Recently in Law of Attraction Category
This post will be short, but it contains one of the powerful lessons I've learned. It has taken me a long time to realize that my 2 biggest obstacles were mental and of my own doing:
- frustration about what I thought I hadn't achieved and my perceived lack of time to achieve it
- comparisons to others and jealousy about their success (frustration's wicked twin sibling).
The day job wasn't the obstacle
For years, I blamed my day job for holding me back from achieving the success I wanted in voice-over. Sure, it was difficult to work 2 jobs for 12 years:
- It was physically demanding to work a full day and then come home and do marketing, recording, and editing on evenings and weekends to further my voiceover career.
- The job itself was mentally draining because I worked for 25 years as an IT specialist who was responsible for the end user hardware and software, computer networks, and email systems. I had a problem-solving job that required constant communication with the customers. This job also occasionally caused me to work late or on weekends, disrupting any other plan.
- I wrote on my blog about my feelings of being a secret agent in both the day job and voiceover camps. Note my comment on that post about:
A) how to manage voiceover clients while working full-time, and
B) not letting fear and a scarcity mentality cause you to make bad decisions.
You may be amused at a journal entry about frustration that I included in this blog post. What I didn't say in that post was that I was frustrated because I had the full-time job and felt the time spent there could be better and more enjoyably spent on voiceover marketing and gigs.
Be aware of the Law of Paradoxical Intent
The frustration and comparisons/jealousy are self-defeating attitudes that cause you to feel desperate and set up the Law of Paradoxical Intent in your life. If you only read one of the links I'm providing here, make it this one. It explains how the more desperate you become about achieving your goal, the more you push it away.
I've written several times about the negative effects of comparing yourself to others and ways to stop the insanity:
It's all too easy to make comparisons to other people and then measure your success only on the income you generated in voiceover or the biggest name client that you have. The comparisons only keep you focused on a perceived lack. As Eckhart Tolle beautifully explains in the passage I excerpted in this post, since what you think about expands, focusing on what you think you lack will only ensure that MORE lack will come into your life!
Someone recently left a comment on my blog about their own frustration. My comment back to them is sort of the blueprint I've learned and followed to overcome the frustration and accept my life.
ACCEPTANCE is the key
Acceptance of your life is the key to being in the flow and receiving the good that is yours!
It was only after I accepted my life as it was -- complete with the day job -- in the last several years that things really started to move quickly for me. Part of that acceptance meant that I made conscious and continuous effort to be grateful for all of the many blessings that I received as a result of my day job.
I got a clear sign from the Universe about making the leap to full-time voiceover. I didn't have to force anything to happen. I've found that if I'm forcing the solution, the outcome is not the best that I could have. You have to know that the Universe is always orchestrating the right action in your life.
I can't say that I'm always perfect in maintaining the right attitude. However, my lapses to the dark side are more infrequent and last a much shorter amount of time when they do occur.
What's holding you back? I'd love to get your comments about these thoughts!
Every script I've voiced, from the shortest audition to the longest audiobook...
Every call I've made...
Every email I've sent...
Every postcard I've mailed...
Every marketing campaign I've devised...
Every web site I've launched...
Every blog post I've written...
Every social media update I've made...
Every voiceover class or conference in which I've participated...
Every professional association meeting that I've attended...
...occurred while I worked a demanding, 40-hour-and-sometimes-more-a-week job.
After 12 years of concurrently working in a full-time job and a part-time voiceover business, it's time for a change.
I'm thrilled to announce that I was offered an early retirement from my day job and will be doing voiceover work full-time beginning 1 January 2012! YAY!!
However, as excited as I am to start a wonderful new phase in my life, this post isn't about me and my career plans. It's about you.
I want to encourage you to follow your dreams and give you 5 quick tips to help you do it.
1) Make a list of what you WANT.
A list helps you stay focused and fight discouragement. It also is the foundation to manifesting your desires. If you don't know what you want, how do you expect to get it?
If you don't do anything else, I advise you to RUN, do not walk, to buy the IT WORKS booklet and then follow Brad Jensen's extensive, amazing, and generous advice about using it.
As an example from my life, I made a list with attributes that I wanted in a job, like a certain income level, the ability to do voiceover work, and a private office with a door and window. I deliberately made the attributes a little more generic so that the list would cover my day job and my voiceover business. I reviewed this list frequently and added criteria over time, especially as I checked off attributes that were met.
Your results when working your list probably will turn out better than you could imagine. When I wrote that I wanted a private office with a door and window, I envisioned an office cubicle facing a window with tall walls on the other 3 sides. Of course, I would still be able to hear everyone around me in an open office concept.
What I got, though, was the ability to work in my gorgeous home office, which happens to have a solid wood door and 2 windows. It also has a TV, an iPod stereo, and a reasonable proximity to the refrigerator downstairs.
In another example, I wrote a new life list in September and included the fact that I want to be contracted at least once a month to voice an audiobook. I faithfully have reviewed my list, taken the actions suggested by the creative genie, and received 3 audiobook contracts since then, almost as if on schedule!
2) Think about WHY you want it.
I worked for the IRS for over 30 years. I always knew that I was trading short-term creativity and gratification for long-term security.
However, having the day job didn't mean I should put my dreams on hold....and neither should you.
So many people say things like "I'll travel when I'm retired" or "I'll start that business once the kids are out of school."
If it's your calling -- as voiceover is to me -- you want and need to do it to feed your soul. The only moment you know you have is this one, so why not be doing something because it makes you happy?
Yes, working full-time for an employer and part-time as an entrepreneur has its challenges. I would say it's a challenge to pursue any calling when you don't have unlimited time, money, and opportunity for it. The joy you get in pursuing your passion spills over into every other aspect of your life. Note that every passion does not lead to a career choice.
Also, since I mentioned the day job, let me just reiterate that having one can bankroll many of your dreams. You just have to change your perspective about it and know why you do what you do.
Knowing why you want something also helps you to prioritize the time, money, and opportunities that you have.
3) Don't think about HOW you're going to fulfill your dreams.
If you read any material on the Law of Attraction, the first thing you learn is to forget the HOWs. The forces of the Universe will conspire to bring about the changes you want when the time is right.
The only HOW to remember is this HOWEVER -- the root word of Attraction is ACT. You can't just think things and have them come true. You have to do your part to take ACTION. The forces of the Universe need your consistent thought and action, or no change is possible.
By constantly thinking of what you want and why you want it, the actions you need to take will be revealed to you over time.
4) Find a role model, and follow in their footsteps.
At the beginning of this article, I listed 10 things I consistently did for 12 years to build my voiceover business while still employed at a full-time job. I'm not saying I'm a role model, but think about it this way: If I did it, so can you.
Whatever your dream is, chances are good that someone else has done it. We live in the Information Age, with much of the world's knowledge just a few keystrokes away. You can read about success stories and get ideas to advance your own dream.
5) Help other people achieve their dreams.
