JANUARY: HUSTLE AND GRIND, OR REFLECT AND UNWIND?
From ‘Acting With Alexa’ actingwithalexa.com

As the first working week of January begins and ends, many of us feel an immediate pressure to hit the ground running. For actors, this can often mean setting big goals and feeling the pressure of productivity, especially after a challenging time in our industry. The new year can also bring a wave of comparison – seeing fellow creatives post about their upcoming projects or how much they achieved in the previous year, feeling the urge to send out a flood of emails to casting directors and agents, or noticing your mood drop scrolling through social media. It’s easy to feel like you’re already behind, that January is a sprint to catch up with everyone else. You find yourself putting pressure on yourself to reach a certain point or achieve a certain thing to make the beginning of the year worthwhile.

But what if we shifted that mindset? What if, instead of viewing January as the start of an intense race, we saw it as a time to slow down, reflect, and prepare?

PROCESS VS. OUTCOME GOALS

On my Instagram (@acting.with.alexa), I recently shared thoughts on process versus outcome goals when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions. Outcome goals fixate on the end result, while process goals focus on the journey and the steps we take towards that outcome that are in our control. Because whether or not we actually book a role is totally out of our hands and can come down to something as basic as your height, look, or the ensemble of the other cast.

As actors, it’s easy to get caught up in the outcomes… “this year I will book a TV job/get representation/audition more.” While these are completely understandable and valid goals to have, you put yourself in a tricky spot because these goals are, ultimately, out of your control. So then, if for whatever reason, you don’t reach these goals within the time frame you’ve set yourself (in this case, the year of 2025), it is very easy to internalize the disappointment and become emotionally attached to the outcome even when the outcome isn’t a reflection on you. This turns into low confidence, low self-worth, frustration at oneself for not “achieving” or “being successful,” and feeling like you’ve let yourself and others down.

We understand the universal truth that you can be the best actor for the job, the most talented, the most hardworking, with the right experience and expertise, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to book the job. So, you’re setting yourself up to fail by making your goals something that, at the end of the day, is going to be decided by someone else based on things that could have nothing to do with you and what you offer.

While holding on to the outcome you desire as an exciting thing to fuel you and your ambition, I encourage actors to work on shifting the focus to “process goals,” things that are within your control that you can be proud of yourself for achieving – with the desired outcome being the cherry on top of the cake (and not the whole cake itself!).

For example, instead of “I will book my first TV role,” try:

• “I will take acting for screen classes to work on my technique.”
• “I will build on industry relationships I have and write to casting directors to make new ones.”
• “I will practice my self-taping technique/improve my self-tape setup.”
• “I will be grateful for any TV auditions that come my way and let go of the pressures I put on myself regarding the outcome.”

January is a perfect time to embrace a process-focused mindset. Instead of seeing this month as setting goals you hold yourself to all year, set intentions and figure out the processes that are within your control that put you in the best place possible to hopefully get to the outcome you desire, but knowing you are just as much a valid actor whether you reach that outcome or not.

You can read more about “Process vs Outcome Goals” and see further examples in my two-part Instagram post:

• Part 1 – The danger of actor resolutions in the new year
• Part 2 – How to change your frame of mind around resolutions

Or listen to me chat with performance psychologist Dr. Steve Bull about this in detail on Series 5, Episode 29 of The 98%.

MOVING WITH NATURE

The personal and spiritual journey I have been on in recent years has really opened me up to realizing how we are simply a part of this earth – the same as the trees, animals, and natural wonders. Everything else is society and constructs enforced on us. “New Year” is just a made-up idea in itself. Reflecting nature in how we go about our lives is a reconnection to oneself and a big f-you to capitalism. The society we live in tells us that productivity and constant hustle, no matter what time or season, are the keys to success. But then we find ourselves burnt out or struggling to get things done during a season that is intended for rest.

You don’t have to be full-on woo-woo hippie like me to live in line with the seasons and notice that nature moves at its own pace. The trees aren’t rushing to bloom, and the earth isn’t hurried in its cycle. Similarly, we don’t need to be go, go, go in January. Winter is a season of conservation, where the energy is directed inward. It is a time to rest, refuel, and prepare for when the days get longer and our energy lifts. For me, January is a time to reflect on the past year, rest, set intentions for the coming months, and ponder the year ahead.

