Episode 337: Desperate Energy Is Hurting Your Career

Feeling behind in your acting or voiceover career?

 

You’re not alone. But you might be burning through your creative energy in the wrong ways.

In this blog, we’ll unpack something that rarely gets talked about in the entertainment industry: desperate energy. What it looks like, how it sneaks into your process, and why it might be the real reason you feel stuck.

What Is Desperate Energy?

Desperate energy is that anxious, frantic feeling that shows up when you think you're falling behind.

• It's applying to projects far below your rate just to stay busy

• Sending emails that sound like begging rather than offering value

• Obsessively checking job boards and refreshing your inbox

• Saying yes to everything, even if it doesn't align with your goals

It feels like progress, but it’s just panic in disguise. And it doesn’t lead to your best work.

Why Talented Actors Burn Out

Most actors don’t fail because they aren’t good enough. They fail because they’re exhausted.

The entertainment industry rewards people who are grounded and consistent. Not those who hustle out of fear.

If you’re operating from a place of desperation, your decisions will reflect that. You’ll chase misaligned jobs, sabotage your rates, and create chaos in your outreach.

A prepared actor is a powerful one. A desperate actor is a noisy one.

Desperation vs. Preparation

Here’s the difference in how each one shows up:

Desperate Energy	Prepared Energy
Sends mass emails with no targeting	Sends thoughtful outreach to aligned leads
Auditions for anything and everything	Submits only for strong-fit roles
Overthinks every rejection	Moves on with focus and perspective
Chases opportunities from guilt	Follows a repeatable business system

 

Prepared actors don’t rely on luck. They build habits that create consistency.

You’re Not Behind — You’re Building

Here’s a truth that might surprise you.

You’re probably not behind. You’re just in a part of the story that no one posts about.

You’re laying track for a train that hasn’t arrived yet. That doesn’t mean you’re late. It means you’re doing the work.

Comparison creates fake urgency. Your timeline isn’t broken. It’s unfolding.

Five Ways to Shift Desperate Energy This Week

1. Create a morning check-in. Set one creative and one business goal to guide your day.

2. Limit job board time. Give yourself 10 focused minutes instead of getting stuck for hours.

3. Track your outreach. Use a CRM or simple spreadsheet to stay organized.

4. Submit and let go. Don’t carry one audition’s result into the next.

5. Post a reminder. Write this on a sticky note:
   Building does not mean behind.

Put it on your mic. Your mirror. Your computer. Wherever you need to see it.

Your Brain Thinks You’re in Danger

When you feel behind, your brain can’t always tell the difference between a real threat and a made-up one.

The nervous system doesn’t distinguish between missing a flight and watching someone else book a dream role. Both can feel like danger if you let them spiral.

This is why structure matters. Habits and systems help ground you in the reality of what you’re actually doing — not what you’re afraid you're not doing.

Final Thought: Keep Building

The outreach that goes unanswered.
The audition that goes nowhere.
The early morning rehearsal no one sees.

That’s building.

You’re not behind. You’re in the part of the journey that creates the part everyone else sees later.

These quiet days matter.

They’re not wasted. They’re foundational.

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What’s one habit you’ll try this week?

Tag @actingbusinessbootcamp with your sticky note mantra. Mandy wants to see what you’re committing to — and she’ll share hers too. 💛