Excuses.

I haven’t posted in a while.  I recently got a fantastic gig that ate up just about every free moment of my last few weeks.  Yes, I’m making excuses.

On the one hand, it was wonderful to have work and make some real money.  On the other hand, I noticed how much I deferred my own projects and dreams. 

I see it happen with my friends (mostly actors in New York) all the time.   Everyone is so committed to their day job, what they’re doing just to get by, that they wipe themselves out and don’t make it to auditions or class or networking events.  For some reason we feel so much more committed to our survival job schedule than our reason for being here in the first place.

I recall a morning when I had to go work the breakfast shift at a restaurant.  I got up at 5am and got myself on the bus, reluctantly, but I did it.  I remember thinking; I wouldn’t do this for an audition.  I wouldn’t do this for my own goals, but I’ll do it for someone else.  It seemed so backwards.

Fast-forward two years and the same thing is happening.  This Wednesday I finally had a day off after two weeks of non-stop work.  I did nothing.  I had put my goals on hold to work for someone else, and when I had the time to execute them, I didn’t.  I negotiated with myself.  I procrastinated.

Why can’t I prioritize the work and goals I set for myself the way I unquestioningly execute the work I do for others?   Everyone does it.  Whether it be career goals like being a working actor or personal goals like writing a blog or working out.  When it comes to ourselves, we defer and make excuses.

It’s hard, but I think we need to endow our own dreams with the same importance and respect that we give to others.  I see too many brilliant people get so caught up in working for someone or something else that they lose sight of themselves. 

So here I am.  Committing to myself.  You can hold me accountable.  There will be weekly posts.  There will be a redesign.  There will be a giveaway.  There will be social media interaction.  There will be growth.   

Now what will you commit to?  And who will hold you accountable?