Your reality is the mirror of the thoughts and words you've been saying and the actions you've been taking.
To paraphrase Wayne Dyer, if you only focus on what you want, you're essentially saying to the Universe "gimme, gimme, gimme". The Universe then mirrors that line back to you, making you feel that you are, using Dyer's words, always striving and never arriving.
On the other hand, if your thoughts, words, and actions are saying "how may I serve?", the Universe mirrors that line back to you.
What you put out in the world comes back to you, in a way and from a source that you probably wouldn't expect. If you are giving of time, attention, energy, and money to help other people, those things will come back to you.
As an example of this logic, a big reason that I write this blog is because I have a true desire to help other people. Because I write this blog, the Universe has sent that help back to me in the form of clients who find me because of my blog.
Retiring over 4 years early from my day job and working as a full-time voice talent is definitely a dream come true! And yes....it was actually on my list!
Have you started writing your list? I'd love to get your comments on the blog!
Photo: iStockPhoto/ErikReis
Earlier this year, I wrote a popular article titled Reasons to Create Your Own Stuff. In it, I described the audiobook that I narrated for LibriVox and included a link to the book trailer I created to promote the audiobook. I also listed some of the marketing plans I had for the audiobook and trailer among my reasons to create my work in this way.
2) Rajkumari from Mumbai, India, left a comment on my post 10 ways to get work in audiobook narration, noting that an audiobook culture is not prevalent in India. When I responded, I said, "If the audiobook culture doesn't exist there, perhaps it's up to you to create it!"
Two bonus reasons to create your own stuff prompted me to circle back to this topic today:
1) My FREE, 10.5-hour audiobook of A Woman Who Went to Alaska is now available for download from LibriVox or through iTunes as shown on this page.
Bonus reason #1 to create your own stuff:
Copywriters have known for years that the word FREE is one of the most powerful and compelling words in the English language. If you can give away something valuable for free, you can get the widest range of potential buyers to sample your products, which in this case, includes my voice and interpretation, my audiobook production skills, my ability to write an effective script for a video, and my creativity in video production.
As I wrote that sentence, I was reminded of the important passage quoted below from Eckhart Tolle's incredible and highly-recommended book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose:
Bonus reason #2 to create your own stuff:
If the thought of lack -- whether it be money, recognition, or love -- has become part of who you think you are, you will always experience lack.
Rather than acknowledge the good that is already in your life, all you see is lack. Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance.
The fact is: Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you are withholding from the world. You are withholding it because deep-down you think you are small and that you have nothing to give.
Try this for a couple of weeks and see how it changes your reality: Whatever you think people are withholding from you -- praise, appreciation, assistance, loving care, and so on -- give it to them. You don't have it? Just act as if you had it, and it will come.
Then, soon after you start giving, you will start receiving. You cannot receive what you don't give. Outflow determines inflow.
Whatever you think the world is withholding from you, you already have, but unless you allow it to flow out, you won't even know that you have it.
I have found this passage to be true of past voiceover jobs. In fact, Tolle's message was an underlying reason I decided to spend time narrating an audiobook as a service project. You see, I hadn't narrated an audiobook in a while. So, rather than feeling like an audiobook gig was being withheld from me, I gave this one to the world.
It feels great to be able to give!
What do you think of Tolle's assertion that you should give that which you think is withheld from you? Does it apply to your voiceover career or any other part of your life? I'd love to get your comments on the blog!
Recently, I received this message as a comment on the entry A plan to break into voice-over:
Karen,I can not tell you how thankful I am for your blog, and your selfless giving of voice over artistry information.I am at turning point in my life and realize I've been working 20 years in a industry I have NO PASSION FOR! In thinking, "how do I change this?", I remembered the excitement I felt when asked to record automated attendant messages twice in my career. I've always been told I have a good voice and can't wait to become a part of the community.I know a lot of hard work will be involved but one day I hope to be successful and pass on my knowledge just as you.You are wonderful,God Bless,Veronica
While I truly appreciate and am grateful for Veronica's praise about my blog, I want to talk about her paragraph about passion. The key is not to find a job and industry that you are passionate about, but to create a LIFE that you are passionate about!
The last sentence was written with apologies to my eighth grade English teacher Mrs. Ellington, who would hate to see me ending the sentence with a preposition. She made us memorize a list of prepositions, and I credit her with my strong knowledge of and passion for English grammar.
There's that word again -- PASSION.
When people feel that something is missing in their life, they often say they want to feel passionate about something. Rather than doing the self-reflection necessary to understand what is missing in their life and make adjustments, I have observed that most people hurriedly make 1 or -- even worse -- a combination of the 4 life-changing decisions below. I've also included some of the common thought patterns that may lead people to the decision.
1) Have a baby
- "A baby would bring us closer."
- "A baby would always love me."
- "I might get a reality TV show if I have enough kids." (If you don't believe me on this point, do you remember the Octo-mom, or have you counted the number of shows about huge families on the TLC channel?)
2) Change residences
- "I'd be happy if only I had more space."
- "I'm tired of this neighborhood."
3) Change jobs
- "I have no passion for my job or industry."
- "I'd be happy if only I made more money."
4) Change relationship (get married or divorced, find a new love interest)
- "I want to be in love again."
- "I'd be happy if someone paid attention to me."
- "You don't bring me flowers. You don't sing me love songs."
Unfortunately, making any of those decisions without FIRST analyzing the cause of your feelings of discontentment will not solve the problem. Instead, the change will only serve to complicate the underlying issue, which often can be summed up as a matter of self-love.
If I were having a conversation with Veronica, I'd ask her these questions:
- What was it about recording the phone messages that you liked?
- Why did it matter to you?
- Did you like knowing you were helping people?
- Did you feel important or special to be asked to record the messages?
- Did you get a buzz knowing that people would be hearing your voice when they called the number?
Veronica's answers to these questions could be very illuminating in ways that she wouldn't expect.
In her landmark books Wishcraft: How To Get What You Really Want and I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What It Was, Barbara Sher wrote about finding your touchstone, which is the emotional core of the goal. When thinking about the things you like to do, you can find your touchstones by asking yourself thoughtful, probing questions like those above for Veronica. When you know WHY something is important to you, you make much better choices.
From Veronica's message, it seems obvious that she has done some serious thinking and decided to embark on a new career in voiceover. Since I don't know Veronica, I can only speculate about her answers and motivation to become a voice talent in the hope that it gives you food for thought about finding your own touchstones and designing the life you want.
For instance, I wonder if Veronica has a touchstone of recognition. If so, changing jobs to become a voice talent may not be the most satisfying way to bring more recognition into her life. In fact, if she knew that recognition was the thing that she felt was missing in her life, she might figure out ways to get it in the very job for which she says she has no passion.
Her touchstone might have something to do with becoming wealthy. If that's the case, she will feel discouraged to read fellow voice talent J. S. Gilbert's thoughtful, in-depth analysis of the annual salary review in Parade magazine. Gilbert notes that a voice talent profiled in the review had the lowest income of any of the respondents. He also mentions that his article may extinguish the flames of passion.
