IN THE EARLY DAYS OF MY CAREER IN NYC, I WAS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FILL IDLE TIME.  I WAS GREEN, NO AGENT, NO MANAGER…CASTINGS WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.  I WASN’T REALLY A MODEL TYPE SO THE THOUGHT OF BEING A GLORIOUS FOOD WAITER WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION.  DOING EXTRA WORK ONE DAY ON A COMMERCIAL, I MET SOMEONE WHO TURNED ME ON TO A WHOLE NEW IDEA.  HIS PREMISE WAS ALL SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THEIR CAREER CHOICE NEED TO WORK A MINIMUM OF 40 HOURS A WEEK TO SUCCEED.  WAS I WORKING 40 HOURS AT ACTING?  WELL EVEN IF I ADDED EVERYTHING TOGETHER I WAS COMING UP REAL SHORT.  IT GOT ME THINKING.

I STARTED KEEPING TRACK OF FIRST MY HOURS THEN DAYS.  WHAT WAS I DOING HOUR WISE TO FURTHUR MY CAREER?  AS I STARTED TO EXAMINE MY WEEK TIME BECAME MORE PRECIOUS.  WAS I WASTING TIME HERE, USING IT WISELY THERE?  I STARTED BY MAKING A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS I DID DAILY THAT WOULD HELP MY CAREER.  READING THE TRADE PAPERS, THE GYM, ACTING CLASSES IN NEW YORK, DANCE, AND YOGA ALL THESE THINGS ADD UP.  BUT I STILL WAS NOT COMING TO 40 HOURS.  WELL, YOU HAVE A PART TIME JOB.  MAYBE EVEN FULL TIME.  IF IN FACT YOU ARE WAITING TABLES THAT ISNT HELPING THE ACTING CAREER…EVEN IF THEY RESHOOT “ALICE.”  JUST ADD UP WHAT IS HELPING.  YES, TELEVISION WATCHING AND GOING TO THE MOVIES COUNT.  THAT’S RESEARCH.  HOW ABOUT VOLUNTEERING FOR A THEATER COMPANY.  TRY PRODUCTION ASSISTANT WORK FOR COMMERCIAL HOUSES.  WORKING FOR AN OUTREACH PROGRAM WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA; MAYBE VOLUNTEERING FOR BROADWAY CARES, GMHC ETC.  ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE FILLED WITH PEOPLE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY WHO IN MANY WAYS ARE THERE JUST LIKE YOU, FILLING TIME AND DONATING THEIR SERVICES FOR A GOOD CAUSE.  THE NETWORKING POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

ONCE I GOT MY WEEK DOWN PAT I STARTED TO ORGANIZE.  I FOUND SOME DAYS WERE BETTER THAN OTHERS.  I NEEDED TO CHECK THE TRADES ON THESE DAYS, GO TO THE GYM ON OTHERS.  SOON EVERYTHING STARTED MAKING SENSE.  THE ORGANIZATION GAVE ME ACTUALLY MORE FREE TIME.  MOST OF US GREW UP WITH PARENTS THAT WORKED A FORTY-HOUR WEEK BUT THEY STILL HAD TIME TO PURSUE HOBBIES, SPORTS, AND EVEN RELAX.  ORGANIZING YOUR TIME AND KEEPING BUSY IS THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE.  YOU MAY DISCOVER TALENTS AND INTERESTS YOU NEVER EXPECTED YOU HAD.  WHO KNOWS WHERE THAT COULD LEAD?

GOOD LUCK!