Being a pro or an amateur actor isn’t about being better or worse. They’re just different experiences. But if you’re someone who wants to be a pro, yet you’re stuck feeling like an amateur or you’re working but not feeling fulfilled, we need to look at why.
A pro actor is someone who’s not only working but is also landing the roles they want, making an impact with their work, and feeling fulfilled. Maybe you’re acting, but it’s not hitting the way you hoped. Maybe you’re not getting the roles you want or you feel like you're not fully showing up in your performances. You might even feel like your work isn’t touching the audience the way you know it could. If that’s where you are, you might not feel like a real "pro," even if you are technically working.
Or maybe, you’re not working as much as you’d like. You want to be out there, acting, booking roles, making an impact, but it feels like you’re stuck. It’s frustrating and it can be painful, especially if acting is your passion and your dream.
What I see a lot when people feel stuck is that they start blaming the industry. It’s unfair, it’s too hard, it’s blocked. And yes, the industry has its challenges, but blaming it isn’t going to get you where you want to be. What I see is actors hiding behind these reasons instead of taking responsibility for how they’re showing up. The truth is, if you want to be a pro, you have to engage like a pro. And this is where I think a lot of actors get stuck.
Another pattern I see is constantly chasing the next class, the next method, the next teacher, thinking that if you just find the right one, then you’ll make it. But if you’re not showing up 100% as yourself—fully free, fully alive, fully present—none of those classes are going to make a difference.
When you watch my training below you will discover that being a pro is like training for a marathon. You can’t just run around the block and expect to finish a marathon. You have to prepare. And when it comes to acting, your instrument—your body, mind, heart, soul—is what needs to be ready. If your instrument isn’t fully free and alive, you can’t show up fully in your career, in your auditions, on set, or when you're networking. You won’t get pro results because you’re not operating as a pro.
So, how do you get ready? By investing in yourself. Not just by taking classes but by working through all the conditioning, habits, and fears that keep you from being fully present and free. At the end of the day, if you’re not showing up fully, you’re going to feel like an amateur even if you’re working. And if you're working but not fully alive in your roles, it's never going to feel fulfilling.
Watch my training to hear all my thoughts on this topic.
After you watch the training, I'd love for you to join in the conversation happening in our private Facebook Group THE INSTINCTIVE ACTORS' SOCIETY. You can get answers for your specific situation directly from me and connect with THOUSANDS of like-minded actors across the globe, so we can move things forward faster together.
If you're not already a member, be sure to request to join ASAP here.
See you there!
Jo Kelly
Creator, The Reset Journey From Resistance to Freedom
P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are three ways I can help you:
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