Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Practice! Practice! #Practice!





Photo from  Aradia Fitness Oakville
Practice! Practice! Practice!

No one is excused from working on the skills that make them the professional they are. It is so easy to see the difference in your performance when you've committed the time to your career or creative endeavor. Personally, I try to work on something to balance out the times when I'm working on a project and when I'm out seeking a new project. In this business of acting and other careers like basketball, football, tennis, singing, etc., you have to practice.

Do you remember that saying, "Practice makes perfect"? Well, if so, you know that it holds some truth. No matter what goals you have and you're focused on to achieve, you have to know that there is someone just as motivated as you are. Sometimes, it may seem that others are actually even more motivated, but you are in control of your own destiny.

When you practice, you really see how much more you have to work and how much harder too. It's no mistake that some of the greatest athletes, singers, rappers, dancers, announcers, and moguls of times past and present are as brilliant as they are. It's because they did away with the nonsense and the resistance that takes over their minds at times. They found a way to transform the negatives into a positive form of practice and action.

When your coach or teacher says you must practice and work harder if you're expecting to compete in the big leagues, that is not them trying to get under your skin, but preparing you for serious competition. Acting, the music industry, sports industries, entrepreneurship and wherever you find your creative focus will be tested. The big questions comes to mind, "Will you be ready"?

As an actress, you are told to practice and use your acting muscle as much as you can. You can memorize monologues, write scripts and produce them, work with an Improv group, watch movies, take workshops with your acting coach and learn from others who are doing it, in the business. There is nothing like having a job come your way and you nail it because you've prepared yourself, in advance, just because!

I was working on a monologue recently called 'Ectopic'. I decided to put it on video and post it to my Youtube channel. It's also below to share with you. I like to keep my practice genuine and real to the character and continue to work on it. You are never 'finished' with these things so I'm going to keep practicing. The topic of the monologue is a bit controversial but what isn't these days.


If you would like to share something you're working on or share feedback on my monologue, leave a comment below. I would love to read it.

4 comments :

  1. This is such an excellent article! It reminds me of how much tennis I played last summer. The only way I could play good is if I would keep on practicing. Without practice, I would not play as good as I should. It helps me to do so much better when we play on the courts. :)

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    1. Wow! That's awesome, Susana. I have tried to start playing tennis. It is one sport that requires a lot of practice. You are so right. I give it up to you girl! Two thumbs up! Thanks for sharing your practice insight :)

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    2. You're welcome. :) Well I went to a tennis camp twice as a kid. And in high school I played on the tennis team. My parents had me take a lot of indoor tennis lessons back in Kingston, N.J. where I grew up. Now, I just love to play this sport as much as possible. In the summertime, I am usually found at the tennis courts. :)

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    3. Your parents planted the seed and you took off with it. It's definitely a great way to keep in shape.

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