Voice Acting can be a very rewarding career path in many ways. As artists, we are able to showcase our creativity, ingenuity, and commitment on a daily basis. But one of the biggest challenges of the voiceover industry is facing rejection way more often than experiencing big wins. For years, I have focused my business and my personal life on maintaining a positive attitude and always deciding to keep going in the face of rejection. When learning how to handle voice acting rejection, one of the most important things to do is to focus on resilience and forge ahead. Here’s how:
Key Takeaways:
- In voiceover and really any field, rejection isn’t personal and one person’s rejection is not a reflection of your talent or ability.
- Setting realistic goals and seeking support can help you stay on track.
- Resilience is the ability to adapt and overcome difficult situations. It can be applied to your career and your personal life.
We have all let rejections get the best of us at times. As voice actors, we constantly put ourselves out there and we hear “no” way more often than “yes.” But it’s important to remember that rejection really isn’t personal. Each client and casting director has a certain vision and preference, and just because you’re not a match for that vision, it certainly doesn’t mean you’re not a talented and capable artist. And getting rejected today doesn’t mean you’ll get rejected again tomorrow.
How do you move forward when the answer is no?
I think it’s always important to consider what is actually in my control. Is there more I could have done? Is there a way for me to keep the line of communication open? What can I learn from this experience? And where else can I focus my energy? Asking myself these questions helps me to stop blaming someone else for my setbacks, and start taking action to achieve better success next time.
Staying on track when you feel unmotivated:
It’s always important to look at the real reason behind an occasional (or frequent) lack of motivation. Is there anything else going on in your life that may feel like an added weight? How can you take better care of yourself so you feel like you have the energy, focus, and motivation to keep going? I’m a big goal-setter.
I feel that setting realistic goals that are attainable and achievable helps me feel like I have control over my day. I also feel there is no substitute for great support. So gather your most trusted peers, coaches, friends, and family members to help bolster you when you need them.
What’s in your toolkit?
I can confidently say that the tools I most use when handling rejection are patience and resilience. Working on maintaining my patience and resilience helps me to make rational decisions for my career, overcome difficult situations, and live a more peaceful life. As voiceover artists, we all need to learn the power of accepting the word “no.” Every setback is an opportunity to learn, grow, and move forward.
Being patient and resilient doesn’t mean that your problems will decrease or disappear, but by practicing these skills, you will likely find that you can move through difficult times more easily while developing and maintaining a more positive outlook overall.
Resilience does NOT mean…
…that you need to just be strong or toughen up. It’s not about just “dealing” with your problems or even fixing the situation you’re in. The term actually dates all the way back to the 1600s and it means “the act of rebounding.” For me, resilience is about recovery, getting back up, and trying again.
But how do we do it? It is important to remain hopeful and turn to your support system when you need it. Being open to change and knowing deep down that our outlook on life greatly impacts what unfolds can help us to stop resisting change and start embracing and adapting to it.
Being realistic about what we can and cannot control…
Ok, we all know on some level that we truly cannot control whether or not we book a job, if we get on an agent’s roster, whether we will ever hear back from our direct marketing efforts, and what anyone else’s opinion of us may be.
But there is so much we can control! Things like putting out a high volume of quality auditions, making a deliberate effort to market and network, what is on our website, and maybe most importantly, our attitude and mindset about the industry and our place in it.
Your best advocate, cheerleader, and caretaker is you, yourself, and you!
So, when we can learn from our experiences and know that rejection is just part of the package, we are able to approach the entire industry with more positivity and genuine belief in ourselves. It’s super important to practice self care and work on our physical and mental health.
While there is no substitute for an awesome army of support, being resilient takes time and practice, and it looks different from person to person. You have to love and care about yourself enough to practice a healthy mindset and be your own advocate, cheerleader, and caretaker.
I promise it’s worth the time and effort to achieve a happier and more rewarding career. Stay resilient, stay committed, and stay you!