Dump the timeline... and focus on your craft.
Lately I've been listening to a fantastic book called the 5-Second Rule. The book offers a simple and yet effective concept, since we tend to hesitate with our goals, the 5 second tells you to get rid of your strict timeline and just do the work. Some people are huge successes at 20 years old (Mark Zuckerberg), others not until they are 50 years old (Walt Disney). The point is, go after what you want in life and dump your timeline, you are never too young or too old! Some folks, especially actors, seem to give up on their dreams because it didn't happen early or they may feel that it is simply too late for them. I call bull-shit... that's just not true!
I've often heard people talk about certain actors such as Jessica Chastain or Gal Gadot and say, "Wow, she came out of nowhere, must be nice to be an overnight success". If only they knew how hard these actors had been working their whole life! People assume all the success just fell into their lap and that's just not true. These dedicated actors have been hustling and grinding for years! Do overnight successes happen? Believe it or not, they do. Some people do move to LA and immediately start booking (Corey Monteith of Glee), however, these folks are a rare exception, rather than the rule. For most actors we must dedicate ourselves tirelessly to our craft and our art.
When the 5-second rule instructed me to get rid of my timeline I knew it was a reminder I needed to hear. I've always known that I wanted to act and do creative work, but at certain points we all start to get discouraged when we feel like we aren't getting anywhere. The truth of the matter is anything can happen in this life. As an actor and screenwriter, my only goal should be to keep perfecting my craft, keep writing, and keep telling myself onward... onward into the unknown, and onward into success... whatever that may be!
Onward,
Gabe S.
(P.S. - If you notice a huge gap between my blog posts, it's due to work and a new script I've been working on, I've been a busy lil' bee (buzz buzz) and I'm almost done with it! Up next... script festivals!!)
