Okay, so I’m seeing a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm for your work in the scenes you’re doing in acting class and that is really wonderful. Today, I want to look at a new area and talk to you about being dangerous to the competition. If you really have a grasp of the skills and the tools that we are developing here, there’s a commitment that needs to accompany your newfound abilities to keep everything moving in the right direction. Take that momentum and turn it into even bigger and better work in class and watch what happens in your auditions.

The more you really have a very strong grasp and use what we’re doing in this class, the more dangerous you are to the competition. You are a threat. You are the one at an audition that everyone knows will deliver a good performance. It’s great to be on top of your game and people know that by the work that you book. You’re dangerous because you never stop creating. Apple never stops improving the iPhone, the iPad, the iMac, and a thousand other items. They’re inventing great products constantly and the competition knows it. They aren’t waiting for a wave of inspiration to hit; they operate by constantly improving what they have and dreaming up new products that nobody has.

The idea of achieving and owning your power is to be present and create what’s in front of you at the moment. If you find you’re often distracted or preoccupied it’s a sign you’re not focused on what’s in front of you and what needs to be done now.

Okay. So the more you know, the more effective you are, the more dangerous you are to the competition. If you are not a threat to the competition, then it means that you’re not really developing the skills and producing the work.

We’re here in this very exciting environment. We’re discovering every class. We’re talking about it. We’re coming up with new ideas. We’re moving forward and making progress. If you don’t continue to climb the mountain, and you slide back and then you climb and you slide back, it’s going to be pretty tough to reach the top, okay? So, you have those moments when it all comes together and it feels great, but you’ll lose ground if you lose focus by being pulled into some drama that doesn’t deserve your time or attention.

Since I’ve been teaching, I have worked with a multitude of talented people, many of whom have gone on to have very successful careers. Many were very talented but got sidetracked by problems and never made it, because too much attention was wasted by being drawn into those problems. And, they’re there, and they invite you every moment of the day. They invite you to get sucked into them, whether it’s a family member, or a roommate, or a partner, or a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, a job, a colleague, you name it. There is an invitation there every day to get sucked into something.

I know. No one is immune to this. You just make the choice not to get drawn into it and keep pushing forward. Otherwise, it can make you crazy and make you scared and make you think you shouldn’t be pursuing an acting career.

How many people have had the thought, “Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this? Maybe this is really crazy. Maybe it’s such a long shot. What am I, nuts? Who am I kidding?” Doubt is the enemy. Just keep taking your next step, stay focused, and keep your eye on the mountain.

The point is, we are striving here to make you dangerous to the competition by consistently delivering thrilling emotional work. In order for this to occur, you have to handle the environment and bypass all of the traps you can fall into out there. Just remove the distractions, continue learning all that you can, and keep the dream alive. That’s how you become a working actor.