I’ve done a lot of journaling so far this month, looking back at 2024 and writing down my highlights and “wins.” Things I did or achieved that make me proud and thinking about how I can build on that for the new calendar year. I’ve also made sure to find time each day to engage in one of my many hobbies: scrapbooking, reading, miniature building, crochet. Things I do in my comfy little home that bring me joy and make me feel relaxed and comfortable during the long nights.

I like to decorate my apartment with lots of fairy lights to make the early darkness in the day enchanting instead of cold. And instead of the usual diet culture pressure, I like to bake and make homey meals while getting outside and being active as much as possible to remain energized.

In nature, winter is a time of dormancy and restoration, a period where growth takes place beneath the surface, preparing for the vitality of spring. As actors, we can mirror this rhythm, using January to reflect, recharge, and lay the groundwork for the year ahead. Instead of pushing ourselves to meet high standards and immediate productivity, we can honour this season of rest, allowing our creativity and ambitions to blossom naturally over time.

PLANTING SEEDS FOR GROWTH

I like to think of January as the time for planting seeds. These seeds are your ideas, goals, and dreams for the year. They need time to take root, to be nurtured, and to grow. Rushing this process can lead to burnout and frustration. Instead, focus on the small, steady steps that will lead to meaningful progress over the months ahead.

Whether it’s setting aside time to work on your craft, reaching out to connections or relationships you want to develop, or simply journaling about your aspirations, these small actions are the foundation of a fruitful year.

FILL YOUR CUP

When we work on our controllable process goals, we also want to move away from the “scarcity mindset.” Constantly refreshing your email inbox, checking social media announcements, tracking what emails have been opened or left unread, clinging onto hope that any minute something could happen that changes everything. If we think of the energy we radiate being mirrored back to us, that’s not the energy we want to continue perpetuating and receiving.

Instead, we can let go of emotional attachment to outcomes we can’t control and find other ways to fill our creative cup – and life in general. Getting back to the art: reading plays, finding screenplays and scripts online, having a table read with friends, putting a scene you enjoy on tape, doing what you love just for the fun of it – not waiting for someone else to give you the opportunity. But spend just as much time nurturing other parts of your life, too. Engage with hobbies, or find a new one you enjoy. Meet up with friends, go for long walks. Make your life a relaxing, enjoyable place to be, whether you’re in an acting job or not.

I’ve started being more active this month and even attended my first spin cycle class! I’m writing and working on a couple of different projects and have a friend’s script to read to give feedback on. I’m having movie nights with friends and reading a new book… all things that remind me what else makes my life rich, instead of focusing on what more I could have that would make it better.

When acting, a good warm-up is essential. It prepares you for performance, ensuring you’re grounded and ready. January can be that warm-up for your year. Use it to get aligned with your goals, to explore without pressure, and to rest when needed.

The #actorslife hustle doesn’t have to start in January. Especially during the tough economic climate for the industry. By pacing yourself and honouring the season of rest, you’ll be more prepared to embrace the year with the right attitude and energy when the time is right. Remember, you are a person first, actor second. What can you be doing within your control that makes you the best version of yourself, so you can be the best actor you can be? Credits, bookings, and auditions aren’t what validate you as a good actor. Find the ways you can validate yourself that will ease the desperation of outcomes.

Give yourself things to focus on that aren’t just waiting on others. The “new year” or new cycle within nature is not until the Spring – where energy rises, days are longer, and flowers bloom.

If you’re looking for something controllable for your career, check out https://www.actorsproexpo.com – the country’s biggest convention for actors, where I’ll be leading a seminar on Feb 22nd about redefining success and “making it” on your own terms!

If you’d like help or support in starting 2025 feeling energized, positive, and in control, I’d love to have a career consultancy with you or work on a scene to relight that spark. Use the contact form to get in touch, or email actingwithalexa@gmail.com (please check your junk folder if you don’t receive a reply!)

You can read more about my services here and testimonials from other actors here.

Catch me at Actors Pro Expo Feb 22nd at 2pm Bishopsgate Room, where I’ll be leading the seminar “Redefining Success: ‘Making It’ On Your Own Terms” and read about other exciting upcoming events here!

If you found this post helpful, please share it with others! And follow online at @acting.with.alexa

Thanks for reading!
-Alexa Morden