Of course, Veronica may truly have a touchstone that involves creative expression through her voice -- something more meaningful than simply being told she has a nice voice. Every person who contacts me about getting into voiceover tells me that exact same thing! I'm not picking on Veronica here. I'm just pointing out that the people who write to me probably have nice eyes, nice fingernails, and nice knee caps, but, since no one has complimented those things, the prospective voice talent don't try to turn them into career choices.
Without further exploration on Veronica's part, she wouldn't know whether she should become a voiceover talent, a puppeteer, singer, telemarketer, lawyer, or a political advocate. These choices could have the same touchstone but would require wildly different actions.
I think we all yearn for some way for creative expression, and the lack of it may be at the root of some of the dissatisfaction with our lives. I've read that Adolf Hitler dreamed of being an artist but couldn't get into art school. Can you imagine how much better the world would be if he had only followed his dream?
Where other people paint a canvas using brushes, I do it with words, either by giving voice to words written by others or putting my voice into words for others to read. The right kind of creative expression for each person would be that thing they want to do for its own intrinsic enjoyment. Maybe it becomes a career choice, but then again, maybe it doesn't.
Through her self-assessment, Veronica might realize that she needs the cheers or applause from an audience. Voiceover is usually a solitary pursuit, which again indicates it wouldn't be a good career choice. She might even realize that she doesn't enjoy reading!
On the other hand, she could be passionate about using her voice to make a difference for others, but she doesn't want to take on all of the myriad responsibilities associated with running a business as a voice talent. In that case, Veronica might prefer to volunteer to read for the blind or the children's story hour at the library.
You can have passion for a lot of things, but you don't have to make a career from them. You don't have to make any money from them at all. As an example, I use my passion for English grammar when writing these blog entries and my private journals.
I'm also passionate about the Eiffel Tower. I have a web cam app that lets me view it any time I want to see it. I just spent my birthday week in Paris, and we stayed in an amazing apartment a block away from the Tower. It was so close that I felt like I could touch it out the open window.
While there, I found a way to combine my passions for writing and fine pens with my passion for the Eiffel Tower -- collecting antique inkwells featuring the Eiffel Tower. I've started researching pictures on-line and creating a compendium of available styles along with selling prices.
Voice talent Karen Commins marries her passions for writing and the Eiffel Tower
by collecting antique souvenir inkwells from Paris featuring the Eiffel Tower.
In this one, the Tower tilts back to reveal the ink reservoir underneath.
Will I ever make any money from this new hobby? Probably not, but it's not my intent to make money from it. My intent is to honor my touchstones of romance and beauty by bringing those attributes into my life (and consequently, these antique inkwells into my display cases!) as much as possible.
The good news is that each time you follow your passion in one area, the enthusiasm, excitement, and joy you feel from your new discoveries will overflow into every other area of your life. As a result of simply researching what it takes to work in voiceover, Veronica has already increased the level of positive energy -- or passion -- in her life.
If, after spending time in contemplation and figuring out that a voiceover career truly gratifies your touchstones, don't be too hasty to quit your current job. Since security is one of my touchstones, you can trust me when I encourage you to think of your current job as a subsidy to your art.
Every moment has meaning, so whatever you're doing now will only help you in the years to come. By analyzing your touchstones, you can figure out what's missing in your life and take the action needed to develop a rich, full, wonderful life that you are PASSIONATE about!
Today's story is not directly related to my usual topics of voiceover, marketing, or audiobooks. Instead, it's a Law of Attraction story that I hope encourages and inspires you to do what you love and pursue your dreams because you just never know where they will lead! In addition, you'll be able to see some Law of Attraction principles at work that you can use in building your voiceover career or pursuing any other passion.
Drew started scuba diving in 1983 just because he and his college roommate thought it would be a fun thing to do. Since we live in Atlanta, you can imagine that his opportunities to go diving were somewhat limited. However he took special diving trips as often as possible and would go diving on our vacations. He didn't seriously pursue diving until we went to Hawaii in 2000.
Long before the Georgia Aquarium opened at Thanksgiving, 2005 -- in fact, in 2003 or 2004 when construction was still underway -- a friend mentioned to Drew that he was going to apply to volunteer at the Aquarium. He hoped to be a scuba diver.
First, it's important to note that many people confuse the Law of Attraction with instant gratification. It's not enough to WANT it. You have to DO SOMETHING about it! If you look at the word ATTRACTION, you'll observe that the root word is ACTION, not GRATIFY. As this story illustrates, the results of the Law of Attraction are evident only after taking consistent action over a period of time.
1. If you have an idea to try something new, try it -- you might like it.
Drew started scuba diving in 1983 just because he and his college roommate thought it would be a fun thing to do. Since we live in Atlanta, you can imagine that his opportunities to go diving were somewhat limited. However he took special diving trips as often as possible and would go diving on our vacations. He didn't seriously pursue diving until we went to Hawaii in 2000.
I see many introductory, 2- or 3-hour voiceover classes offered these days. I always encourage people to take these kinds of classes and read books on voiceover to get a taste of what the job is like.
2. If you like it, take specialized classes to learn more about it and master new skills.
As the number of his dives increased the past few years, Drew kept taking specialty classes. He talked for years about getting a Dive Master rating even though he had no place to use it.
Note that he continued to take classes in an interest that was merely a hobby. If you are planning to enter a new career, such as a job shift to voiceover work, additional instruction will be necessary to gain subject mastery.
3. Even if your dream seems impossible, don't give up. The forces of the Universe may conspire to help you achieve it!
In 2005, the world's largest aquarium was built in -- you guessed it -- Atlanta. Yes, Atlanta! Almost unbelievably, land-locked Atlanta, which is at least a 5 hours' drive to any ocean, is the home to the world's largest aquarium, with mammoth exhibits housing some of the world's largest marine life. The largest exhibit holds OVER 6 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER and 4 whale sharks, which will grow to be the size of city buses! These whale sharks came from Taiwan, and most people would never have the opportunity to see them and the other amazing animals that are all living at the Georgia Aquarium.
4. The right people and information will come into your life when you least expect it.
Until that day, we hadn't heard much about the Aquarium, but that one sentence was all Drew needed to hear. He immediately contacted the Aquarium and started the volunteer application process.
5. Persistence of follow-up action is a key ingredient to success.
Thousands of people applied to be volunteers, and the resulting screening process was often disorganized and chaotic. Drew repeatedly followed up with the coordinators when he didn't hear anything. He made sure that his application was processed and that he did everything he needed to do in order to become a volunteer. He had to pass a background check and drug test before they ever cleared him to take classes on the animal habitats and guest relations.
Our friend, in contrast, filled out an application and simply waited for someone to get back with him. Since he didn't follow-up, he is no closer to volunteering that he was 5 years ago. Meanwhile, Drew's volunteer work started during the pre-grand opening days for annual pass holders. He was in on the ground floor of this amazing new Aquarium!
