Plan-b: A Well Planned, Calculated Risk. Or Fear Of Plan-a?

[The White Belt]

Whatsup people! :-)

 

My head has been frantic all day. I hope you can help.

Basically next month I will be travelling around SE Asia for three months (A trip I hope to be equally spiritual and good for my personal development).

I'm 22 and I work in a coffee shop full-time, which as of late has been frustrating because I know I can do better for myself but what i've really wanted to do is become an actor. (I say really want to do but my passion for it goes off and on like crazy)

I applied for a career break but I just found out today that they would not be able to have me back and this is where I feel stuck.

What do I do when I get back? I can't bare returning to a coffee shop.

 

So what i'm considering is training in something that is not acting and getting a decent full-time career that actually stretches my brain and fufills me somewhat.

 

But it isn't acting.

 

I've never liked this whole romantic notion that a person must be poor and starve to become an actor. I like a level of comfort in my life and enough money to eat healthy and buy books and I feel like being a poor person struggling to make ends meet to become an actor would drive me insane.

Starting a career in something else that earns well would give me the opportunity to save... But then an actor needs to be able to take time from work at a moments notice but with this it just isn't possible. 

I've put money into acting and it is never a financial return but a bit more basic knowledge for courses that can cost thousands. Where as if for example if I put lots of money into something such as computing I could get a tangible financial return.

 

I've gotten through this all not being able to articulate or get my point across fully so let me leave it with one simple question.

 

 

If I put acting on the back burner to pursue a more 'realistic career' so that I can gain financial comfort. Is it wrong?

 

Please help.

 

BeginnerActualizer

[Leo Gura]

It's not wrong, it just depends...

How passionate are you about Plan B on a scale of 1 to 10? If you're not that passionate, then it's probably a waste of your time because you will not be able to do great work with Plan B.

A career like acting requires lots of talent, skills, and commitment. There's no way you're gonna compete with other fully-committed actors if you're spending 40 hours per week doing Plan B.

If you wanna be an actor you have 2 basic options:

1. Go all-in right now and don't look back
2. Find a well-paying Plan B job, do it for a few years to save up lots of money. Then quit and do option #1.

Or...

You can give up on your acting ambitions entirely and find something else that you might like even more.

[The White Belt]

Thanks for the reply Leo.

 

Ahh it's just so hard. Because I look over time and I have never really stuck my head into acting books or put the real effort in.. So I don't know why acting pops into my head when I think life purpose. I've read more personal development books than acting books.

Sometimes I can only think of acting and sometimes I hate it. Perhaps I can pursue something else and keep acting as a hobby?

 

who knows.

[Leo Gura]

What would you do with your life if you had $100 million dollars and no chance of failure?

Do that!

[The White Belt]

I don't know! :'(

[The White Belt]

I think I need more life experiences. To try a lot of things. All whilst doing personal development work generally and try not to go insane doing a mind numbing 9-5 job.. and also be patient if possible. Sound like a good plan @Leo Gura?

[Tom Beast]

Yo:)

Where are you heading in SE Asia? Because there is great forest monastery in NE Thailand Wat Pah Nanachat  http://www.watpahnanachat.org

've been there for one month as layman. Great eyes/mind/spirit-openning  experience   Such journey can help you decide, as you will have plenty of time …. or even more … trust me  

I'm writting this coz You know the answer, you need time and yourself not distracted ...to hear it clear.

[The White Belt]

@Tom Beast - I'm start off in Thailand actually. I start in Bangkok and then will make my way around so I will definitely look out for this place. Thanks!  

[Tom Beast]

It is good way to start sightseeing in Bangkok first … after spending time in a forest Kuti (2mx2m hut in the woods), I just hated Bangkok and its noisy space.

Take care ! 

[Dylan Jon]

I would always tell myself, that I would have least gave everything I had at the thing I loved the most, before I die. What would you consider "life" if you did not give it a 100% try? Sure things can be tough, life can suck. But at least you can fulfill your passion. The key I guess is development/progression. Ask yourself the difference between joy and unhappiness? I think progression. Where a happy person grows and learn new things, where a unhappy person has the feeling he/she is stuck at one place.

A good time to think about this is indeed at your wonderful journey. However, like Leo said, if you make the commitment to do plan A or B, stick with it 100% and don't look back.

[Josemos]

@Dylan Jon Hey, man! I understand where you're coming from and if you are a little ambivalent about acting, your best bet in my opinion is to spend time discovering yourself and taking on different hobbies, experiences, and the like in order to figure out who you are. I know you need money for a lot of these things and TIME but this doesn't mean you have to get a 9-5 job. Not every job that's going to give you enough money to live your lifestyle is a typical 40-hr work week job.

I recommend working a TRADE or something else you think you'd enjoy doing. But I say trades(plumber, electrician, HVAC, and more) because it takes way less time than college, you start earning sooner than you think, and your hours can be more flexible.

This is just my advice for a Plan B. The process of finding yourself during this process, I feel, will solidify your interests so you can more clearly see where you want to spend your greatest time, money, and effort on. The decision is yours friend and I wish you the best of luck!

P.S. You will ALWAYS find work with a trade especially at this time because the baby boomers are retiring. People need tradesmen(Not to force the idea on you though!)

Edited February 11, 2016 by Josemos

[Dhana Choko]

It is very possible that you do not know what you really want to do. That is ok! You will find it in time but at the moment you need to be able to be okey with the fact that you do not know, you feel confused and unhappy. Just be there right now. Then the next step will show up. It might be a plan C and nothing you imagined before.  

[One]

Hi

I think you should do acting auditions

And but it in youtube, but your best act in your best movie .

See your self , let your friends family and all the world see you

Act with passion with love with hate

Just do it ,do it wrong or right

Just do it 

And see how it feel

Edited February 11, 2016 by One

[didirci]

You surely seem to love different things as you're going for a 3 month trip to Asia, then talk about personal development and acting...That is probably why when Leo is asking you what you would do if you have $100 million your answer is you don't know. 

I relate to you in the sense that my answer to this question would probably be really long as I have so many ideas in my head.

My suggestion to you is to choose one of your interests and try it for a bit. Then if you realise on your journey that it is not what you want at this point in your life just cross it and try the next one on your list. It will help you to act upon your ideas because you will be able to experience rather than theorizing in your head (which leads you nowhere). I don't know any famous actor, artist, scientist or writer who has not gone through failure at some point! Even Leo tells you about some of his mistakes in his videos!

So writing all your ideas on a piece of paper would be a good start  then choose one and live the experience!

Good luck on your journey!

Edited February 16, 2016 by didirci

[ayokolomo]

I never had a plan b.  And yes things have fucked up in major ways.  But here I am, everything seems to have worked out.