30 Day Challenge Bust

I'm all about focusing on a challenge or a goal and doing everything possible to make it happen.  I hate sitting around.  Oddly enough, I kind of hate watching TV.  If I'm hooked on more than four shows a week, I feel like I'm wasting precious time and becoming complacent about things that really matter, like my career, my social life and outside interests.  I don't think anybody ever said "I wish I had watched more TV" on their deathbed.  I totally understand that being an actor and avoiding TV might be an oxymoron and I fully understand that, in theory, watching TV can pass as "work."  After all, it is necessary to know what's on the tube if you're going on TV auditions.  But..yeah, I kind of have a go-go-go problem.  I'm a do-er and a shaker.  I don't have ADD (as far as I know) but I can't sit still!

So, it is with great pleasure that I have an actor co-worker/friend who partners with me in what we like to call "The 30 Day Challenge."  It's pretty self explanatory.  We decide on an acting challenge, and then give ourselves 30 days (sometimes 45) to do everything possible to achieve that goal.  No excuses.  We help each other, research together, trade stories and information and hold each other responsible for our actions.  Our last challenge was to book a job in 30 days or less.  Guess what?  We did it!  Maybe not the series regular role we were salivating over, but we both booked, got a credit and a little money too! 

A couple of weeks ago, we decided on our next 30 day challenge, and no I'm not going to tell you what it is!  This challenge required a bit more work than some of our other challenges, but we both recognized it as a necessary step to further our careers.  But guess what?  We can't seem to motivate ourselves!  We've skipped meeting after work session after research session for no good reason.  I have a big ol' list beside me, but I can't seem to bring myself to take it to the next level.  This 30 day challenge is a total bust. 

As a super duper goal setter, this is highly disturbing to me.  I can't speak for my partner, but if something doesn't excite me, there is no need to push it.  Maybe I'm not ready to make the change.  Or maybe this is the universe's way of saying wait.  I have something else in store for you.  Sometimes my personal life overwhelms my professional life and sometimes it's the opposite.  I guess it's just the ebb and flow of things.  Maybe I need to put this 30 day challenge on the back burner and start over with a new one.  Or maybe I just need to chill out and watch some more TV.  When the moment is right, I will seize it.

--Stacey Jackson

Comments

[Teresa Reilly]

Wahoo! What a great idea to focus! Or...maybe not so much this time? Ebb and flow is certainly right, but I'm sure the ebb will ebb soon enough (as it always does).

-t