6. Volunteering is a great way to get more of your passion in your life, as well as gain experience needed for a job shift.
Drew did anything he could to get his foot in the door, hoping that maybe at some point he would be allowed to dive with the Aquarium. Everyone told him that he would have to volunteer for at least a year before they would even consider taking on volunteer divers. He originally volunteered primarily in the IT and Special Events departments.
In February, 2006, after the Aquarium had only been open for 3 short months, Drew received notification that he could apply to be a volunteer diver!
The Aquarium has extremely strict rules about its dive staff as the Aquarium must comply with OSHA requirements. If Drew had not continued to take diving classes and upgrade his certifications in the preceding few years, he would not have been eligible for consideration for the dive team. Even so, he still had to take some Red Cross first aid classes and pass a grueling swimming test. Once he passed those tests, he had to pass a physical exam.
We both were beyond thrilled when he passed all of the requirements and was certified for diving with the Georgia Aquarium!
I am a firm believer in volunteerism. Before I ever took the first voiceover workshop, I volunteered for 5 years as a reader and producer for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Through my volunteer work, I gained clarity about my desire to become a full-time voice talent.
7. Get a support team in place to cheer you on.
Some of you know that Drew was laid off in July 2009 from his position as a lead senior software engineer by ADP, his employer of 12 years. We thought his job was secure and never saw the layoff coming.
He was let go at lunchtime on a Thursday, and he called me while on his way home. From the moment he told me the shocking news, I told him that the layoff could be the best thing that could happen to him. I encouraged him to do what he wanted to do instead of feeling that he had to take a job just to make money.
My positive reaction was no surprise to Drew. We have always been champions of each others' dreams. I've written previously about relationships that change or disappear in the pursuit of your dream. For this reason, you need to be careful about the people in whom you confide your deepest dreams. If your family and friends are not supportive of you, it just makes your success more difficult to achieve. In the voice-over world, you can join numerous on-line forums to discuss your progress with and learn from peers. You'll find several of these forums listed on the right panel of my blog.
8. Investing in your dream is an investment in yourself and a life you will love.
Initially, Drew said he would still pursue a job in software development. At the same time, though, he decided to fulfill a long-held dream to get his Dive Master rating. ADP paid him for his unused vacation time, and Drew used that money to take the certification class even though he didn't have a specific plan to use the certification. He finished the certification in March.
I also have cashed in vacation time and money to progress my voiceover career. It may seem like a sacrifice to give up a trip in exchange for a career-enhancing workshop. However, I have never regretted any decision made in favor of my dreams.
9. Listen to that small, still voice in your head, and let it guide you in times of doubt.
After going on an interview in the fall for a developer position that seemed if it had been written to match his qualifications and was located only 3 miles from our house, Drew confessed that he did not really want to go back to corporate software. I encouraged him again to find a job he would enjoy rather than one done for the money.
We decided he should consider himself retired from corporate software and concentrate on getting a job at the Aquarium, where he had been steadily volunteering as a diver for over 4 years. We restructured our finances to pay off some obligations, which allowed us to live comfortably on my income.
I heard Joel Osteen say recently that our creator does not give you the vision without also giving you the provision for making it happen. In 2008, the Aquarium started the Dive Immersion Program, where members of the public pay a fee for the opportunity to swim or dive in the main exhibit with the whale sharks, sharks, manta rays, and other exotic creatures.
Drew had wanted to be part of that program since its inception, but he couldn't participate as a volunteer. Until he changed his mindset about the salary he could accept, he felt he couldn't work there, especially since most of the staff only works part-time.
10. Continue moving in the direction of your dream, even if you can only take baby steps.
Drew had expressed his interest in the job and maintained contact with the department manager during his volunteer stints. Once he finished his Dive Master certification, he notified her about his upgraded qualifications.
She told him to submit an application even though they currently had no vacancies.
However, things moved FAST from that point! She called him the day after his birthday to tell him he was scheduled for the preliminary -- and intense! -- swim and diving skills test. (Happy birthday!) After passing the tests, he had to give a small presentation as if he were meeting the public.
At that point, they invited him and 2 other people who had passed all the tests for an interview.
He had the swim tests, presentation, and interview on Monday 7 June. At the end of the week, he had the DREAM JOB!
In truth, Drew never really dreamed of being a professional scuba diver. He just didn't see how it could work out given our distance from the ocean and the part-time nature of the work.
His story shows that when you give up the HOW and focus on the WHAT of your desires, the Universe can fulfill the order in a way better than you could have dreamed possible! It also shows that you can do what you love as a volunteer, but you may be able to convert that volunteer gig into a paying gig.
If any of you are in Atlanta, you don't want to miss a trip to the Georgia Aquarium. If you decide to experience the animals up and close and personal as a diver or swimmer in the main exhibit, it just might be my husband who acts as your tour guide in the water!
Georgia Aquarium Dive Master Drew Commins in his "office"
In a world....
When the legendary voice talent Don LaFontaine uttered those famous words on a movie trailer, you would be ready to go to a quiet, dark theater to escape -- escape the weather, escape obligations, and escape the chattering voice in your head. That inner voice can be especially critical to a voice artist who is feeling discouraged with her progress. Since my brain has come up with numerous scripts having that kind of negative inner dialogue, I thought it might be helpful if I shared 3 techniques for keeping a feel-good mentality about your voiceover career as you direct the movie of your life.
I'm a lot better about this one than I used to be, but even I occasionally still fall in the trap of negatively comparing myself to other voice talent. For instance, I recently read a review of an audiobook voiced by a talent whom I know. While I truly am thrilled for that person's success, I admit that I also had the thought of wishing for both the recent audiobook narration gig and the favorable review.
When other people comment about the great voice-over work that you have performed for them, I hope that you ask them for a testimonial that can be included on your web site. Not only do these comments from past clients serve to convince potential prospects to hire you as a voice talent, but they can bolster your self-esteem if you feel down on yourself.
Fisher proves that patience and persistence are the keys to realizing your dream. People expect instant gratification and are disappointed when nothing seems to happen. However, you have to maintain the hope and expectation each day since the manifestation of dreams rarely occurs on our timetable! Whether it takes a day, a month, a year, a decade, or longer, you need to have the unshakable inner KNOWING that the fruition of your dream is on its way to you.
Stop the Comparisons
I'm a lot better about this one than I used to be, but even I occasionally still fall in the trap of negatively comparing myself to other voice talent. For instance, I recently read a review of an audiobook voiced by a talent whom I know. While I truly am thrilled for that person's success, I admit that I also had the thought of wishing for both the recent audiobook narration gig and the favorable review.
