Episode #19
18 | 3 Things I Go Back To After an Acting Rejection
Have you ever poured a lot of work into an audition, given it absolutely everything and then had it come down to one brief answer? ⏱️ And when that answer is no, has someone kindly told you not to take it personally… and it just didn't land? Do you find yourself wondering where to put your focus when the diary is suddenly empty again? In this episode I'm sharing the shift that changed how I handle acting rejection, not by feeling differently about it, but by having something to go back to. ⚖️ Why the preparation and the outcome were never on the same scale. I talk through the image that helped me most: all the weight of your prep on one side, one brief moment of the outcome on the other. A ''yes'' makes it feel worth it. A ''no'' makes the scales feel uneven. But the two were never meant to be connected, and while the ''no'' takes the role, it doesn't take the practice. The three pillars I keep coming back to. When there's nothing in the diary, these are what I return to: working with the story and the character and breaking it down for myself, finding quicker ways to memorise lines, and learning to get into character on cue. This episode names these. The honest bit that needs to be said more out loud. Rejection isn't nice and you're allowed to feel it. I share why I put edges around with a timeframe and give the feelings a container. If you have space, a long walk, a proper nutritious meal, a funny film or a show. If you're short on time, five minutes of prayer or meditation, calming music, checking whether you've actually done the basics like eaten and had water. Then back to focus. And the reframe underneath all of it: not every no means you weren't good enough. Some just mean it wasn't yours, and some mean there's more growth to do, which is fine too. This is an episode about resilience for actors, performers and creatives. About how to handle rejection as an actor, what to do after a failed audition or self-tape, how to rebuild confidence after a no, and how to protect your mental health and wellbeing in an industry where the outcome is rarely in your hands. If you're dealing with audition rejection, silence after a self-tape, or the anxiety of waiting to hear back, this one is for you. More on this ️ Episode 17: Why Being Busy With the Right Things Still Burns Actors Out ️ Episode 16: The Secret to Never Being Shaken by Any Result as an Actor Before you go If this one met you where you are, follow the show, so you can hear more episodes like this. And if you know an actor or creative sitting in a no right now, send it their way. Stay rooted, steady and anchored. ⚓
