#268-Act As If

Air Date: 6/22/2023

Repeat after me, “I have NO Problems…I have situations”. When we can

reframe any issue that we face, we are shifting our negative perceptions

into something less caustic. Problems now become just situations. When it

comes to our acting talent or acting career, we might need to consider re-

framing how we feel so we can embrace our progress and not beat ourselves up. I

have a three-word phrase that helps me see another less harmful view of myself.

It’s so powerful, in fact, that this simple phrase can alleviate a whole host of

“situations”! Tune into this episode of Casting Actors Cast and find out how you

can turn acting and career problems into manageable situations.

What do I mean when I use the phrase, Act As If”?

1. It means we can apply a fresh perspective to our inner thoughts

2. It means we can reduce anxious feelings that often accompany problems

3. We can use our acting talent in everyday life

When is it useful to “Act As If”

1. Working with others-Less insecure about ourselves

2. Making important decisions-a better lens for success

3. Feeling we’ve lost control-re-establishes a firm foundation

How to properly use this new viewpoint

1. Ask yourself what would “future you” do?

2. Make an active choice to behave differently than usual when confronted

3. Embrace the feeling of security that comes with acting as if…

Examples of situations that can benefit from “Act as If”

1. Choices you make when working on your acting: I am going to act as if my

character is flawed in an unusual way.

2. Choices with your career: What would you, five years from you, do in any

given situation. Do that now!

3. When you are feeling discouraged or rejected: I will act as if this is just a

teachable moment to create the more successful version of myself

It’s not a matter of creating a fantasy version of ourselves, but rather, a viewpoint

filtered through our better selves. When we “Act As If” we are using our creativity

to make better choices.

Jeffrey Dreisbach~ castingactorscast@gmail.com~