Skip to main content Skip to footer site map
Student Blog: Burning Out Part 1: The Personal Journey of a Self-Doubting Actor

Student Blog: Burning Out Part 1: The Personal Journey of a Self-Doubting Actor

Burning out while trying to rekindle the flame.

While I was on hiatus, I had several moments of self doubt. All of the breakdowns I was having, all of my self worth going out the window, and my depression spiraling all led back to one question:

Am I even good enough for the business?

This is one of the questions I'm sure every actor has at one point or another. Sometimes it's been planted in our heads by teachers, telling us that "someone else is always doing it better," and sometimes it's our own mind. Either way, this self doubt does not serve us, and it only gets in our way, preventing us from doing better and pushing past it. I got stuck with this self doubt for many months, until I started to change my mindset.

We need to reframe the question "am I even good enough?", because it simply does not help you get into a healthy mindset. You bring more than enough to the table. Instead, we should be asking, "who am I?"

When we show people who we are, they often want to get to know us, or they are intrigued by something we wear on our sleeve. Take every opportunity that you can as an actor to showcase who you are. Your website, your headshots, slates for self tapes, your presence in the room, your fashion. Anything is a template for you to show your personality, and that is really what we should be showing. We are real life people with dreams and aspirations, not just clay that other creatives get to mold into whatever they please. We are allowed to be fun, creative, spiritual, and whatever else we wish! Showing this is not a crime, and switching to a personality driven mindset has really changed the way I view the business.

I also realized that I need to look at my symptoms of burnout, depression, and other mental illnesses, and address them in the meantime. Going to weekly therapy has helped me with these feelings, and I always recommend therapy to actors.

I found that I wasn't submitting to many projects, and I began to ask myself: why? I wasn't submitting for two reasons: I was terrified that I wasn't good enough or ready enough to be submitting for projects, and I also thought it was a lot of work. To be clear, filming self tapes and preparing songs for auditions is a lot of work. I decided to make it easier for myself by dedicating space to my craft.

I have had a lot of struggles with my self image and my craft, but I have been able to get over it in a variety of ways. You may want to check out the companion blog to this one, where I talk about some tips and tricks to relieving burnout, avoiding a bad self image, and navigating the business with a personality driven mindset!



Related Stories
Student Blog: How to Manage Plans More Effectively? Photo
The spring semester has begun. College students will be busy with their work. Sometimes they are busy with their experimental reports, works or college clubs. If you have a lot of things to do like this, it can suddenly become a problem.It's about how to prioritize work and how to solve things. If things pile up more crazy, you could be in a panic. So, what are some easy ways to get things done without panic? Here are some helpful tips.

Student Blog: Spring Break In the Snow Photo
So spring break has come and gone for the majority of us, and now we're left with the memories of the last week that'll stick with us for years to come.

Student Blog: Sight Reading with a Time Crunch Photo
Someone may not be able to do their part and you may need to step in. That is the joy and horror of live productions. This happened during my last jazz performance, one of our altos couldn’t make it to the concert and I had to learn their part. Here's my guide to making sight reading a little less scary.

Student Blog: How to Get Through the Semester Photo
As I near the end of the semester and quickly approach my last semester at Pitt, I’m reflecting on my experiences and the tools that have helped me to get through college. It certainly hasn’t been the easiest experience given the global pandemic thing, but I think it has definitely made me a better person.


From This Author - Student Blogger: Aingea Venuto


Student Blog: Burning Out Part 2: Tips and Tricks on How To Rekindle the FlameStudent Blog: Burning Out Part 2: Tips and Tricks on How To Rekindle the Flame
February 1, 2023

Your worth as an actor is not defined by how many projects you submit for, and it certainly isn’t based on how many projects you get called back for. This is a tough business, and we are all living through a global pandemic. Forgive yourself first and foremost.

Student Blog: Burning Out Part 1: The Personal Journey of a Self-Doubting ActorStudent Blog: Burning Out Part 1: The Personal Journey of a Self-Doubting Actor
February 1, 2023

We are real life people with dreams and aspirations, not just clay that other creatives get to mold into whatever they please. We are allowed to be fun, creative, spiritual, and whatever else we wish! Showing this is not a crime, and switching to a personality driven mindset has really changed the way I view the business.

Student Blog: 6 Movie Musicals To Watch To Ring In the New YearStudent Blog: 6 Movie Musicals To Watch To Ring In the New Year
December 29, 2021

In the year 2022, I hope we all resolve to see more musicals. We may be deprived of some of our favorite stage musicals on Broadway, so I have put together a handy list of 6 different movie musicals that you can pop on at home - to keep everyone safe, and to entertain if you are having guests for holiday festivities!

Student Blog: An Interview With Wild Indian's Composer Gavin BrivikStudent Blog: An Interview With Wild Indian's Composer Gavin Brivik
October 4, 2021

I felt like [composing] just felt way more fulfilling than it did performing everyday. I always felt performing had so much pressure, a lot of anxiety centered around interpretation, just the overall performing in front of audiences, while composing is a lot more personal and solitary, which just worked for my personality.

Student Blog: We're Finally Back to School! What Now?Student Blog: We're Finally Back to School! What Now?
September 10, 2021

My sister, who is a freshman, is experiencing college as a brand-new concept. It’s her first time living alone, and she didn’t adjust right away. To all of the freshmen and the returning students trying to get into the flow of things: it’s okay to be scared or homesick!