A lot of people live one life, but want another. We always hear people say, "If you can do something other than acting, do it". But the same can be said for being a doctor or a lawyer or a plumber or any number of professions! If you can live your life doing something other than what you want, do it. Give it a shot.
But is that true? Can you do it? You can try. Some people spend years trying. And while some succeed, most suffer. They suffer the fault of an incongruent life. By incongruent, I mean they want one thing but do another. "I always wanted to be an actor, but my father thought business was a safer choice." "I always wanted to be a musician, but my mother said she wouldn't pay for college unless I went to Law school." "I always wanted to be a photographer... a circus performer... a painter... BUT...."
But, but, but... The reasons are abundant: security, safety, risk aversion, practicality... (practicality is the DEATH of acting!) You'll always be able to come up with an excuse for not doing something that's hard. It's human nature. But Actors are risk takers. They are doing something that's hard. They risk themselves everyday. To live a life with no safety net? That's a risk. To try and succeed in a profession where 90% of the workforce is unemployed? That's a risk. To put yourself on the line, jeopardize being mocked, laughed at, ridiculed? THAT'S a risk. But without risk, there's no reward. There's complacency. And unhappiness. And incongruency.
Life of life of congruency. If acting is what you must do, then you must do.
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