Many people wonder why it is so hard to believe they can have a career in film, but it’s important to stop self-sabotage behavior. Destructive thinking like this stems from a lack of understanding about how the film industry actually works, combined with learned behaviors. The film industry is growing at an extraordinary rate. There is work happening everywhere, all of the time. It’s possible for you to have a career in film.
The process should be an enjoyable one, but many people starting out compare themselves to other people further along. It seems other people are able to succeed and are better off. Then doubt sets in and they sabotage themselves. They wonder if they can succeed in the film industry themselves.
The people around you, even those who love you, may not be supportive of you. Their fears are based on old ways of thinking and from a lack of understanding of the opportunities available in the film industry. They may say something negative to you, even out of love. Before you know it, you doubt yourself.
Don’t let this happen to you. Understand that you are stuck in a learned pattern of thinking. Your mind wants to pull you back to what is familiar. Your familiar mindset will always give you the life you already have, not the one you want.
Make the journey into film an enjoyable one.
One of the big secrets of success, not only in film but in any industry, is mentorship. Mentorship is not only about learning the tools of your trade, but also it’s about life empowerment. It’s a key difference between the masses at their ordinary jobs and the few at the top of their field. Life empowerment is crucial to feeling alive in your career and in your life.
Hugely successful Emmy award winner Janet Urban, founder of Friends in Film, still works with mentors herself. She’s at the top of her field in the film industry, yet she continues to learn from life-empowerment mentors.
There’s a lesson in there for all of us. Life empowerment is work that many top professionals do. They work on their mental and emotional well-being, which betters their relationships on the job and at home.
Your journey to success in the film industry depends on the right mindset. The video clip Janet offered is part of a phone call between her and her mentor. It’s fascinating and worthwhile to watch. In these brief twenty-five minutes, her mentor discusses a facet of self-sabotage that people commonly engage with. People don’t realize they do it, and they can easily stop it once someone points it out.
Get out of old ways of thinking to discover better ways of being yourself, improve your relationships, and above all, love life!
