Are You Surrounding Yourself With The Wrong Kind Of People?

Hey, there!

I often get together, face-to-face, with a group of people who are, for me, the right kind of people.

For my health, for my acting and VO career, for my life.

And the more time I spend around them, the less time I have to spend with the wrong kind of people.

And who are the wrong kind of people?

That depends. The tribe you run with shares much more than just mutual goals and common experiences.

Let’s face it: there are performers and producers you want to be in the room with.

And there are performers and producers you’d rather not be anywhere near.

And you can find out, by asking yourself a few questions about the VO people you connect with, if they are the wrong kind of people:

– Does being around them energize you? Or does it suck you dry?

– Do they herald your attempts at trying new and exciting things? Or do they predict disaster?

– Are they still excited about being actors and VO artists? Or are they embittered and cynical?

– Are they happy for you when you book something? Or are they dismissive of your successes?

– Do they support you when you try and fail? Or do they say “I told you so?”

– Are they willing to be honest when they see you making an obvious mistake?

– Do they ask you for help in return, allowing both of you to enjoy the journey?

– Do you have to chase them to spend time with them? Or does your contact come naturally?

– Do they bring a smile to your face when you see them? Or do you sigh, and ready yourself for stress?

I only ask because I want you to have the kind of VO career that is successful and profitable. You’ve heard or read where I say that “My job is to defend the success of your career.” That means both supporting you in best practices, and also waving you off of things that could stall your progress.

Surrounding yourself with the wrong people can do just that — stall your progress, both personally and in your VO career.

And letting go of those people can be painful.

But not as painful as the wasted time, effort, energy, brain cycles, opportunity costs and more that you’ll spend being in their sphere of influence.

[tweet_box]Are You Surrounding Yourself With The Wrong Kind Of People?[/tweet_box]

In many ways, I’m very fortunate.

One of those ways is that I’m part of a small mastermind group online, the members of which share strategy and tactics about business success.

We do most of our chatting online in a private email group, but twice a year, we meet face to face, usually in an idyllic setting.

(This past time, it was on Maui. Next time, it will be at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Nice.)

Invariably, simply being part of the conversations that occur there create breathtaking results.

It’s amazing how being around those kinds of people almost instantly generates — you guessed it — business success. It seems like every time we meet, one or more members is transformed, and it happens almost effortlessly – because all of us have chosen not to spend time with the wrong kind of people.

Think about the alternative for me — people who are lazy about their skills or careers, or who are embittered about the industry, who won’t adjust to a changing casting environment, who aren’t willing to learn new technology or new techniques, who refuse to try and fail and then learn from the trial and failure, who have given up, or who just want to skate by.

I started to move away from those kinds of people about 15 years ago — and the results have been phenomenal.

Are you willing to take stock of your tribe, and figure out who the wrong people are? How have you severed those ties gracefully? What have you gained? Join in the conversation below.

Hope this helps.

David