As an acting major, I am completely aware of all of the challenges I am going to face throughout my career. The entertainment business can be extremely difficult to work in and there is a stereotype out there that artists barely make enough money to get by if they can get any work at all. Because of this, I completely understand why every time I tell someone what my plans are they respond with, “Oh that’s nice, but what is your backup plan?”

I always am prepared with my usual, “There’s no backup plan,” response whenever anybody asks me about my plans for the future. This statement often times terrifies people to death, and I know there are others out there who don’t agree with me at all. But, I refuse to go out into this world with a dream in my heart and a goal in my mind and not fully achieve it.

To me, a backup plan will be an excuse. I know myself and I know my brain. If I give myself an alternative option other than what I truly want, I will give up as soon as the going gets tough. Because this business is so difficult, I need to be completely invested in what I am doing. I need to know that this is what I have got to do to take care of myself. I can’t give myself the opportunity to chicken out and not do what I really want. I know this isn’t the case for everyone and, honestly, I give props to everyone who has a backup and can still be completely invested in their dreams. My brain just doesn’t work that way.

Also, a lot of people tend to forget how huge the entertainment business is. The end goal does not need to simply be Hollywood or Broadway. There is an endless amount of opportunity for an actor to go out and get work. There are regional theaters all across the country, national tours, independent film companies, international work, and so much more. The reason I am pursuing this career is because I believe in it. I am completely captivated by what it can do, for myself and for others. I don’t need my name in flashing lights or a bunch of zeroes on my paycheck. I simply want to be able to do what I love, change people’s lives, and make enough money to take care of myself. I can achieve all of this without having to fight my way to Broadway or figure out how to maneuver myself onto the big screen.

I have recently found even more inspiration for my endeavor by reading the book "The Thriving Artists" by Joe Abraham and Christine Negherbon. This book is all about getting rid of the stigma that all artists are starving and barely surviving. It challenges this thought process and presents the idea that artists are so much more than that. The book gives helpful tips and instructions on how to live a prosperous life by looking at your career like you would look at any other career. You are your own business and you have the power to do what you love without sacrificing all of the essentials, like food. I haven’t finished it yet, but I am absolutely loving it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little extra inspiration. You can buy the book and learn more about the authors here.

I know I am going to have to work really hard and there are going to be days that just seem to never end. I know that I will have to work other jobs in between shows to pay the rent, and I know that I will do whatever I need to in order to keep pursuing my dreams. Whenever I think of performing, I get the chills and my stomach does a little flip. I know with everything I am that this is where I am supposed to be and this is how I am supposed to make a difference in this world. I never want to limit my abilities by putting an idea in my head, no matter how small, that I won’t succeed.