January has turned into a pretty productive month for me. I feel that I’ve refined my daily checklist so that I work on my acting career a little each day, I write a little each day and have now finished the second draft of my novel which I’ve submitted to my book club. I’ve attended three casting director workshops, had a few auditions, gone to a career counselor to start exploring my options outside of acting and working an hourly day-job, and am currently deep into rehearsals for the production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE which performs at the Actor’s Co-Op in Feb. www.actorscoop.org
WHEW!
Soon I’ll meet with my accountability group to discuss all of this.
I got the idea for an accountability group from the acting guru Dallas Travers, who has groups of her own, but it’s by no means a novel idea. Groups like the Actor’s Network have been doing the same thing for a long time. I didn’t want to pay or subscribe to ANOTHER acting service (there are so many people who make a living off helping actor’s in LA and I just can’t afford to pay all of them) especially when I can organize my own group of friends. My group is a few trusted friends who are actors/writers/producers who get together about on a monthly basis to talk about where we are, where we’d like to be, set goals and timelines, and then meet again to assess progress. Sometimes it’s difficult to get everyone together. (Am I wrong in thinking that it’s easier for groups or women to organize and hang out together?)
I feel that I have a really strong muscle of working every day on my career. However, I also maybe do it in a pretty safe and standard way. Meeting with the group is about generating ideas on how to pursue things in unique ways and perhaps break out of the patterns of what everyone else is doing, but make sure that the actions are actually possible and sustainable. It’s a way for us to get together and brag, but also humble each other because as much as each of us does, more can always be done. But we support each other and it’s also a way to affirm that we’re each on different, unique path. While we provide models for each other, it’s important not to compare.
I think this year setting timelines and instituting actual rules for accountability are important. It does drive me a little nuts when I don’t meet my own goals and I think it’s important that we set timelines on our goals and actions more concretely.
How do you guys hold yourselves accountable for things? This can include everything from Weight Loss to Career goals… hit me up by replying below!
Musings of Adam Burch 