It's one thing to make comparisons as part of a learning process. We all can improve in a variety of ways, and analyzing others' success is a good way to start. I'm talking about the kind of comparisons when you think envious or discouraging thoughts like, "I just can't get a break-through. I never win any auditions. I'm not good enough. It will never happen for me." These kinds of thoughts can be debilitating and will actually slow or completely stop your progress.
If you have these kinds of thoughts, the first one may appear on its own. You may not have been in control of that first thought, but you ARE in control of the second one. Remind yourself of the steps you have taken toward your dream. If you feel frustrated, find some action that you can do that will propel you forward. In all cases, think/write/speak what you WANT into being.
Ask For and Review Your Testimonials
When other people comment about the great voice-over work that you have performed for them, I hope that you ask them for a testimonial that can be included on your web site. Not only do these comments from past clients serve to convince potential prospects to hire you as a voice talent, but they can bolster your self-esteem if you feel down on yourself.
In addition, I notate my accomplishments and review them as my own evidence about the manifestation of my dreams. If I feel a hint of discouragement because the level of success I envision in voiceover is taking a while to appear, I only need to take a quick look at things I've done in just over a year -- recorded a new commercial demo, launched a new web site with new branding elements, and gained several wonderful new clients, all while mourning the loss of my mother and dealing with my parents' estate. When I stop to review all that I've done, I feel pretty darn good about my place in the voice-over world!
Maintain NOW Thinking
This morning, as I walked Yogi, our adorable miniature schnauzer, I was thinking about the message that I wanted to write in this blog entry. I also was thinking how Yogi lives completely in the moment. He sleeps, eats, and plays without dwelling on the past or fretting about the future.
Once we returned home, I turned on the TV and scrolled through the program guide. For some unknown reason, I felt compelled to watch Joel Osteen's oration today for the first time. This choice is all the more unusual since I'm not a religious person and normally would steer clear of televised church services.
The reason was clear to me from the first moment I heard Osteen speak. He was talking about living in this moment with the constant expectation of receiving the good that is on its way to you, no matter how long it takes to arrive. He encouraged his audience to awake every day with the thought that "THIS could be the day!"
Osteen used Mel Fisher as an example of this type of positive thinking. I, too, have drawn inspiration from Mel Fisher and can't believe that I haven't written about him previously.
You see, Mel Fisher was absolutely convinced that a Spanish ship laden with treasure had sunk off the coast of Florida in the 1600s, and he was determined to find it. Each day, he told his crew, "THIS will be the day!" Every night, after they didn't find the ship, Fisher would tell the crew, "Tomorrow will be the day!".
Fisher maintained his positive outlook and searched for the ship for an incredible 16 years. He faced innumerable odds, including an array of critics and doubters. I read once that his son died during the search efforts. Still, Fisher pressed on, doing things each day toward his dream and feeling perpetually confident of the good that would come to him.
Like so many people, the realization of his dream was far bigger than Fisher could have imagined. He found the Spanish Atocha, with treasures of gold, silver, and gems worth over $500 million!
Fisher proves that patience and persistence are the keys to realizing your dream. People expect instant gratification and are disappointed when nothing seems to happen. However, you have to maintain the hope and expectation each day since the manifestation of dreams rarely occurs on our timetable! Whether it takes a day, a month, a year, a decade, or longer, you need to have the unshakable inner KNOWING that the fruition of your dream is on its way to you.
Osteen said you should ask for things now and live life today, knowing that your desires may not be fulfilled immediately. He pointed out that things can suddenly change for the better. Finances can suddenly change. Relationships can suddenly blossom. Dreams can suddenly materialize.
For a voice talent, a new client could suddenly book you. You could suddenly have extra money to get that fancy microphone. Your latest blog article could suddenly capture the interest of the media and catapult you into the recording booths at Disney, Pixar, and other animation houses. (It could happen!)
By using these 3 techniques, I hope you will be able to silence the inner critic. As the star and director of your life's movie, consistently feeling good about your voice-over career will enable you to live happily ever after!
Movie clapboard photo credit: TPopova/iStockPhoto.com
Every cruise ship director hires a variety of performers who must amuse and entertain the passengers. The nightly shows during our sailing on the glorious Norwegian Pearl were particularly enjoyable. We heard pianist Nadia Zaitsev perform some incredibly complex arrangements of Bach, Beatles, Gershwin, and Chopin before tackling a truly thrilling rendition of Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag. Another night, we watched a guy known as Los Gauchos twirl rope with balls at each end with such terrific speed so that it looked like swirling laser beams encircling him. Okay, it sounds like a lame act, but trust me, this guy was mesmerizing. We watched Professor Watson move effortlessly between solos on fiddle, mandolin, and trumpet in successive songs.
With each performer, I first admired their talent. My second thought was about the enormous number of hours that each must have spent in practice of his or her art in order to perform flawlessly before the audience. As voice talent, we also have the responsibility of practicing before we're in front of an audience, whether that audience is face-to-face, as in a studio session, or virtual in an on-line audition.
During our trip, fellow voiceover artist Terry Daniel wrote an article on his blog about the merits of practice. Terry wisely points out that voice talent have a perpetual need to voice copy out-loud in order to find the best technique and interpretation.
When I'm on vacation, I usually do practice voiceover almost every day. I'll read aloud the ingredients of shampoo bottles (great practice for medical narrations), the ship's daily newsletter (practice for travel narrations), and books (practice for audiobook narration and characterizations). However, I admit that I have been lax sometimes about practicing voiceover while at home.
While many people think that voiceover work is simply talking or reading aloud, the ability to read smoothly out-loud is just the starting point in this career. I always encourage newcomers to read everything out-loud in order to bring some reality to their dream.
As a voice talent gets some paid jobs and starts growing a business, it's easy to forego practice for the sake of practice. We may think we get all the voiceover practice that we need in doing auditions. If you view an audition as part of the job of being a voice talent, though, you can see dedicated practice is necessary before undertaking any auditions.
In addition to Terry's article, I read a couple of other things recently that re-affirm to me the necessity of constant voiceover practice. An editorial in the New York Times reminds me that reading aloud is a very different physical experience than reading silently. Also, comprehension can be measured by a person's skill in reading out loud because "...it reveals far more than whether the reader understands the words. It reveals how far into the words -- and the pattern of the words -- the reader really sees."
1) Your muscles become strong.
2) Your muses conspire to help you realize your intentions.
3) Your mind is focused on a single point, which causes manifestation to occur more quickly.
(Hmmm...maybe that should be 4 Ms!)
Anthony further states that by doing, you will BE.
I can think of no better reason to practice voiceover every day. Toward that end, it's my intention to record this and future blog posts as part of my practice sessions.
Do you practice voice-over? I'd love to get your thoughts on this topic, so please leave a comment on the blog.
The numerous new-age, Law of Attraction books that I have read all state that you have to detach from the outcome if you want your desires to be fulfilled. Recently, I read about the Law of Paradoxical Intent and had an epiphany concerning the progress of my voiceover career.
