Are You Leaving Your Auditions Unfinished?

Hello and welcome back to The Aligned Actor Podcast on Substack.I’m Amy Schloerb your friendly neighborhood actor and mindfulness and mindset coach for actors and creatives, offering practical ideas and inspirations to help you thrive in your full #ActorLife.All too often, auditions feel “unfinished” until we know the outcome - did we book or not?In reality, an audition is finished, complete, done and dusted as soon as we submit the self tape or get a “Great, thanks for coming in” from the session runner.It’s over. It’s done. It’s out of our hands. It’s out of our control. It’s time to move on.But that’s so hard because we’re in a liminal space of uncertainty. This audition might lead to something we really want — or it might not — and leaving it open ended like that is torture.It feels like getting to the end of a song, but never hearing the last resolving note or phrase.“O’er the land of the free…and the home…of the—”FINISH THE DAMN SONG! I BEG OF YOU!!!!!If you’re waiting for the “result” — callback, booking, etc — to feel complete with the audition, you are likely living in an uncomfortable state of uncertainty, that you do not need to occupy. You are also denying yourself a much deserved and satisfying hit of dopamine that comes from completing a task.Close The LoopSo what do we do? How do we get out of audition liminal-limbo hell?Find a way to feel complete with the audition. Close the loop on your audition instead of leaving it open-ended by “waiting to hear.” Tell your brain it’s done so your brain can move on to other things. Of course, this is easier said than done, but that’s why we practice. Practice the energy of “that’s done” as soon as you’ve hit submit on your self tape or as you walk to your car after an in-person audition.* Mentally (or physically) cross that audition off your to do list. Put a big, ol’ check mark next to it. The satisfaction that we get from checking things off a list is thanks to the dopamine hit of completion. ✅* Give yourself a little pat on the back and or say “Good job, me!” for the work that you just did. That little self-acknowledgement and celebration further activates dopamine in the brain and reinforces the idea that this audition is done. 💁🏼‍♀️* Throw your hands up like the bakers on The Great British Bake Off when the hosts say, “Your time is up! Please step away from your bakes.” A physical action further reinforces the “it’s done” energy for your mind and body. 🙌🏻 EMBODYING* Use a post-audition affirmation and mindfully redirect your focus back to that phrase whenever it drifts into the limbo land of “I wonder if I’ll book that.” 🤔➡️🤗* “I did my work.”* “My work is done.”* “That audition is finished.”* “I’m done with that audition.”* “Checking it off and moving on with my day!”* “Thank you! Next!”* Practice knowing that each tape you submit and every audition you go on strengthens your reputation in the entertainment industry. You never know who will see your tape and what it will lead to. Thinking that “booking THIS job” is the only amazing outcome this audition could be leading to is a lack of imagination. 📈* Many years ago, I built up a relationship with a commercial casting director who would call me in all the time. For whatever reason I never booked any of the commercials they were casting, but one day, seemingly out-of-the-blue I got a straight offer from them for a web series they were casting. They had liked my work over the years and knew that I would be great in this part.An audition is just some completed acting work that shows off your talent and builds your reputation as a reliable actor. It’s done and complete just as it is. It’s completion and the fact that you share it with the industry is the ultimate audition success.Practice ‘Closing The Loop’ During Self Tape MayYou can practice this idea during Self Tape May. Don’t wait for likes and comments or to be reposted on The Audrey Helps Actors story feed to feel successful and “complete” with that tape. The fact that you posted the tape is the success. Move on to the next. Heck, even just doing the tape for yourself and reviewing it like game footage without sharing it with anyone else, is the success. Move on to the next.There are so many tapes to do in Self Tape May — 16 if you want to be eligible for the prizes — that it’s the perfect opportunity to practice “That’s done” energy and make it a habit. You did the work, you turned it in, and now it’s time to say “Woohoo! Yay me!” and move on.Don’t live in limbo with your auditions.Practice the energy of DONE.Your mind will me clearer and calmer for it.If you found this content helpful or inspiring, I’d be honored if you’d leave a comment and/or share it with your actor pals.I’m a professional actor, a mindfulness and mindset coach, and I’m ready to help you thrive in your actor life.🎭 I’ve been a professional actress for almost 20 years. I’ve survived 3 industry shut downs - 2 strikes and 1 global pandemic. I’ve worked in TV, film, commercials, and produced my own award-winning web series.🧠 I’ve been a life coach for 5 years, specializing in mindfulness and neurolinguistic programming and helping people become more aware and focused on making positive changes in their lives.💖 I blend lived experience with powerful, proven coaching tools.🎢 Let’s get you feeling resilient, empowered, focused, playful, relaxed, confident, and riding the acting career roller coaster without throwing up! 🤗 Get Out of Your Head and Rock Your Next Audition 🎧I’ve created a free guided meditation to help you get out of your head and into your character so that you can rock your next audition. It’s going to help you calm your nerves, let go of distracting thoughts — How can I book this? What do they want? — and focus in on what your character wants, what’s going on in the scene, so that you can present your best work every time.NEW: Check Out My Book to Help You Access Your Presence and Feel Empowered in Your Actor Life 📖The Aligned Actor Mindfulness Ebook & Toolkit: Access Presence in Your Actor Life and Feel Empowered in Your Craft and Your CareerThis ebook is comprehensive collection of tools guaranteed to be the Dramamine you need for the roller coaster ride of #ActorLife. Whether you’re dealing with audition nerves, obsessively checking your email after submitting a self tape, or just learned your series has been canceled, there’s something here that will help you access your presence and feel grounded again. And it’s just $7. Get full access to The Aligned Actor at thealignedactor.substack.com/subscribe