“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” - Unknown

In a recent conversation with a casting director friend of mine, the topic of goal setting came up. My friend asked me, “So Dan. What are your acting goals for the rest of this year?” Now I am the first to admit that I am not a goal setter or a planner by nature. I believe that if I am kind to people, if I try to do the right thing, if I give what I can when I can, that the universal law of “what goes around comes around” will go into effect and things will “work out.”

Having said that, and with a half-century of life under my belt, I also freely admit that I have learned the importance and the power of setting concrete, attainable, time-focused goals. This approach has always paid off in my business career, in athletic endeavors, and in financial planning matters. Now that I am applying goal setting to the acting part of my life I am finding some interesting challenges, a few frustrating moments, and a whole new dimension of what setting goals really means in the acting business.

The most interesting thing to me in applying tried and true goal setting principles in the acting business is the lack of control that I have to impact an outcome. Financial goals are relatively easy to set and attain, because the people setting them have the ability to make decisions that directly affect the outcome. For example, let’s say someone wants to pay off his $5000.00 credit card balance. It’s really just a matter of breaking this long-term goal into a series of easier to attain short-term goals, i.e. cut up the card, pay more than the minimum monthly fee, get a part-time job and put all the earnings toward the balance, etc. This goal has a good chance of success if the person is willing and able to accomplish the short-term goals, which have a direct effect on the outcome.

Acting goals can seem overwhelming, because even if the actor is willing and able to do what it takes to attain the long-term goal, he or she does not have the ability to control the outcomes necessary to accomplish the goal. For example, let’s say someone wants to land a recurring part on a one-hour TV drama (who doesn’t right!). Breaking down this long-term goal into a series of “easier” to attain short-term goals can still be done, i.e. make sure I have the skills to handle such a part, practice these skills daily, make sure I have an appropriate headshot (and resume) to submit for such a role, make sure my agent is aware that I want the role (or make sure I have an agent that won’t laugh at me for wanting such a role), even more elementary, make sure I have an agent, get the audition, get the callback, land the role.

Most actors understand they need to have the capability to fulfill the short-term goals mentioned above, but they do not have the power or control to determine the final outcome. This is the job of casting directors, directors, producers, and other decision makers.

CAN GOAL SETTING WORK FOR US?

So is goal setting a good business tool for actors? I think it is with a slight reframing of the question. That is: What DO actors control in the process? Believe it or not we do have some control. No, not as much as we want, but maybe more than we realize.

Here are few things that I have found helpful as part of my acting goal setting strategy. Feel free to modify these in any way if you find them helpful for your strategy.

1.	Perform an intensive and brutally honest self assessment to determine what I truly bring to the acting world.
	Do I have the potential to do what I want to do? Am I willing to suffer the slings and arrows of rejection that I know will come if I go down this path? Am I seeking out people who will give me a clear, objective, and honest picture of what I can do as an actor? Do I have the financial and other support I need to continue as an actor? (NOTE: These are just a few of the questions I use in my acting self assessment. If you want the whole enchilada, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email and I’ll get you a copy.)
2.	Determine the focus of my acting goals.
	Do I want to do theater, TV, feature films, short films, webisodes, commercials, some or all of the above. (SIDE NOTE: For now, I am focusing on television and film roles. For me, this is important so that I do not get distracted and deplete my energy or focus on other goals, such as theater, commercials, etc., at this time.)
3.	Refine and customize my acting marketing tools.
	Refine and customize my acting marketing tools such as headshots/resumes to focus on the particular roles and projects that I am targeting.
4.	Work closely with my agent to ensure she understands and buys into what I am trying to accomplish.
5.	Realize that I don’t control getting an audition, I only control that when I do get an audition I am ready.
	Translation: Always be training, learning, practicing – I do control how much I do these, including the time and financial commitment necessary.
6.	When I do get an audition – get ready to perform as if it’s opening night on Broadway.
	I control my attitude, my level of confidence when I walk in the room, and how well I perform. (HINT: If you don’t already know, preparation and training are the keys to appearing upbeat, confident, and talented.)
7.	After the audition, complete a simple evaluation:
	1) What did I do well? 2) What can I do better next time? 3) Let it go and refocus on what I have control over – do not beat myself up. 4) Begin preparing for the next goal.
8.	Continually do everything listed above.
	And add to this list as I learn more strategies, techniques, and ideas that I control that can help me accomplish my long-term acting goals.

THE LUCK FACTOR

“The definition of luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” – Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

Yes, no matter how much you prepare, believe in yourself, and do all the right things, there will always be those “lucky” actors who seem to get the part, instead of you. It is often tempting to rationalize this by thinking things like, “She is SO lucky!” “He is always at the right place at the right time.” “The casting director likes her better than me.” “I must not be good enough.” And so on. To this, I can only refer you to what Abraham Lincoln said when he was just starting out his career as a young lawyer: He said, "I will study and prepare myself, and someday my chance will come."

If you study and prepare yourself for the acting gigs you want, your chance will come as well. In most industries, there is nothing that you cannot accomplish if you'll invest the effort to get yourself ready for the success that you desire. And there is nothing that can stop you but your own lack of preparation. Acting is slightly different in that there are so many outcomes we do not control. But keep in mind that there is still a lot we do control if we choose to do so.

Good luck as you continue on your acting journey!

About the Author Dan Strakal is an actor who spends most his time on projects in LA and New Mexico. He also shares his twenty years of successful business experience to assist other actors to create their success. He can be reached at dan@dantalent.com or via phone at 1.505.899.9145. He is HUGE fan of ActorWebs – check out his website at www.dantalent.com.