In her brilliant, thought-provoking book Secrets of Success: The Science and Spirit of Real Prosperity, Sandra Anne Taylor explains this law as follows:
This law says that the more desperate you are about achieving your goal, the more you'll push it away, actually creating the opposite -- or the paradox -- of your desire.
So many people never even realize that it's the negative energy associated with their own needy attachment that's sabotaging the results they're looking for. This is a very common phenomenon....
When your desire becomes a large part of your life, it's a natural emotional response to become hopeful about the outcome. It's very important, though, to reel in any fear, urgency, or neediness because those vibrations are both resistant and repulsive, causing you to move out of the synchronistic flow of Universal manifestation. You become attached to the result when you value the future over the present. This creates vibrations of desperation, jagged waves of energy that push against the current of abundance, sending away that which you desire most. Remember, the natural flow of the Universe is love and peace, but when you move in the direction of frantic worry, you counter that intention, magnetizing more effort and disappointment in the process.ƒ
You have to do things to progress your dream without being tied to a particular conclusion. You can't expect the Universe to provide without taking appropriate action aligned to your thoughts. Before you roll your eyes and think "she's writing about woo-woo stuff again", let me give you some real-life examples of this principle.
While on my IRS job, I observed someone who desperately wanted a promotion. This person is the sole money-earner for the family and has a great need and desire to earn more money. This person was praying every day for a promotion and was convinced it would soon materialize.
You might think that this person was working extra every week, asking to help others with their work, and generally becoming an indispensable member of the team. Instead, this person is completely unreliable, taking leave every single week and not finishing the simplest tasks for months.
At first, the sympathetic manager wanted to find a way to promote the person. After further inspection of the person's work ethic and leave patterns, though, the manager decided to cancel any move toward a promotion. In fact, the manager is now documenting the performance of the employee and may take an adverse action.
Sometimes it's easier to learn from the experiences of others than to see how these Universal laws apply to oneself. I therefore was a bit shocked to discover I also had unknowingly integrated the Law of Paradoxical Intent in pursuing my voiceover career.
The facts:
- I desperately wanted to be a full-time voice actor instead of working full-time at the IRS.
- Drew and I agreed that we needed to save $X in the bank in order for me to take an early retirement if one were offered to me. I had been desperate (there's that word again) for an early-out for the last 5 years. (The early retirement thing is subject to a bunch of government rules that are out of my control and too dull to relate here.)
- I spent a lot of money on classes, equipment such as an ISDN box and marketing materials in order to make my voiceover dream happen. I added up my expenditures and found I actually had spent the equivalent of the $X we decided we needed to save PLUS another 20 percent.
- Since I spent the money, I no longer have it, causing me to feel more financially insecure.
- If an early-out were offered to me now, I wouldn't automatically take it because I haven't saved $X.
- Therefore, my choices might have prevented me from obtaining the thing I wanted most.
I wrote in a previous entry about the desperation I have heard in the voices of those wishing to enter the voiceover industry. These days, I'm also noticing desperation in the actions of fellow voice talent. Whether they are spending their days networking with voice actors and prospects on dozens of sites or chasing every low-paying lead on the pay-for-play sites, they seem to be desperate for the next client and the next job.
While you want and need to be focused on your voiceover career, I've learned that single-mindedness of purpose to the exclusion of everything else will invoke the Law of Paradoxical Intent. By relaxing and accepting my life, I not only have found balance, but voiceover jobs and new clients have come to me with little or no effort on my part.
Talented and witty UK voice talent Philip Banks posted a blog article yesterday titled Success and the new (or not so new) Voice Actor in which he listed 10 steps for success as a voice actor. I particularly liked #9:
You practise failure or success by the day
so ensure that you do something every day for your Voice Over career.
Keep a record of what you do and of the progress you make.
Coincidentally, the very story I wanted to relate today, on this first day of 2009, is about that very point. Once again, I'm going to quote another talented voice actor.
so ensure that you do something every day for your Voice Over career.
Keep a record of what you do and of the progress you make.
Coincidentally, the very story I wanted to relate today, on this first day of 2009, is about that very point. Once again, I'm going to quote another talented voice actor.
On p43 of the book Secrets of Voice-Over Success: Top Voice-Over Actors Reveal How They Did It, nationally-recognized promo voice talent Joe Cipriano offers the best and most charming explanation I've ever read about why you need to do something every day for your voice-over career. Here for your reading pleasure and call to action are Joe's words:
My first acting teacher in Los Angeles, Wayne Dvorak, told a story one day that always stayed with me. He asked, "Why do some people make it, while others don't?" There are many answers, but his story was this: When you work towards your dream, a little red light glows on top of your head. When you stop or are distracted, the light dims or goes off completely.
It's important to keep the light glowing brightly and consistently. Why? Because the Gods of Making Dreams Come True are sitting up there in the heavens and looking down. Their joy is to help people fulfill their dreams. They just need to know how much you want it, and they can only see you if your red light is on.
So, keep working at your dream. Devote one hour a day, that's all -- just one hour a day -- but make it every day, and do something that moves you toward your goal. Whether it's a workshop, or study, or writing cards and letters, or working on your demo, or making calls, whatever it is, do it for one hour every day.
You'll be amazed at how you'll make progress, and your light will shine brightly. You'll make it easy for the Gods of Making Dreams Come True to find you.
Since I've written recently about creating a road map for your success, Joe's story perfectly illustrates the famous quote from Lao-tzu: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
The single step today may not seem like much, but the cumulative effect of daily effort is awesome!
The single step today may not seem like much, but the cumulative effect of daily effort is awesome!
Photo: BlackJack3D, iStockPhoto
Do you like the things that life is showing you
Where are you going to?
Do you know...?
Do you get
What you're hoping for
When you look behind you
There's no open doors
What are you hoping for?
Do you know...?
-- Diana Ross when singing the theme from "Mahogany"
Those song lyrics have been floating in my mind after reading another voice-over blog in which the author wrote, "I have no idea where this is going." While I have taken the writer's words out of context, the face-value of that thought inspires today's post.
Do you know where you're going to in your voice-over career? When planning either a trip or a career in voice-over, it's important to know your desired destination. You don't need to know HOW or WHEN you will get there, but you do have to decide where you want to go. When you make that decision, you might as well decide to have the very best outcome you can possibly imagine.
Continue reading Mapping your success by thinking BIG.
'Twas three
weeks before Christmas, when all through the land
Voice talents
and producers were wringing their hands.
The mics were
connected to computers with care
In hopes that
paying jobs would soon fill dead air.
The voice
talents were trained and looking for leads
With high dollar
amounts to fill all their needs.
Accounting soon
closes for another year
But some said
the good jobs are no longer here.
When on the TV
we kept hearing such clatter
From pundits,
newspeople and those who don't matter
Such negative
folks declared a recession
I hastened to
write this poem and confession.
I don't watch
the newscasts or read the headlines
I know less of
the world, but that's just fine.
Instead, I think
good thoughts and make them come true
Hey, it works
for me, and it can work for you!
