Working Beyond Yesterday

So much has happened in the last few months, career wise.  The auditions have been plentiful and I've booked the majority of them.  And now all the work that I've done is being brought to the masses via Television and Advertisements.  People are contacting me left and right about seeing me and how proud they are of  the audacity I had to pursue a career like this.  A career that most won't have the courage to pursue or the faith to stick in there and see it come to fruition.

All the work I've done has been is an amazing accomplishment. But don't get it twisted, there is still more to be done, especially if I want to succeed financially.  The bills will keep coming, I still gotta eat and well, life goes on.  While I'm not setting out to be some big time super star, not in the eyes of man anyway, I still have to work to stay fresh and current, improving my skill, mastering my art and always staying on top of my game.  Whether its exercising or taking a class, networking or volunteering, I have to keep the ball rolling.

There are so many talented, beautiful people in this industry and we all can get lost in the "cattle".  But there has to be something about me that sticks out so that I can eventually get the job!  In the last week I was on hold for 4 jobs and got released from them all.  Although it could have been a number of reasons why I didn't book the job, I have to look at how I've been maximizing my time ... more specifically, my career.

I've gotten used to the releases, no callbacks and such ... that's a part of the process.  But when I've not been doing all I can to create a thriving career for myself, then those disappointments can be a bit irritating.  You get out what you put in.  And frankly I've not been putting in much these days.  Nobody is going to work harder for me, than me. Sure, I've put in the foot work (pounding the pavement), but when clients are booking a job, you're feet are probably the last thing they are looking at. Unless of course its an audition for feet.  But you get my point.

I have just not been the productive, go getter I know myself to be.  I've been productive in my mind (lol) but I've yet to get or keep the ball rolling. I've gotten comfortable. And comfortable does not keep you working. It just makes you lazy, unfulfilled and just waiting around for the next call.  It produces lack, insecurity, frustration and a bunch of wasted time.  I am by no means beating myself up. I'm just keeping it real with myself.  I have to get out of this rut.

When reading scripture today, I came across this passage. This is the Message translation:

1 Corinthians 9:26-27: I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line.  I'm giving it everything I've got.  No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition.  I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

If this didn't touch my spirit to the 100th level.  GOD knows my potential better than anyone.  That's whats so great about being a child of GOD, cause at some point HE will call you out on your mess and you have no choice but to listen. And when GOD speaks to you ... HE does it in a profound way.  The message I received made me want to light 10 fires under me and get to moving along with all I've been putting off.  While I'm sitting around, lounging, watching the tube, someone else is getting new marketing tools together, planning shoots, in the gym, updating, purging, and moving their career right along even when they aren't booking jobs.

So until next time: "If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today!"

The Measure of Success

I had every intention on posting about my anniversary on my anniversary ... my 5 year anniversary in the business that is! March 9th marked 5 years from the time I left my 9 to 5 to pursue my life as a full time model and commercial actress.  I think I expressed in a previous post that I when I quit, Im really not sure I grasped exactly what I was going to be doing or even how long I was planning on doing it.

I always did some type of modeling but I don't think I ever expected I'd be doing commercials and hosting. I mean hosting wasn't too far fetched because of my degree in journalism, but it didn't really enter my thought process as a career goal. *shrugs*  Probably because I wasn't  FOCUSED.   My major was theater when I first started college and doing theater is the furthest thing from my mind now.  Im not too far removed from doing television and film, but its certainly not what Im seeking to do. Im just not passionate about it.  But I am open to challenging myself and auditioning for a role that comes across my plate that moves me.

I must say, I have done quite well in 5 years.  I cannot complain.  I've done tons of commercials and print ads and am becoming quite recognizable and respected in the industry. I always tell people Im not in this business to become a household name or famous.  I just want to experience the joy of doing what I love and making a living out of doing it.

I've had conversations with friends, family members or just acquaintances who know what I do, have seen some of my work and are excited about it all.  But they haven't seen the blood, sweat and tears.  They haven't seen every thing I've done or realize what it takes to be in this business.  They say, 'you're time is coming," "success is knocking at your door," "one day it's going to happen".  I have to laugh because all of what they are saying is here... RIGHT NOW!  My time is here.  Success has knocked and we are toasting to it, "IT" has happened, is happening and is continuing to happen ... by the Grace of GOD!

Often times people measure success by what others have accomplished.  Everyone's goal is not the same.  Everyone's journey isn't the same.  And everyone's mentality sho' aint the same. LOL.  I will never be a Halle Berry, a Kristen Wiig, or  Tyra or even the Progressive Insurance lady ... but I will always be the best Monique in whatever is Im doing.

Sure, Success is continuous but for me, its not measured by what others are doing but what I hope for,  for my own career and the things I want to attain.  And maybe that's just being a really good, hard working, consistently working commercial actress, model, host with maybe a few more things up my sleeve.  We'll see... ; )

Until next time ... "Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in it, and it will come naturally."