nice message to your brain to really LET IT ALL GO. )

And although I have yet to make an audio guiding actors to say #3 on this list, I will admit, I used this mantra at my last audition, and booked the job!  Whatever works, right?

Here’s to trusting, detaching + aligning with all the good that is on its way to you.

Love + Gratitude,