Banish the
naysayers and their words of gloom
You're in charge
of your thoughts, so why think of doom?
Think of what
you want as if it's already true
Then take action
on the ideas that come to you.
"Now audition!
Now blog! Now create your podcast!
On with writing
and speaking for impressions that last!
To the cyber
world! To the events in your town!
Keep promoting
your work, and your career won't slow down!"
If you only
think of money you wish you had
The focus on the
LACK of the thing will be bad.
Whatever you
want in your reality
Must first be
visualized in your mind, you see.
Of course, voice-over
is just one part of life
Be thankful for
your blessings and forget the strife
Let your loved
ones know that you hold them dear
Have a magical holiday season and happy new year!
Photo: Denise Torres, iStockPhoto.com
Before becoming a professional voice talent, I volunteered as a reader for 5 years at the Georgia Radio Reading Service. I read newspapers, Sunday sale pages, magazine articles and books for visually-impaired listeners who heard the broadcast over a special radio. I loved using my voice to help other people.
It is still important to me to be of service to other people. While Drew and I give money to charitable organizations, nothing can match the satisfaction of volunteering one's time. I have been looking for a service project where I could once again give the gift of my time and voice-over experience to benefit others.
I am pleased to announce that I have decided to volunteer as a narrator for LibriVox, which is an Internet organization that creates audio recordings of works in the public domain. While working in my stunning soundproof studio, I can continue to serve a larger audience of visually-impaired and other people who need and enjoy audiobooks.
Cruiser Karen Commins contemplates the Caribbean colors
seeps through yr fingers into the keys of yr keyboard&beyond
What exactly is a negative mindset? According to Esther and Jerry Hicks, authors of numerous books on the Law of Attraction, you will have a negative mindset any time that you feel a negative emotion. They say that a negative emotion indicates you are feeling a lack of harmony with what you really WANT.
Continue reading Think/Write/Speak what you WANT into BEING!.
Buddhist teachings refer to karma, which is the universal law of cause and effect when related to a person's actions. Kara Edwards recently wrote about karma in her voice-over career, which is a perfect lead-in to my story today.
From childhood, I've always heard that it's better to give than receive. I didn't understand until the last few years that you actually receive by giving. Whenever I have unselfishly given my time, money and/or energy to another person or charity, I have been rewarded in surprising and unexpected ways. Kara's story wonderfully illustrates this principle.
About the same time that Kara wrote her entry, I was contacted by a newcomer seeking advice about the voice-over industry. Each week brings similar inquiries, and I admit that I have become somewhat jaded by them. I am perpetually asked what I can do to help the person who called or wrote to me for advice. People seem to want the shortcuts to voice-over success and glory.
This time was different.
This time, the newcomer asked me what she could do to help me.
Continue reading It's better to give than receive.
When is the last time that you cleaned out your filing cabinet? Until recently, Drew and I might have answered "about 20 years ago." If I had realized the negative effect that the overstuffed file drawers were having on my voice-over career, I would have done something about it long before now! Perhaps my story will inspire you to sort through your own files.
We decided to redecorate my office with new furniture, which meant pulling all of the files out of the drawers before the furniture could be moved. We made numerous trips to gather armfuls of hanging file folders that we stacked on the floor in the upstairs hall. Although the clutter in the hall was overwhelming, we agreed on the arduous task of examining every piece of paper and file so that we would only keep those things we needed.
Throughout this project, we have shredded at least 6 bags of paper and thrown away countless sheets. In addition to finding a multitude of outdated records about our health, finances and possessions, I was incredulous to see just how much paper I had accumulated in my work as a voice talent.
When I do an audition, I save the script so that I will have it available when I am booked for the job. I had folders overflowing with scripts from agents and on-line casting services. I also maintain folders for clients and their jobs.
My system works well -- EXCEPT that I never got rid of anything! In making decisions about voice-over paperwork to toss, I combined principles discussed in 2 books on seemingly disparate subjects: Michael Port's bestseller Book Yourself Solid : The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling and Catherine Ponder's classic work The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity.
Continue reading Filing scripts under "P" for prosperity.
Seattle voice talent Jeffrey Kafer recently wrote a terrific blog entry about ways to go above and beyond in your service as a voice talent. While I do several of the things on his list, the most important one is expressing gratitude for the voice-over gigs that come my way.
Don't suck up! Please! Don't spend a lot of your time and money finding little gifts for your clients or sending thank-you notes after each session. I know this advice flies in the face of other opinions, but it's what has always worked for me. Think about it. You don't receive much more than a Christmas card from the people who work for you, like your mail carrier, your paper delivery boy, or your dry cleaner. There is no reason to be overtly grateful for the work. You're doing them as much of a favor by performing consistently as they are in giving you the job in the first place. It's a very symmetrical synergy.
Whenever I first work with a client, I always send that person a hand-written note and include a small gift card. I have been surprised how many people respond by thanking ME for the gesture! They truly seem touched by the thoughtfulness. Apparently, many people emulate Don LaFontaine's view of thank-you notes and gifts:
-- Don LaFontaine, Secrets of Voice-Over Success, p. 20
While I don't pretend to have the stratospheric demand or accompanying financial blessings of Mr. LaFontaine, I disagree with his statements about thank-you gifts on several points. First, voice talent cannot compare themselves to postal workers. American postal workers are salaried employees of the US federal government who automatically earn a paycheck and benefits. As I worked for much of my life as a federal employee, I can also state that federal employees are prohibited by law from accepting gifts exceeding a very modest value, and all gifts received in a calendar year count toward that value.
Aside from these monetary issues, the bigger difference between voice-over artists and postal carriers is that the postal service has a monopoly. If you want to receive mail and have it delivered to your house each day, you know you must contact the postal service.
Someone choosing voice talent doesn't have such a clear-cut decision. The decision-maker could search for the ideal voice-over specialist through millions of individual web sites of voice actors or on various on-line casting sites. The person looking for voice talent may decide to contact a talent agent to narrow the field, or they may be influenced by the marketing efforts of a particular voice talent. Perhaps the person asks someone in their industry for a recommendation.Regardless of the manner through which they decide to hire me, I am well aware that my clients had a choice. When they have another opportunity to contract voice talent, I want to do everything in my power to ensure they choose me again. My thank-you note may signal the end of the first job, but often, it is the bridge to a long-term relationship.
In the big picture, gratitude is a critical attribute for attracting prosperity and abundance. How can you expect to receive more of anything -- including voice-over jobs, wealth and prestige -- if you don't convey constant gratitude for everything that you already have?
Showing gratitude today will not only set you apart from other voice talent, as noted by Jeffrey Kafer, but more importantly, you will put the right kind of energy out in the world. As I continue to read and learn from works based on the Law of Attraction, I understand more and more that what you put out in the world will come back to you and probably in ways that you didn't expect.
