Acting can transport you to another world, allowing you to explore a variety of characters and storylines. It can be a deeply rewarding experience that boosts your confidence and allows you to express yourself in powerful ways. But it takes more than just talent to become an effective actor — passion is essential. Passion enables actors to become truly connected with their roles, resulting in a captivating performance that never fails to leave an impression on the audience.
We’ve all woken up and dragged ourselves to work before, but for those in the acting industry, waking up with a sense of great enthusiasm for the day ahead is a part of the job. Whether it’s an early call time on set or a few hours of rehearsal to prepare for an audition, actors know that when they wake up each morning there are exciting opportunities waiting.
Dedication and Eagerness
You must be ready to jump into any role, no matter how big or small, and show your best performance every single time. Achieving this requires immense dedication and eagerness which can get you through long hours standing in front of the camera or performing on stage. It also requires, you guessed it, passion – something that many actors feel towards their craft even from a young age – fueling them with excitement and energy as soon as they wake.
Different roles, different co-workers, different crews – it’s as if you’re starting a brand new job every production. That’s one of the reasons why the energy never fades.
Attitude of Appreciation
It’s key to have an attitude of appreciation for the work you do. Being grateful for the opportunity to be employed can give you a sense of purpose that can help build a passionate outlook. Also, acting positively towards everyone you encounter is essential in cultivating an atmosphere where others feel comfortable contributing their ideas as well.
One way to foster an attitude of appreciation is by thanking others for their hard work and effort. Showing gratitude reinforces good habits and encourages others to continue working at their highest capacity. Giving people compliments – even small ones – can go a long way towards creating an environment that encourages collaboration and creativity. Taking the time to express genuine appreciation for everyone’s involvement will help ensure that the production runs smoothly with everyone feeling supported through the entire process.
Showing appreciation doesn’t mean you have to give people gifts. Have you ever received a present that you don’t want? A gift that just doesn’t fit who you are as a person? Ever hear of the term re-gifting? (That’s when you take a gift that you received and don’t want, and give it to someone else.) There’s really no thoughtfulness when doing this.
On the outside, this guy is a businessman. On the inside, his passion is soccer. Find your passion in acting and you will soar to new heights.
The most important thing is to be sincere with your words and actions. Acknowledge the elbow grease they put in or the kind gesture they gave you. Let them know that their efforts have not gone unnoticed and appreciate what they do without expecting anything back from them. You can do this by sending a note, or, if you do decide to get them a gift, make it something they would actually want. The way to do that is by getting to know them and what their passions are. Example: What outside of work do they enjoy the most? Gardening, reading, climbing mountains…
Passion Gives You the Drive to Learn New Skills
While it takes dedication and practice to hone your acting craft, having a passion for performing can be a major driving force that keeps you motivated.
The first step toward becoming an actor is learning all about the basics: how to project your voice, how to move on screen or stage, how to connect with other actors in scenes. Without passion this process could be tedious and uninspiring but with devotion and commitment, these important basic skills can become stepping stones on your path towards becoming a successful actor. Once you have these basics down you can start exploring more advanced techniques such as improvisation which require additional discipline and concentration. (Read about the Five Reasons Every Actor Should Do Improv)
Passion Gives You Motivation
Passion gives you the motivation needed to become a better storyteller as well as a better version of yourself. It helps you grow artistically and professionally by pushing you to take risks and try new things. But most importantly, passion makes the job of an actor more enjoyable and rewarding.
Everything Will Fall Into Place
If acting is your passion, everything will fall into place. There will always be pressure and you may feel intimidated, but if you remember why you became an actor in the first place, that’s the fire in your heart that will keep you going. And when others see your passion, it’ll invigorate them, creating what I call a “force field” of power.
