How To Be An Actor Without Limits (aka How To Awaken Your Inner Lady Gaga In Your Acting Career)
It’s time to awaken your “inner Gaga”.
Yup. You have one.
If you’re an actor, you have an “inner Lady Gaga” dying to bust you out of “struggling actor prison” and guide you to the red carpet…
And, by the end of this blog, you'll know exactly how to access that dormant creative power and truly be limitless in your acting career.
Let's do it!
Becoming Limitless Starts With Knowing Where You're Limited
Did you know Lady Gaga wanted to be an actor before she became a singer?
That’s right. She said so herself in the emotional and riveting speech she gave when she won her Golden Globe.
“I wanted to be an actress before I wanted to be a singer; but music worked out first.” – Lady Gaga
Now, imagine this…
What if Gaga reached that fork in the road, where she had an opportunity to pursue success as a musician, and she said, “No, this isn’t the way it’s supposed to happen for me… I have always wanted to be an actress. THIS is what I’m supposed to be doing…”?
How limiting would that be?
Would Lady Gaga have ended up with that Golden Globe for acting now, if she listened to those limiting thoughts then?
Maybe, maybe not.
But one thing is certain….
If she followed the path she thought she was supposed to follow, the world might never have known her music… or her acting for that matter.
Wouldn’t that be tragic?
Now, you might be thinking this doesn’t apply to you – Lady Gaga only got that role in the first place because she was a famous singer….
Guess what? That’s a limiting belief!
So, how do you become limitless like Lady Gaga, and continue paving the way for a successful acting career?
The first step is to let go of the beliefs that limit you.
There are two kinds of beliefs that you inadvertently use to limit yourself…
1. Self-Imposed Limits
These are limits you place on yourself. They come in the form of negative mind chatter suggesting you’re not good enough, not worthy of success, not pretty enough, not tall enough, not [fill in the blank] enough…
There are a million of these self-imposed limitations and belief systems. Thoughts like:
“I’ll never make it.”
“It’s too hard.”
“It’s too competitive.”
Each one of these negative thoughts you buy into is throwing another punch at your acting career.
You’re literally beating yourself up with them.
Your inner Gaga would not approve.
And, seriously, you deserve better than that.
Listen, there is no shame in having these thoughts. You’re certainly not alone.
But you have the ability to choose a different way of thinking right now, simply by becoming aware of it.
Create a system of beliefs that work FOR your acting career, instead of against it.Click To Tweet
And the sooner you can start, the better, because limiting thoughts are contagious.
This brings us to the next limitation you put on yourself…
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2. Limits From Other People
As an actor, you probably surround yourself with a lot of other actors (which can be a great thing).
You’re probably friends with actors, you work with actors… maybe you follow some actors on social media…
But guess what?
Many actors have the same limiting beliefs we just talked about.
REMEMBER, limiting thoughts are contagious, like a virus.
The more you time you give them, the easier it is to catch the virus, which can infect your belief systems.
Soon, other actors’ limits become your limits, without you even knowing it.
Eeek!
And it’s not just actors who think this way. Other people in the business have limiting beliefs too – agents, casting directors, producers, you name it!
How many times have you come across someone who jumps at the opportunity to tell you how hard this business is, how competitive it is, or the old stand-by: “Don’t quit your day job”?
Before you know it, you’re swimming around in a dark and gloomy limitation soup. Eew!
To let go of your limits, you must be open to all possibilities
This is how you awaken your inner Gaga.
Think about this for a second…
Where in your life, in your career, might you have limited yourself with the belief: “This is the way it’s supposed to happen”?
What if you have a plan for your acting career (and you definitely should), and someone else in the business with a limiting belief comes along and tells you, “No, THIS is the way it’s supposed to happen”…
Maybe they tell you…
- You’re supposed to move to LA
- You’re supposed to get an agent within your first six months
- You’re supposed to get your first role by some pre-determined date or pre-determined age…
Or some other BELIEF that they hold as true…
Suddenly, you have this image in your head of the way your life and acting career is supposed to unfold.
And by holding onto that belief, you are inadvertently limiting any other possibilities from happening.
Oh, opportunities will still come.
You simply won’t see them as opportunities.
You’ll be looking for something else, so you’ll allow this “tunnel vision” to determine what direction you take.
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way.
How To Escape The Cycle Of Limitations
First, allow yourself to recognize these limiting beliefs (both the self-limiting ones and the ones you pick up from others).
And next, don’t kick yourself for having them.
Limiting beliefs plus punishing yourself for having them is not a formula for success.
Try this instead…
Next time there is an awards show— there are always plenty coming up—watch with a pen and paper in hand.
Every time you hear part of a speech that inspires you in some way, write it down.
Look for beliefs you want to model.
Take notes and find nuggets of encouragement – views that make you feel good, and help you become aware of the thoughts that make you feel bad.
Admit it, sometimes you watch and think, “Oh, it will never happen for me…”
Next time this negative chatter starts to build up in your head, you can catch it and say, “Aha! That’s a limiting belief! Now that I noticed it, I can make it change. BOOM!”