Because of the energy that I am sending forth into the universe, I expect someday to achieve the level of success in voice-over currently enjoyed by Don LaFontaine. Even then, I would still send a personal thank-you note to each new client.
Right this minute, I'm watching a recent episode of Trading Spaces. If you haven't watched the show, teams of 2 people trade houses for 2 days and re-decorate one room of the house. This episode features some feuding neighbors who can't abide each other. Even more interesting to voice talent is that Neighbor A has a small child and craves absolute peace and quiet, while the Neighbor B has active, noisy teenage sons who have a heavy-metal garage band.
So far, I have seen nothing about treating the door and windows, as those are major sources where sound escapes. I know they have a limited budget of $1000 on this show, but I think the designer doesn't have a good grasp of soundproofing techniques. She chose to build a stage, which might look cool, but won't stop the noise problem the way an interior room would have.
Neighbor A is redoing the garage studio for Neighbor B, and their priority was soundproofing. I became somewhat of an expert on soundproofing techniques when we decided to build the room for my stunning studio. Soundproofing is achieved by creating mass separated by air space. I therefore thought perhaps the designer would build a room within a room.
The designer decided instead to cover the ceiling and walls with carpet padding. Carpet padding is in the category of sound absorption. It changes the characteristics of sound within the room but does not necessarily prevent the sound from leaving the room. Given the amount of carpet padding they are installing in almost every inch throughout the room, it certainly will help reduce the noise. However, If I were the teenager with the band, I would be concerned that I am not hearing true sound.
Soundproofing is also what Neighbor A would need to do their own home in order to prevent the unwanted sounds from entering their house. I live in such a noisy area that we replaced all the windows with triple-pane windows and built a room according to specifications found in Building a Recording Studio by Jeff Cooper. My room has 2 layers of 5/8th-inch sheet rock, which is thicker than normal 1/2-inch sheet rock. I also have 2 layers of ceilings separated by heavy insulation, 2 sets of doors at each entrance and no windows.
As for the TV show, I guess it's more important that the warring neighbors gain some harmony and empathy than to be totally accurate in the description of the materials. I have to say that the finished studio really looks awesome!
I treated myself to an early Christmas present by purchasing Rodney Saulsberry's book Step Up To The Mic. It was a present in more ways than one. Saulsberry is a well-established voice actor who attributes his success to a positive attitude. It's the sort of uplifting book that I would have liked to have written.
A positive attitude is not just about thinking nice thoughts or being nice to people. As Saulsberry explains, a positive attitude encompasses all of your thoughts about yourself and your abilities in voice-over work. While The Secret brought the ideas of the Law of Attraction to the masses, it's an age-old principle that, to quote Ralph Waldo Emerson,
We become what we think about all day long.
Chapter 8 is my favorite chapter in the book because Saulsberry presents "Empowerment Exercises". I particularly enjoyed the affirmations on page 82-83, perhaps because I used one and was delighted when it came true!
One thing that I don't recall seeing in this book is the firm advice to write down your goals although Saulsberry does mention the steps used in goal-setting. I am an advocate of writing down goals, especially after reading the book Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It by Henriette Klauser. Klauser wrote about dozens of examples of people writing their goals as a roadmap to their lives.
Continue reading A page from my book.
Henry Aaron is a class act.
I don't make that comment because he is one of the most beloved sports figures of all time or because he is a fellow Atlantan. I just saw the news replay of his speech last night as he congratulated Barry Bonds for surpassing him as the all-time baseball homerun champion. I'm reprinting it below in case you haven't seen or heard it.
I would like to offer my congratulations to Barry Bonds on becoming baseball's career home run leader.
It is a great accomplishment which required skill, longevity and determination.
Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball,
and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years.
I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement.
My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record
will inspire others to chase their own dreams.
You might think that Barry Bonds's tremendous accomplishment or Hank Aaron's scoreboard address would have nothing to do with voice-over. However, I see a parallel between these sports heroes and my voice-over career.
Continue reading Henry Aaron and Barry Bonds teach voice-over actors.
When I hear the same thing in quick succession from 2 or more people who aren't related to each other and have no vested interest in the comments, I feel the Universe is giving me a sign to pay attention!
Such was the case this week with the classic motivational book As A Man Thinketh by James Allen, originally published in 1902. I don't remember, but I think this work was referenced in The Secret. Since I am vitally interested in the power of our thoughts and words to create our reality, I recently downloaded the free audiobook of this work available from LearnOutLoud.com.
I began listening to it on 13 July. Ten minutes after I started listening, I decided I had heard enough. The audiobook narrator included at least 3 stumbled words, several lipsmacks and an uninteresting method of delivery. With the availability of low-cost and free audio editing software, I am incredulous that someone would choose to leave the stumbles and extraneous noises in an audiobook, even one offered for free. An audiobook is a thing of permanence. I would like to think that people would seek out my audiobooks 100 years from now, just as I was seeking out Allen's book.
I was showing my new business cards to a friend of mine this afternoon. She said she had a book that she wanted me to see. She and I have had many great discussions about the extreme power of our thoughts, and the book was on that subject. Which book do you think she recommended? Yep, that's right -- As A Man Thinketh by James Allen. Although I had abandoned the free audiobook, the Universe was telling me to give the book another try! I told my friend that I would get the book tonight.
However, I wasn't the only person who made a special trip to the book store. The store was crowded with people waiting for midnight, when the last Harry Potter book goes on sale. Someone who has been living under a rock or totally new to the country might think that tonight was Halloween, given the number of young people dressed in costume at the mall. Of course, they were flocking to the book store. They were not looking for a title associated with the Law of Attraction to help them live their lives to the best potential. No, all of those young people and their parents were at the book store to buy the final installment about the boy who lived!
I am not still at the store, waiting to get my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I will, however, buy the audiobook version consisting of 17 CDs sometime over the weekend. (I doubt that I will be wearing a costume when I buy it, though!) I encourage anyone interested in performing audiobooks to listen to Jim Dale's masterful narration of any book in this series. You can download the previous 6 books and thousands of other audiobooks on iTunes. I would imagine that this final book will be loaded on ITunes in the near future.
Also note the high level of production quality in one of these books. The series is so popular that the audiobook is published simultaneously with the hardback edition. Jim Dale didn't even have the opportunity to read the entire book before entering the recording studio. He read the book in segments of 100 pages. For a fascinating article about Jim Dale and his role as narrator of the Harry Potter series, you will want to read this feature story published 17 July in the New York Times.
Success leaves tracks,
and you can gain valuable insight about the preparations for audiobook narration, as well as the production, by paying attention to Dale's comments.
Continue reading Paying attention to James Allen and Harry Potter.
Karen Commins
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
• Greetings from Karen
• How to Reach Me
• Places I've Been
• Advice for Your Journey
• So You Want to Get Into Voiceovers?
• My Path So Far
• How to Reach Me
• Places I've Been
• Advice for Your Journey
• So You Want to Get Into Voiceovers?
• My Path So Far
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