The Trap of Saying “Yes” Too Often
Many of us fall into the trap of saying yes too much, especially in creative or gig-based careers. There’s this nagging fear that opportunities might stop coming if we start declining them. This scarcity mindset is a hurdle every artist must overcome, and it’s particularly tough when you’re new to the scene. That first gig feels like a lucky break, and it’s hard to believe the offers will keep coming.
I get it; there are times when you need to hustle and push yourself. But it’s not sustainable to be in constant sprint mode, and you can’t sprint in multiple directions at once—unless you’ve cracked the code on multi-dimensional existence, which comes with its own set of problems!
My biggest mistake last year was overcommitting, which brings up the idea of Opportunity Cost. Every choice we make has a cost, even if that cost isn’t directly a monetary one. Saying yes to a convention appearance in another part of the country might net you a few thousand dollars, but it could be at the cost of family time, the stress of committing to tasks for 17 days straight, a proper night’s rest, etc. For every yes we make, we have to be willing to consider what we give up, and determine if it’s worth it. If you fail to prioritize your life and peace of mind appropriately, the bigger toll it will take on your mental state, and that can push us to something dire to voice actors (or anyone, really): Burnout. In 2023, I didn’t prioritize effectively, which increased my stress and led to burnout. By November, I was so exhausted that during a three-day getaway with my wife in Santa Barbara, I spent most of it in bed, sleeping for 13 hours a night and unable to focus on anything.
Take a look at this calendar from one week in my life last year. It was jam-packed, and while not every block was a voice acting gig, it was still overwhelming. My focus was scattered, especially on teaching my students and attending conventions. Travel, as rewarding as it is, takes a toll on your body and mind, especially when dealing with time zone changes.
The consequence of saying yes too much? Everything suffers. Burnout means you can’t do anything well. You start making uncharacteristic mistakes, like being late or mixing up appointments, and you become less emotionally available for loved ones. It’s crucial to allow yourself time to relax and understand that it’s okay to turn down opportunities. Every commitment has a cost, even those that pay well. Remember, rest is productive, calm is productive. Think of your time as a blank page—leave some empty, and life might fill them with something unexpectedly wonderful.
I Stopped Auditioning.
This didn’t need to be the title of this section to be an obvious mistake— if you don’t audition, you won’t land gigs. If you’re thinking, “Well, duh,” ask yourself how many auditions you’ve done recently. Chances are, it’s fewer than you could have managed.
Yes, I did just warn about burnout, so this may seem counterintuitive. However, it’s about prioritizing correctly. Last year, I booked less work because my attention was elsewhere, sometimes by choice, other times not. The goal is to make your focus intentional to achieve expected results. Expected results build confidence; unexpected results are far more difficult to explain and can breed a sense of failure and panic.
So, if you’re serious about voice acting, keep sending out those auditions. If you find yourself without the time to audition because you’ve been working on other tasks, you may want to re-evaluate what you’re focusing on and why. Avoiding auditions might mean you’re dodging the hard work or grappling with self-doubt. Organizing your drawers might feel productive, but is it just a way to avoid the real challenge? Take the time to ask yourself a few hard questions so you can get yourself in the proper headspace to tackle the essential task of auditioning with consistency.
Playing It Safe Is a Risky Business
The last big mistake I made last year was that I played it too safe. What I mean is that when I did make the time to audition, my reads were right where they needed to be. Like coloring within the lines with the same few crayons. The feedback I received from various people was exactly that- that the read was perfect, it was correct from a technical aspect. That it was safe.
Being told your read was safe is like taking an arrow to the knee.
Think about it; when you’re in the stack of hundreds of auditions, safe doesn’t stand out. It’s unremarkable, and that means it doesn’t stick in the mind of the person reviewing auditions. Because I wasn’t as focused as I needed to be, when I stepped in the booth, I felt it was okay to just stick to the comfortable read, get it recorded, and move on. I didn’t give myself time with the copy, instead being satisfied with the most common ideas I’d find in the material I was given. For some auditions, that’s not a problem. Corporate video narration or a lot of Pay to Play auditions don’t need anything insanely unique. They’re often looking for a clean middle of the road read. But when you’re auditioning for video games or animation, it benefits to find nuance. The worst thing you can do on character performances, even commercial work, is play it safe. It comes across as stale, and stale doesn’t book. Safe can make your audition forgettable.
I talk about this in the Voice Acting Academy, but sometimes you need to just play Jazz, metaphorically speaking. You have to be willing to break the rules and play along the edges, because that allows you to put your authentic voice into the performance, and authenticity books. Be willing to make strong choices, even if that sounds cliche at this point.
Whew! That’s a weight of my shoulders. That actually felt pretty good to get out. Therapy session aside, my hope is that you found this beneficial, and that’s twofold. First, to show that even professionals don’t have everything figured out all the time. And second, to offer these insights as a learning tool for your own career. Remember, it’s okay to be selective with the opportunities you pursue.
Thanks for stopping by! If you haven’t already, click here to pick up my free eBook on getting started in voice acting.