Soon, those gloomy thoughts are yesterday’s news…
And so are your limits.
Suddenly, you have the space to create a beautiful, successful acting career.
As you start gaining that awareness, you begin to feel invincible. You feel like an Unstoppable Actor ®, which is what you should be and what you are.
Your turn! Was this tip on how to be an actor without limits helpful? Did you notice any limiting beliefs popping up as you read this? What were they? Tell me about it in the comments below… :-)
You DESERVE the Red Carpet,
~Amy
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Did this post on how to be an actor without limits help you? If so, I would greatly appreciate if you commented below and shared on Facebook.
Amy Jo Berman's Tips On Acting & Auditioning Blog
Email: Asst@AmyJoBerman.com
“I show actors how to be better, book more jobs and live The Red Carpet life!”
It was great advice because it is an easy way to go, why not make life easier-better to help yourself feel good than to block the path that can and will be open to you. I love that you gave advice to recognize a limiting belief and then an action “to boom”” get rid of it ! Works for me … I love letting go of ideas that are limiting and making space for all that I want
Perfect! Keep on making space…you never know what amazing things will come for you. #BeUnstoppable
Hey AJB, I remember when I first moved to LA a few years back. I got into a acting class that really harmed me in terms of limiting beliefs. I actually had a teacher say to me in front of the entire class that being an older woman and a mother that my odds of success were pretty slim IF I was going to continue to be a good mother. I quit the class but it did a real number on me emotionally until i found YOU on YouTube. I am so happy I did. You are so RIGHT about everything. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!!!
Oh and by the way…I am now a commercial actor with over 20 bookings under my belt…thank goodness I didn’t listen to him. AND I am a BETTER mother because I have followed my dreams. My son, has fallen in love with acting and we are attending auditions together.
Kay! I’m so so so happy to hear that. Thank you so much for sharing that with me and also with anyone reading this who may have had a similar experience. KEEP ROCKIN’ IT!
#UnstoppableActor
AJB, you have found your calling . . . ! My hat’s off to you after last night’s Webinar.
So happy to be of help Mark!
I am so thankful for u Amy! For yet another astonishing awakening for my career! You really know how to open people’s eyes so they can see and think clear! It’s easy to think negative but u make thinking positive easy my inner lady gaga says Thank you so much!!!!
You are quite welcome Donna!
Great blog!! I walked away thinking what if I have no idea how it’s all supposed to work out? What if I could be open to being surprised by work opportunities? This way of thinking makes it all exciting and new. Thanks for your blog Amy.
My pleasure Ricardo!
Loved it ! Thanks for sharing!! Auditions are the death of me… and it’s just auditions :( also took your free webinar the other day… really great insight Amy. I am loving all of it.
Happy to help! I wonder what possibilities await you as you shift your thoughts to auditions being a joy for you? :-)
This brings up so much awareness and expansion. “Let go of beliefs that are at odds with what you desire.” Thank You for sharing this! So inspiring.
:-)
Very Nice!
Glad you liked it Will.
thank you so much I needed to read this. feeling a bit stuck
Glad to be of help!
I identified several negative thoughts I have had recently, mine and others. Now I can stop them. Thanks Amy.
Perfect!
“Oh, opportunities will still come. You simply won’t see them as opportunities.” – Wow! Just wow. Sound you hear is old belief system exploding!
BOOM!
Too old keeps slipping in to my head
The question is, what are you gonna do with that thought Kriss?
Lie about my age lol jk, I keep going to auditions and continue to creating roles for myself. And always always remember Fivish Finkel
You always seem to spark that fire within. Thank you for everything you do for us.
:-D
Incredibly true, and something I’ve been discovering. Well written! Thanks Gaga, thanks Amy!
My pleasure.
100% agree
That makes me 100% happy! :-)
The things that popped for me were ; without a great website no jobs without help with website the more I bang myself for not taking action and getting the help I want. And also producers and directors and other people’s negative thoughts ? ” it’s hard to make it in this business ” and ” it’s so important to go to a traditional Teater train academy ” ! Hmmmm! What if I surrounded myself with inspiring individuals like Amy Jo Berman , Will Smith and most of the actors on the PSD Facebook? So Be It!
Surrounding yourself with empowering people is a definite BONUS for sure Veronica!
As always you are an inspiration and offer so much helpful information! I am definitely channeling my Inner Lady GaGa and see no limits and definitely won’t let others negatively influence my choices and future! I can!! And I am passing this on to other actors I work with. As often happens, your posts also apply not just to acting but all aspects of life. Thank you!
Beautiful Trish! Share away! :-)
Many thanks to you Amy Jo Berman! I appreciate you taking the time for this. I am ‘borrowing’ & posting the picture of “I can’t”. Love the symbolic nature of it!! Be great to meet you for a coffee sometime!
Glad to be of help Ray!
That’s wonderful thanks ?
My pleasure David!