Being out of your comfort zone is good for a career.

I am around young people a lot in my role as costume designer for independent films, videos, commercials etc and in my role as a mentor, and I am often reminded how terrifying “first times” can be in a career, especally at the start of a new job, a new film, a new anything that requires you to work in your chosen profession and risk failing. 

But risk-taking is essential for moving forward in a career. When I am asked, should I quit my day job and go for full time acting/directing/designing? Should I move to LA? Should I quit the full time dancing gig I have (in the chorus, where I can go no further), and risk everything auditioning for principle roles?..... my answer is always yes! yes! yes! If you are asking the question, then you are ready to take the next step. You must take the next step. If you are too comfortable, you won’t move forward. Somehow the very act of making that scary leap of faith forces you to land on your feet. 

Many years ago, when I was a dancer on Broadway, my friends thought I was crazy for turning down a new job in the long running show “Hello Dolly”, but it was another chorus job and I wanted to act. It took a while, but I eventually got my first acting role as Gendolyn Pigeon in the National Company of “The Odd Couple.” 

Some years later, after five years of being an assistant costume designer, (though an assistant to the very best, Bob Mackie) and wanting to move on,  it took working days as an assitant and nights designing low budget theatre projects for no pay. I often was so exhausted I thought I would die.  But I got my name out there as a costume designer in my own right, which eventually led to my first paid costume designer job on “The Fact of Life”. Flash forward: after I had designed half a dozen TV sitcoms, one producer had the nerve to tell me that I would NEVER get hired for a serious drama or movie, since I was known for sitcoms. I took great delight in proving her wrong! 

The scary times were many. But what I learned is this:

• You never die from exhaustion. You may feel really lousy and think you are going to die, but you don’t.
• You won’t starve. You may get a tiny bit behind on your bills, but you won’t starve.
• You will never get hired for a job that someone doesn’t believe you can do, even if you don’t quite believe it yet yourself.
• You can get through those first frightening days and weeks of a new job if you keep showing up, staying calm, listening and watching, and most of all, believing that each day will get a little easier and you will feel a little more confident. Before long you will feel totally confortable in your position, and before you know it, you’ll want to be out on the edge again!

Remember to check out my online costume training program at http://hollywoodmentors.co