Monthly Goals Check-In

As you guys know, I am trying to keep up with the goals I made at the beginning of the year.  So, this is my monthly check-in to see how those goals are doing.

This month was very busy for my acting.  I got to be a Star for Day on a Pilot.   We finally got to do A Mixed Tape, a super fun play where I get to be a gorilla with Eric Edwards and Jonathan Lipnicki, again after a long hiatus.  I booked two more acting gigs that will be starting soon.  Can't wait til I get to share about those with you. 

Here's how my year is going so far:

GOAL: Attend every class unless sick or working an acting gig.
ACTUAL: The only class I missed this month was the day I shot my co-star on a USA pilot.

GOAL: Work on scenes in class that I actually put up.
ACTUAL: Still working on "Vanities."  We've set up a regular rehearsal schedule, but have had some set-backs because of vacations and each of us booking work (great for us, not great for the play.)

GOAL: Complete all three of my films for the Playhouse West Film Festival.
ACTUAL:  Two are complete and the third is a good rough cut with some sound editing left to do.  All have been submitted and I am hoping the final cut of the third will be done by April 20th so I nice version of it will be seen by the PWFF committee.

GOAL: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
ACTUAL:  Have not started work on this one yet.  I have a couple ideas, but need to start the work of writing them.

GOAL: Continue to work at the Agency every week.
ACTUAL: I've been going to the agency at least once a week, sometimes more.  What was really great during Pilot Season is that they asked me to take notes on the pilot meetings they had every week.  It really helped me to see what was happening with all the Pilots.  I also helped keep up our database on who was getting cast in what.  This helps keep things in perspective when you wonder why you aren't going out, but then see people like Sigourney Weaver and Allison Janey are the ones getting cast.

GOAL: Find three casting offices to help out as a reader.
ACTUAL: Still only helping out at two offices, but am going in whenever they need me.

GOAL: Read two plays.
ACTUAL: I was lax on this one and didn't manage to find time to read one.  We were working on Nursery Rhymes in class, so I focused on those a lot (this exercise is much tougher than it sounds.)  I'm also halfway through book three of The Song of Fire and Ice, and those books are long and very dense so it's difficult to find time to read anything else.

GOAL: Blog every Monday.
ACTUAL: Doing good with this one and blogging over at Getting Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles as well.

For next month, I am hoping to turn all this positive momentum into more opportunities!

January Career Goals Update

One way to help you stay on top of your resolutions is to have people to keep you accountable.  So, you guys are now my accountability team.  At the end of each month we are going to revisit my career goals I set this New Year's and see how I am doing.

CAREER GOALS

Goal: Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick
Actual: I skipped one Thursday class to go to Disneyland with my sister.  My excuse (I know, excuses are a terrible, terrible thing but ...) I had attended 5 classes already that week and needed a mental health day.

Goal: Work on scenes from plays I can put up.
Actual: I have worked on two new scenes already this year, but neither come from a play I would actually put up.  I am starting a new scene next week that has a possibility of being a cool play to do.

Goal: Read two plays a month.
Actual: I read "A Few Good Men," "Play It Again, Sam," and "Vanities."

Goal: Find and attend a good on-camera class to supplement my acting classes.
Actual: Started a commercial class with Chris Game.

Goal: Complete editing on both my films before the PWFF early bird deadline.
Actual: The five minute one has a rough cut, but b-roll footage is needed to round it out.  The 20-minute one is being worked on by Ricardo.

Goal: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
Actual: Let's finish these other two first.

Goal: Continue to help at the agency once a week.
Actual: I've been helping out at my agency and at some casting offices.  On weeks I couldn't go in on my normal day, I would try to go in a different day.

Goal: Find three casting offices that I can help out at as a reader.
Actual: Worked as a reader at two offices already!  A feature office and an episodic!  I think I will try to add more to this goal.

Goal: Blog every Monday.
Actual: Blogged every week.  And I added a new blog: Being Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles.  There you can see how I am doing on my personal goals.

Who is Keeping you Accountable?

Every New Years we make resolutions.  Last week, I wrote about the proper way to set goals.  But, once you figure out what your goals are, what keeps you from forgetting about them a month from now?

First, make sure you post your goals somewhere that would force you to see them as often as possible.  You could print them out and tack them to your mirror, make them the home screen on your phone, or do what I did and make them public by posting them on your blog.  You can see my 2012 goals here.

This leads to the second step on how to keep your goals.  Find a partner who will hold you accountable.  Get a close friend to meet you once a week or so for coffee and discuss where you are at with the goals you set.  By posting mine, I am using all of you to keep me accountable.  I will update once a week to keep me honest on my professional goals. 

For my personal goals I started a new blog called Getting Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles, where I try to become more like Martha Stewart but on a budget. 

Hope everyone's New Year started fabulously! 

Good luck with all your New Year's goals.